Rocky Boyd

[Jazzrook]

Despite having played in the Miles Davis Quintet for three months after Hank Mobley left in 1961, tenor saxophonist Rocky Boyd is rarely mentioned in the jazz reference books.
As far as I know, his only recording was the 1961 quintet album 'Ease It!'(JAZZTIME) which was later issued with 4 bonus tracks as 'West 42nd Street'(BLACK LION) under Kenny Dorham's name with Walter Bishop, Ron Carter & Pete LaRoca.
Pete LaRoca's 'Why Not?' on the album is very reminiscent of 'Impressions' and was recorded several months before Coltrane's first version on IMPULSE!.
A fascinating album well worth tracking down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqNr7FD2Rnw

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

thanks for that jazzrook found it on emusic along with Osmosis

also this on Amazon for anyone looking for a Dorham compendium for £5-49p! [just under 10p per track]

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

The elusive Rocky....


Sunny Murray...

"The tenor saxophonist who sort of began my
career was Rocky Boyd, and he was hot,
very hot at that period. He was
responsible for bringing Sam Rivers into
the music, Tony Williams into the music;
he's from Boston. So he helped me
begin, and he was very encouraging of
me in my studies, as we were living
together downtown. Because, from [age]
20-22, I had a coffee shop in the Village,
called Cafe Somethin' Else, and I sold
my shop to get deeper into the music
and started studying harder. When I had
my shop, you know, I had my drums in
the back, and one thing led to another,
and I became professional with Rocky,
around '58, but really on the map with
Cecil, as far as people know." - AAJ

There's a (tall?) tale on Organissimo that Rocky ate a tray of brownies not knowing that they had been laced with LSD, freaked out and then vanished. Only turning up briefly to busk outside Carnegie Hall.

But I think he joined the Lib Dems.

BN.

Btw, if you want another very very good tenor player who recorded a fair bit more than RB but for some reason is never mentioned now - Bill Barron, Kenny's elder brother. The band he co-led with Ted Curson is a find.