Hadley Caliman

Tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman is part of the living history of jazz music in America.

He performed, recorded and toured with musicians such as Freddie Hubbard, Gerald Wilson, Carlos Santana, Dexter Gordon, Elvin Jones, Mongo Santamaria, Joe Pass, The Grateful Dead, Joe Henderson, Don Ellis, Flora Purim, Phoebe Snow, Bobby Hutcherson and many others.

His influence on the sound of modern jazz music can be heard on many of his albums as a leader, including his newest release on Origin Records: Gratitude, featuring drummer Joe LeBarbera, vibraphone master Joe Locke and trumpeter Thomas Marriott.

At 77 years old and now making his home in Seattle, Hadley Caliman is an active and vibrant part of the busy Seattle music scene, and continues to tour, teach and perform throughout the world.

LINER NOTES FROM "GRATITUDE"

Just in case you’re encountering Hadley Caliman for the first time, here’s a little background. His long career in jazz began at Jefferson High in Los Angeles where his classates included Art Farmer, followed by gigs on Central Avenue in the 50s where he was known as “Little Dex” (for Dexter Gordon with whom he studied). In the 60s he played with Mongo Santamaria, Gerald Wilson’s Big Band, Willie Bobo and Don Ellis. In San Francisco in the 70s, he played and recorded with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Nancy Wilson, Hampton Hawes, Jon Hendricks and Bobby Hutcherson and led four albums of his own. One of his high profile dates of the period was touring and recording with Santana at a time when rock bands were trying to expand their musical horizons by employing jazz musicians.

The pervasive influence of John Coltrane is noticeable in Hadley Caliman’s playing, but it’s tempered by the earlier West Coast bop experience and rounded into his own sound by the years of playing in a myriad of gigs of all description. West Coast tenorists like Dexter Gordon, Harold Land, Joe Henderson, Ernie Watts, and Hadley Caliman generally have a more rounded sound than their East Coast counterparts.

It’s also true that one learns from teaching. Hadley was on the music faculty at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle for over 20 years and his influence can be heard in dozens of young saxophonists and others who studied with him. Since retiring from Cornish, he is again concentrating on his career as a performer. He regularly leads his own quartet/quintet and is a featured soloist with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. This CD reestablishes his credentials to a wider world.

This session brings the veteran tenor saxophonist together with some inspiring younger players, incuding trumpet and flugelhorn player Thomas Marriott who also produced the session. The two have worked together in a variety of settings including the SRJO and on Thomas Marriott’s own CD, Both Sides of the Fence which also included the vibist Joe Locke. He brings new energy and imagination to his instrument and is an invigorating addition to this ensemble. The same can be said for the veteran drummer Joe LaBarbera, former Bill Evans Trio member who’s one of the most sought-after muscians in LA studios and concerts. The round, full sound of bassist Phil Sparks makes him Hadley Caliman’s first choice on his instrument. They’ve worked together for years and have a very intuitive musical relationship. All five of these players are notable for the unique quality of their sound and ability to blend with others.

All details for the recording session were arranged by Thomas Marriott who made sure that Hadley could relax and concentrate on playing up to his own high standards. David Marriott, Thomas’ brother, adapted and arranged the tunes with a good balance of familiar and forward looking style that provided a solid footing for the players. The respect the sidemen felt for the leader was in evidence during the recording and comes through in these performances.

The energetic and playful opener Back for More is apt. There may well be some who will be surprised to learn that not only is Hadley Caliman still with us, he’s playing at an extemely high level. The Kurt Weil song This is New has been on the fringes of the jazz world since Chick Corea played it with a quintet on one of his first albums (Tones for Joan’s Bones, 1968). This is an adaptation of that very upbeat arrangement. Hadley says Invitation is “one of those tunes that gives you a lot of different angles to play on and feels good at almost any tempo”. It’s one of his favorite standards.

The title Kickin’ On the Inside might be open to a variety of interpretations but Hadley says it was inspired by his first daughter, Leah, when she was still in the womb. The line of the tune is as unpredictible as a baby’s kick, but it opens up into a flowing solos, and some kicks from the drummer. Comencio is one of his earliest compositions. He wrote the Latin flavored tune while incarcerated and asked one of the Spanish inmates for a title meaning “beginning” or “start’. (note: The actual Spanish word is “comienzo” according to my dictionaries.) Linda is a love song from Hadley’s to his wife who is one of the most supportive spouses imaginable - and the salmon dinner she provided for the recording session was way above and beyond the usual fare! A modal piece, somewhat reminiscent of Coltrane’s Naima, it’s played out of tempo but from the heart.

IF is by Joe Henderson is a fond recollection of a fellow tenor saxophonist from San Francisco from a time when they were both there and occasionally playing together on recording sessions. Hadley speaks of Henderson with obvious fondness and respect, and bassist Phil Sparks gets a good piece of this one and there are nice some exchanges with drummer Joe LaBarbera. Joe Joe Dancer Bossa Nova is a pretty flowing melody that enjoys a dreamy tropical sway. It’s another older tune by Hadley which he played on flute with Earl Hines, retitled and adapted for this session with the two Joes. Old Devil Moon is another favorite standard which Hadley says he first played with Bobby Hutcherson and it’s been in his repertoire ever since. It provides a comfortable vehicle to round out the session.

All in all, this long overdue CD is a welcome ressurgence of the unique, warm sound of Hadley Caliman. He combines knowledge and creativity, as well as soul and swing. The warmth of his personality and his tenor sax is perfectly captured... with “Gratitude” he says, to Jesus Christ and God, who are central at this point in his life. He’s healthy, surrounded by a supportive community with friends, love and respect. He feels blessed, with good reason.

Jim Wilke Source: Jim Wilke

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Hadley Caliman / Pete Christlieb: Reunion

by Thomas Conrad
March 28, 2024

At the end of the first decade of the new millennium, one of the most gratifying developments in jazz is the late blossoming of Hadley Caliman. In 2008, at 76, he released Gratitude, his first recording as a leader in 31 years. It was followed in 2010 by Straight Ahead. They created a buzz on the jazz street. It is not just that he has lasted long enough to finally get the attention he deserves. Hadley Caliman is currently playing ...

Reassessing

For Those Who Chant

by Peter J. Hoetjes
April 24, 2020

Luis Gasca was one of the hottest trumpet players in California during the 1970s, recording a handful of albums fueled by the drugs, the culture, and the excitement of that time and place. Though they all featured large ensembles, only one of them allowed some of the era's most legendary musicians to blur the lines separating jazz, latin, and rock and roll. “Everyone should have two favorite cities; their own and San Francisco," claimed Gasca. It was there, ...

216

Album Review

Hadley Caliman and Pete Christlieb: Reunion

Read "Reunion" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
September 30, 2010

Both Hadley Caliman and Pete Christlieb were active on Los Angeles jazz scene going on 50 years ago, and the two tenor saxophonists actually performed together at the time. Real life got in the way, guiding each man in his allotted direction. Origin Records' house pianist (and All About Jazz Contributor) Bill Anschell brought the two together for Reunion, composing a good old fashioned cooker to open the disc. “Little Dex" (after Dexter Gordon) is thus titled ...

380

Album Review

Hadley Caliman / Pete Christlieb: Reunion

Read "Reunion" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
August 28, 2010

Reunion showcases a couple of old saxophone pros diving deep into the jazz mainstream, backed by an energized rhythm section. Tenor men Hadley Caliman and Pete Christlieb worked together on the Los Angeles Central Avenue jazz scene back in the 1960s, at a club called Marty's, where Caliman was the mentor. Forty-plus years later, they're back together again, on an absolute jewel of a straight-ahead offering.Caliman's recording career went dormant for thirty years--a drug problem, jail time, rehabilitation, ...

447

Profile

Hadley Caliman

by Thomas Conrad
February 27, 2010

If you have followed jazz long enough, you probably know the name Hadley Caliman. He was around in the '60s and '70s, on albums by people like Gerald Wilson, Don Ellis, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson and Bobby Hutcherson. He made four records of his own for Mainstream and Catalyst, collectors' items now. Rock fans of a certain age also might remember Caliman. He played on two Santana albums 38 years ago: Caravanserai and Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles Live!.

229

Album Review

Hadley Caliman: Straight Ahead

Read "Straight Ahead" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
February 21, 2010

The most appealing thing about Hadley Caliman, save for his very eloquent name, is his equally eloquent and understated tenor saxophone playing. Firmly in a post-Coltrane context, Caliman plays a virile and muscular tenor saxophone whose tone compels because of its carefully crafted rough edges. Straight Ahead follows up his 2008 Origin release Gratitude.

Caliman joins a ratified group of Left Coast jazz musicians who interrupted their careers, including Art Pepper, Frank Morgan, Ed Reed, and Dexter Gordon ...

260

Album Review

Hadley Caliman: Straight Ahead

Read "Straight Ahead" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
February 9, 2010

Seattle-based tenor saxophonist, Hadley Caliman took a thirty year hiatus from recording before he released Gratitude (Origin Records, 2008). It was an exceptional mainstream set that displayed Caliman's John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, and Joe Henderson influences, in hints and brief whispers, and reintroduced the saxophonist's own distinctive, full-of-life voicings.With Straight Ahead, he steps out further into that territory, with a group of Origin Records all-stars on board to give a modern tinge to a tried-and-true format.The ...

Obituary

Remembering Hadley Caliman, Continued

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
September 14, 2010

We've received an amazing number of remembrances for Hadley Caliman. We've opened up another post for people to share their memories.

Click here to post your own memory of Hadley.

Click here to read other postings.

The memorial for Hadley will be Saturday, September 18 at 11:00am Seattle First Baptist Church 1111 Harvard Avenue (at Seneca) Seattle, WA 98122

A reception at Tula's Jazz Club will follow at 2:00pm

(2214 2nd Avenue ...
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Obituary

Hadley Caliman Memorial

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
September 13, 2010

Obituary

Hadley Caliman Tributes Start to Appear in the Press

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
September 10, 2010

from National Public Radio: Remembering Saxophonists Hadley Caliman And Noah Howard Two powerful saxophonists whose talents merited wider recognition, but who spent much of their lives away from jazz's major hubs, have died.

News came yesterday from the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra that tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman had died at age 78, after a struggle with liver cancer. Caliman was a tenor player in the post-bop tradition; he recorded with jazzmen like Bobby Hutcherson ...
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Obituary

Hadley Caliman, RIP

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
September 10, 2010

Tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman died Wednesday in Seattle. He was 78 and had liver cancer. Until a few weeks before his death, Caliman thrived in the Pacific Northwest, starring in the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and leading his own group. Here, we see him soloing with the SRJO. I wrote in Jazz Matters about Caliman in a 1979 performance with Freddie Hubbard's band: As the evening progressed, Caliman's playing took on much of the intensity and coloration of John ...
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Obituary

Hadley Caliman, 1932-2010

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
September 9, 2010

Tenor saxophonist and jazz legend Hadley Caliman passed away this morning after a two year struggle with liver cancer. He was 78 years old. Caliman remained active on the jazz scene until late-August, performing regularly around the Northwest in support of his recent releases: Reunion with Pete Christilieb, which was released in August and is now #31 on the national jazz charts, and Straight Ahead, which is #9 for the year on the Airplay Charts and was in the Top ...
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Recording

Weekend Listening: Hadley Caliman

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
January 23, 2010

A few days into his 79th year, tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman is thriving in the Pacific Northwest, starring in the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and leading his own group. As a high school youngster, Haliman was a part of the yeasty Los Angeles jazz community of the late 1940s and early '50s. After college, he went on to record extensively and work with musicians as varied as Gerald Wilson, Don Ellis, Freddie Hubbard, Santana and The Grateful Dead. Jim Wilke ...
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Recording

Hadley Caliman CD Release Party This Saturday

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
December 18, 2009

Performance / Tour

Jazz Legends Celebrate Hadley Caliman in Concert on Jazz NW

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
November 1, 2009

The Jazz Legends celebrate Hadley Caliman in an Earshot Jazz Festival concert on this weeks Jazz Northwest. Joining the tenor sax great are trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Larry Vuckovich, bassist Jeff Chambers, and drummer Eddie Marshall in this concert which concluded their tour last Wednesday in Seattle. Highlights from the concert will air this Sunday afternoon at 1 PM PST on Jazz Northwest from 88-5, KPLU and kplu.org. Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced exclusively for KPLU. The program is ...
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Performance / Tour

Wednesday - Celebrate Hadley Caliman

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
October 28, 2009

Wednesday, October 28 Celebrate Hadley Caliman Seattle Art Museum, downtown 7:30pm $18 general, $10 students An all-star quintet featuring renowned saxophonist Hadley Caliman, the legendary Curtis Fuller (trombone), Larry Vukovich (piano), Jeff Chambers (bass), and Eddie Marshall (drums) concludes its Pacific Northwest tour in a special tribute concert to the Seattle-based tenor master. The concert, which will cap a six-city run of performances coordinated by Singer and Simpson Productions, will celebrate Calimans ...
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Performance / Tour

Yes, There's Jazz at Bumbershoot -- And Even a Jazz Legend

Source: All About Jazz
August 27, 2008

The outdoor stage upon which tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman and his group will play Sunday at the Bumbershoot music and arts festival is among the more intimate at the event, a cozy nook with room for about 800, surrounded by exhibit rooms, sheltered from the rock-thirsty crowds the event is known for. One of the oldest and most revered performers at the festival, the semiretired Caliman, 76, is among a relative handful of acts that comprise jazz at Bumbershoot this ...
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