Cal Massey: Jazz’s Unknown Genius

He wrote a few dozen gorgeous compositions recorded mostly by hard-boppers

Ask 100 jazz fans who Calvin Massey was and most will draw a blank. Massey began as a jazz trumpeter and arranger, recording just one leadership album, Blues to Coltrane, for Candid, in 1961. Among his early compositions was Fiesta, recorded by Charlie Parker in 1951. Others were recorded in the 1950s, but the bulk came in the 1960s. His songs have been recorded by a wide range of artists, from John Coltrane and Lee Morgan to McCoy Tyner and Archie Shepp. [Photo above of Cal Massey]

Born in Philadelphia in 1928, Massey played trumpet and studied with trumpeter Freddie Webster, an early influence on Miles Davis. Massey played in bands led by Jay McShann and Jimmy Heath, and behind Billie Holiday. In the 1950s, he gigged mostly in Brooklyn and recorded on George Shearing’s Satin Brass in 1959, a Capitol LP arranged by George Shearing, Hal Rood and Jimmy Jones.

His compositions have been recorded by musicians on Prestige and Blue Note as well as by Philly Joe Jones, Horace Tapscott and Archie Shepp, among others. He toured with Shepp from 1969 until 1972, when he died of heart attack at age 44.

Massey’s songs were highly melodic and often modal, becoming ferocious vehicles for hard-bop musicians. When you hear one, the melody is often so catchy you likely wonder who wrote it. And when you find out, you probably have wondered what else he composed.

I put together 18 of Massey’s songs:

Here’s Charlie Parker playing Massey’s Fiesta, recorded in 1951 and released in 1957 on a Verve album of the same name…

Here’s John Coltrane playing Bakai from Coltrane, his first leadership album, for Prestige, in 1957…

Here’s Herbie Mann playing Trinidad from Just Wailin’ in 1958…

Here’s Nakatini Serenade by John Coltrane from The Believer on Prestige in 1958…

Here’s Lee Morgan playing These Are Soulful Days on his Lee-Way album for Blue Note in 1960…

Here’s Coltrane playing The Damned Don’t Cry, arranged by Romulus Franceschini for Coltrane’s Africa/Brass sessions in 1961 and released on Trane’s Modes in 1979…

Here’s Father and Son for Freddie Hubbard’s Here to Stay on Blue Note in 1962…

Here’s Lee Morgan playing A Pilgrim’s Funny Farm for his The Rajah (Blue Note) in 1966…

Here’s Lee Morgan playing A Baby’s Smile from his Caramba! album in 1968…

Here’s Lee Morgan playing Taru, What’s Wrong With You? from his album Taru in 1968…

Here’s Cedar Walton playing Quiet Dawn from his Soul Cycle album in 1970…

Here’s Cedar Walton playing Lady Charlotte from his Spectrum album in 1968…

Here’s Houston Person playing Funky London from his Blue Odyssey album in 1968…

Here’s Jackie McLean playing Toyland from his Demon’s Dance album in 1970

Here’s McLean on the same album playing Message From Trane…

Here’s McCoy Tyner playing I Thought I’d Let You Know from his Expansions album in 1970…

Here’s Archie Shepp playing The Cry of My People from his album of the same name in 1973…

Bonus: Here’s Cal Massey’s sole leadership album in 1961 (left unreleased until 1987)…