Cannonball Adderley (1928 - 1975) was a jazz saxophonist and composer who was a major force in the development of soul jazz and hard bop. He was born Julian Edwin Adderley in Tampa, Florida, on September 15, 1928, the son of a pastor.
Adderley's career began in the early 1950s when he moved to New York and joined the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. He then joined the Miles Davis Quintet, which featured John Coltrane on saxophone, and was a major influence on the development of modern jazz.
Adderley went on to record and perform with a variety of artists, including Art Blakey, Max Roach, Quincy Jones, and Horace Silver. He is perhaps best remembered for his collaboration with Davis on their classic 1959 album, Kind of Blue, which featured the hit single “All Blues.”
Adderley also had a successful solo career, releasing a number of albums that featured his trademark mix of soulful blues and hard bop. He recorded with the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, which included his brother Nat Adderley on cornet, and wrote some of the quintet’s most popular songs, including “Work Song” and “The Jive Samba.”
Adderley’s music became popular with a broader audience in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when he released several albums on the Capitol Records label, including Soul Zodiac (1972) and Inside Straight (1973).
Adderley died in 1975 from a stroke, but his legacy lives on through his music. His music continues to be influential in jazz circles, and he has been cited as an influence by many artists including Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, and Miles Davis.
Cannonball Adderley was a major force in the development of modern jazz, and his music continues to be a source of inspiration for jazz musicians and fans alike.
