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While back in his hometown of St. Louis, Nelson met and married Eileen
Mitchell; the couple had a son, Oliver Nelson Jr., but soon divorced. After graduation, Nelson married St. Louis native Audrey McEwen, a union that lasted until his death and produced a son, Nyles.
283:'was the first time that I had heard really modern music for back in St. Louis I hadn't even known that Negroes were allowed to go to concerts. I realized everything didn't have to sound like Beethoven or Brahms ... . It was then that I decided to become a composer.
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in the 1940s, and his sister sang and played piano. Nelson began learning to play the piano when he was six and started on the saxophone at the age of 11. Beginning in 1947, he played in "territory" bands in and around Saint Louis, before joining the
662:
Nelson died of a heart attack on
October 28, 1975, at the age of 43. It is widely believed that Nelson's commitment to his work resulted in lengthy periods of stress which contributed to his premature death.
464:
of the same name. He also led all-star big bands in various live performances between 1966 and 1975. Nelson continued to perform as a soloist during this period, now focusing primarily on soprano saxophone.
607:-sponsored tour of West Africa in 1969. Less well-known is the fact that Nelson composed several symphonic works, and was also deeply involved in jazz education, returning to his
472:
to be near the television and movie industry and began composing background music for television and films, for which he became highly sought after. Television projects included
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196:(1961) is regarded as one of the most significant recordings of its era. The centerpiece of the album is the definitive version of Nelson's composition, "
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615:, in the summer of 1969 to lead a five-week-long clinic that also featured such guest performers as
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as the leader of various small groups. From 1960 to 1961, he briefly played with
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band in Japan and Korea. It was in Japan that Nelson attended a concert by the
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After completing his degree Nelson moved to New York City, playing with
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saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. His 1961
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Nelson returned to
Missouri to study music composition and theory at
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542:(1972). Two years later, he recorded a further album in Britain for
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460:(1966), a film made in Great Britain, was arranged by Nelson for
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was published in 1966 and remains highly regarded to this day.
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Oliver Nelson
Published Big Band Arrangements and Compositions
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big band in 1959, and in the same year began recording for
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Nelson worked as an arranger on large ensemble albums for
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After six albums as leader between 1959 and 1961 for the
924:"Oliver Nelson, 43, Composer And Jazz Saxophonist, Dead"
333:. He also played on the West Coast briefly with the
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magazine, February 15, 1962, Vol. 29, No. 4. p. 17.
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182:(June 4, 1932 β October 28, 1975) was an American
242:band, where he stayed from 1950 to 1951, playing
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225:Oliver Nelson was born into a musical family in
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1256:Oliver Edward Nelson in London with Oily Rags
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655:. Nelson's book of jazz practice exercises,
549:Oliver Edward Nelson in London with Oily Rags
325:, and working as the house arranger for the
16:American composer and bandleader (1932β1975)
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369:label, Nelson's big breakthrough came with
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1403:Washington University in St. Louis alumni
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801:Goldberg, Joe, "Focus on Oliver Nelson",
560:, better known as cockney music hall duo
1008:β brief introduction from the Jazz Files
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742:The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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583:Along with his big-band appearances (in
246:and arranging charts for Jordan's band.
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922:The New York Times (October 30, 1975).
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830:
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817:Woods, Phil, "Reflections in E-flat",
771:"Impulse! Records Discography Project"
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1478:20th-century American male musicians
1014:β introduction from Impulse! Records
895:Shipton, Alyn; Barker, Guy (2011).
839:. Johnson Publishing Company: 118.
552:, that featured contributions from
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867:"The Many 'Bags' of Oliver Nelson"
833:"The Many 'Bags' of Oliver Nelson"
292:Washington University in St. Louis
279:. Nelson later recalled that this
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1168:More Blues and the Abstract Truth
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897:"Oliver Nelson: BBC Jazz Library"
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605:United States Department of State
502:. Films scored by Nelson include
203:More Blues and the Abstract Truth
1136:The Blues and the Abstract Truth
821:, September/October 1995, p. 62.
695:"Oliver Nelson | Biography"
372:The Blues and the Abstract Truth
193:The Blues and the Abstract Truth
1458:20th-century American composers
1433:Flying Dutchman Records artists
1353:African-American jazz composers
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831:Garland, Phyl (November 1968).
212:(1966), both also on Impulse!.
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249:In 1952, Nelson served in the
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1299:Berlin Dialogue for Orchestra
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1468:American male jazz composers
1463:Jazz musicians from Missouri
1388:Mainstream jazz saxophonists
1184:Oliver Nelson Plays Michelle
1018:Oliver Nelson: A Discography
951:"An Overworked Orchestrator"
259:Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
215:
125:Musician, composer, arranger
7:
1448:20th-century jazz composers
657:Patterns for Improvisation,
647:, who later co-founded the
361:Breakthrough and afterwards
251:United States Marines Corps
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1428:Inner City Records artists
1368:American male saxophonists
1363:American jazz saxophonists
1358:American jazz clarinetists
1248:Black, Brown and Beautiful
670:
493:The Six Million Dollar Man
1453:20th-century saxophonists
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1079:
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865:Garland (November 1968).
673:Oliver Nelson discography
532:(1973). He also arranged
468:In 1967, Nelson moved to
253:playing woodwinds in the
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1423:Impulse! Records artists
1408:Prestige Records artists
1373:American music arrangers
1348:Musicians from St. Louis
949:Friedwald, Will (2006).
375:, an album recorded for
1473:American jazz composers
1096:Taking Care of Business
649:World Saxophone Quartet
544:Flying Dutchman Records
1398:Soul-jazz saxophonists
1152:Impressions of Phaedra
1144:Afro/American Sketches
393:Afro-American Sketches
349:, and then joined the
40:Background information
1438:United States Marines
1418:Verve Records artists
1393:Post-bop saxophonists
1383:Hard bop saxophonists
1307:Leon Thomas in Berlin
1291:Live from Los Angeles
613:Washington University
505:Death of a Gunfighter
416:Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
221:Early life and career
1483:Argo Records artists
1378:Big band bandleaders
1208:The Sound of Feeling
1200:Encyclopedia of Jazz
745:(Concise ed.).
599:, Freddie Hill, and
180:Oliver Edward Nelson
50:Oliver Edward Nelson
1413:RCA Records artists
1104:Screamin' the Blues
539:Last Tango in Paris
408:Cannonball Adderley
255:3rd Marine Division
1088:Meet Oliver Nelson
928:The New York Times
440:Stanley Turrentine
296:Lincoln University
277:Symphony in E Flat
1325:
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1232:The Kennedy Dream
1224:The Spirit of '67
819:Saxophone Journal
353:big band playing
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134:Soprano saxophone
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1216:Jazzhattan Suite
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367:Prestige Records
339:Prestige Records
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82:October 28, 1975
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999:discography at
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749:. p. 891.
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637:Julius Hemphill
574:The Temptations
562:Chas & Dave
529:The Alpha Caper
404:Thelonious Monk
389:Freddie Hubbard
379:also featuring
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355:tenor saxophone
323:Wild Bill Davis
319:Erskine Hawkins
308:George Tremblay
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235:Cootie Williams
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169:Flying Dutchman
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1272:Stolen Moments
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1128:Straight Ahead
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739:, ed. (1997).
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671:Main article:
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645:Hamiet Bluiett
601:Frank Strozier
424:Wes Montgomery
362:
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347:Duke Ellington
327:Apollo Theater
300:Elliott Carter
273:Paul Hindemith
244:alto saxophone
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198:Stolen Moments
176:Musical artist
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144:, and clarinet
138:alto saxophone
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775:Jazzdisco.org
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737:Larkin, Colin
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517:Dial Hot Line
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959:. Retrieved
957:. TWO SL LLC
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932:. Retrieved
930:. p. 42
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848:. Retrieved
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778:. Retrieved
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747:Virgin Books
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704:. Retrieved
698:
691:Yanow, Scott
685:
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656:
653:David Murray
608:
593:John Klemmer
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566:Nancy Wilson
558:Dave Peacock
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522:
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511:Skullduggery
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450:. The music
436:Billy Taylor
401:
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351:Quincy Jones
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304:Robert Wykes
289:
276:
266:
248:
240:Louis Jordan
224:
209:Sound Pieces
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84:(1975-10-28)
65:June 4, 1932
18:
1343:1975 deaths
1338:1932 births
1315:Swiss Suite
1283:Live albums
1160:Fantabulous
1120:Soul Battle
1071:Discography
901:BBC Radio 3
877:October 13,
850:October 13,
667:Discography
641:Oliver Lake
597:Ernie Watts
570:James Brown
554:Chas Hodges
526:(1970) and
470:Los Angeles
448:Gene Ammons
432:Jimmy Smith
397:Full Nelson
381:Eric Dolphy
343:Count Basie
206:(1964) and
116:jazz fusion
89:Los Angeles
1332:Categories
1176:Happenings
780:October 5,
706:October 5,
678:References
633:Ron Carter
625:Thad Jones
617:Phil Woods
609:alma mater
578:Diana Ross
499:Longstreet
454:wrote for
444:Irene Reid
428:Buddy Rich
385:Roy Haynes
261:and heard
93:California
61:1932-06-04
46:Birth name
1211:(1966β67)
1203:(1965β66)
845:0012-9011
803:Down Beat
621:Mel Lewis
227:St. Louis
216:Biography
68:St. Louis
1112:Nocturne
992:AllMusic
961:June 22,
934:June 22,
907:June 22,
700:AllMusic
589:Montreux
520:(1970),
514:(1970),
508:(1969),
475:Ironside
377:Impulse!
231:Missouri
188:Impulse!
161:Prestige
157:Impulse!
112:post-bop
108:hard bop
72:Missouri
1179:( 1966)
1001:Discogs
523:Zig Zag
487:Columbo
1318:(1972)
1310:(1971)
1302:(1970)
1294:(1967)
1275:(1975)
1267:(1975)
1259:(1974)
1251:(1969)
1243:(1968)
1235:(1967)
1227:(1967)
1219:(1967)
1195:(1966)
1187:(1966)
1171:(1964)
1163:(1964)
1155:(1962)
1147:(1962)
1139:(1961)
1131:(1961)
1123:(1960)
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1107:(1960)
1099:(1960)
1091:(1959)
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585:Berlin
576:, and
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190:album
149:Labels
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903:. BBC
873:: 110
871:Ebony
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651:with
603:in a
462:Alfie
457:Alfie
153:Verve
104:Bebop
983:IMDb
963:2021
936:2021
909:2021
879:2015
852:2015
841:ISSN
782:2019
751:ISBN
708:2019
556:and
496:and
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387:and
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321:and
306:and
294:and
271:and
184:jazz
165:Argo
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