Charlie Rouse

All Music Guide:

Possessor of a distinctive tone and a fluid bop-oriented style, Charlie Rouse was in Thelonious Monk's Quartet for over a decade (1959-1970) and, although somewhat taken for granted, was an important ingredient in Monk's music. Rouse was always a modern player and he worked with Billy Eckstine's orchestra (1944) and the first Dizzy Gillespie big band (1945), making his recording debut with Tadd Dameron in 1947. Rouse popped up in a lot of important groups including Duke Ellington's Orchestra (1949-1950), Count Basie's octet (1950), on sessions with Clifford Brown in 1953, and with Oscar Pettiford's sextet (1955). He co-led the Jazz Modes with Julius Watkins (1956-1959), and then joined Monk for a decade of extensive touring and recordings. In the 1970s he recorded a few albums as a leader, and in 1979 he became a member of Sphere. Charlie Rouse's unique sound began to finally get some recognition during the 1980s. He participated on Carmen McRae's classic Carmen Sings Monk album and his last recording was at a Monk tribute concert.

Wikipedia:

Charlie Rouse (April 6, 1924 - November 30, 1988) was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by his collaboration with Thelonious Monk, and which lasted for more than ten years.

Biography [edit]

Rouse was born in Washington, DC in 1924. At first he worked with the clarinet, before turning to the saxophone.

Rouse began his career with the Billy Eckstine Orchestra in 1944, followed by the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band in 1945, the Duke Ellington Orchestra from 1949 to 1950, the Count Basie Octet in 1950, Bull Moose Jackson And His Buffalo Bearcats in 1953, and the Oscar Pettiford Sextet in 1955. He made his recording debut with Tadd Dameron in 1947, and in 1957 made a notable album with Paul Quinichette.

In the 1980s he was a founding member of the group Sphere, which began as a tribute to Monk.

Charlie Rouse died from lung cancer at University Hospital in Seattle at the age of 64.

Awards & honors [edit]

The asteroid 10426 Charlierouse was officially named to honor Charlie Rouse by American astronomer Joe Montani of Spacewatch, who discovered it in 1999. Earlier, in 1994, asteroid 11091 Thelonious was also discovered and named by Montani.