Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia
All Music Guide:
Nat Adderley's cornet (which in its early days was strongly influenced by Miles Davis) was always a complementary voice to his brother Cannonball in their popular quintet. His career ran parallel to his older brother for quite some time. Nat took up trumpet in 1946, switched to cornet in 1950, and spent time in the military, playing in an Army band during 1951-1953. After a period with Lionel Hampton (1954-1955), Nat made his recording debut in 1955, joined Cannonball's unsuccessful quintet of 1956-1957, and then spent periods with the groups of J.J. Johnson and Woody Herman before hooking up with Cannonball again in October 1959. This time the group became a major success and Nat remained in the quintet until Cannonball's death in 1975, contributing such originals as "Work Song," "Jive Samba," and "The Old Country" along with many exciting hard bop solos. Nat Adderley, who was at the peak of his powers in the early to mid-'60s and became adept at playing solos that dipped into the subtone register of his horn, led his own quintets after Cannonball's death; his most notable sidemen were altoists Sonny Fortune (in the early '80s) and Vincent Herring. Although his own playing declined somewhat -- Adderley's chops no longer had the endurance of his earlier days -- Nat continued recording worthwhile sessions in the years prior to his death on January 2, 2000. Many but not all of his recordings through the years are currently available (for such labels as Savoy, EmArcy, Riverside, Jazzland, Atlantic, Milestone, A&M, Capitol, Prestige, SteepleChase, Galaxy, Theresa, In & Out, Landmark, Evidence, Enja, Timeless, Jazz Challenge, and Chiaroscuro).
Wikipedia:
Nathaniel Adderley (November 25, 1931 in Tampa, Florida – January 2, 2000 in Lakeland, Florida) was an American jazz cornet and trumpet player who played in the hard bop and soul jazz genres. He was the brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley.
Biography
Adderley moved to Tallahassee, Florida when both parents were hired to teach at Florida A&M University. He and Cannonball played with Ray Charles in the early 1940s in Tallahassee. In the 1950s he worked with his brother's original group, with Lionel Hampton, and with J. J. Johnson, then in 1959 joined his brother's new quintet and stayed with it until Cannonball's death in 1975. He composed "Work Song," "Jive Samba," and "The Old Country" for this group.
After his brother's death he led his own groups and recorded extensively. During this period he worked with, among others, Ron Carter, Sonny Fortune, Johnny Griffin, Antonio Hart, and Vincent Herring.
He also helped in the founding and development of the annual Child of the Sun Jazz Festival, held annually at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.
Adderley lived on 112th Street in Harlem in the 1960s and in Teaneck, New Jersey in the 1970s, before moving to Lakeland, Florida. He had also lived near his brother in Corona, Queens.
Upon his death as a result of complications from diabetes in January 2000, Adderley was interred near his brother in the Southside Cemetery in Tallahassee, Florida. His son, Nat Adderley, Jr. a keyboardist, was Luther Vandross' long time musical director.
