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 Big Jay McNeely's Profile |
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The father of rock&roll saxophone- since 1949...! |
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| Location: | LOS ANGELES, California |
| Country: |  United States |
| Last Login: | May 13, 2008 (586 days back) |
About Me |
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“ Rock ‘n’ roll saxophone pretty much begins with Big Jay Mc Neely. He’s the king of the honkin’, squealin’, bar walkin’, flat-on-his-back Blowin’ tenor men – the Number One “real gone guy” of the 50’s.” -- Black & White Blues (the Book)Tenor saxophonist Cecil "Big Jay" McNeely has been "the king of the honkers" for over 50 years, and he's still going strong. Born in Watts, California, on April 29, 1927, he formed his own band with jazz legends Sonny Criss (alto sax) and Hampton Hawes (piano) while still in high school. But in late 1948, when he was asked to record for Savoy Records, he abandoned jazz for something more raucous and struck paydirt when his second release, a honked-up instrumental called "Deacon's Hop," went to ..1 on the national R&B charts in February 1949. For the next several years, Big Jay, according to The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, "was famed for his playing-on-his-back acrobatics and his raw, hard-swinging playing." During his act he'd leave the stage, walk across the top of the bar, and sometimes walk out the door of the club, often with a line of people following him. Once, in San Diego, during one such "walk," he was arrested on the street for disturbing the peace; inside the club, his band kept playing until someone could rush down to the police station, post Big Jay's bail, and bring him back to finish his song.In the early- to mid-fifties, Big Jay added vocal groups to his act, beginning with Four Dots & Dash, which included, at one time or another, 16-year-old Jesse Belvin, Marvin Phillips (later of Marvin & Johnny fame), Tony Allen and Mel Williams. In fact, Belvin made his first recordings with Big Jay, including "All That Wine Is Gone." Big Jay also worked extensively with The Hollywood Flames, The Penguins and The Medallions up and down the West Coast. In 1955-56 he shared the stage with the Clovers, the Harptones (at the Apollo Theater), Bill Haley and His Comets, the Moonglows, Little Richard, and others.In 1959 Big Jay enjoyed his biggest hit, a blues ballad called "There Is Something on Your Mind," featuring Haywood "Little Sonny" Warner on vocals. The record stayed on the R&B charts for six months and reached as high as ..44 pop. The song was later a hit for Bobby Marchan. Other artists who have recorded Big Jay's song include B.B. King, Etta James, Freddy Fender, The Hollywood Flames, Gene Vincent, Albert King and Professor Longhair.Big Jay retired from full-time music for 20 years, but in 1983 he returned to performing and hasn't looked back. In 1987 he played in a blues jam with B.B. King, Robert Cray, Etta James, Albert King, Junior Wells and others on the internationally-televised Grammy Awards. Two years later, he was honking outside the Quasimodo Club in West Berlin on the night the Berlin Wall came down--and the German press jokingly called him "the modern Joshua" after the rumor went around the Big Jay helped blow it down with his horn. In 2000 the Experience Music Project in Seattle installed a special Big Jay McNeely exhibit that includes his original Conn saxophone; the Smithsonian magazine put the horn on its June 2000 issue cover, along with Jimi Hendrix's hat, Janis Jopin's feather boa, and Eric Clapton's Stratocaster. Big Jay is also the subject of Jim Dawson's Nervous Man Nervous: Big Jay McNeely & the Rise of the Honking Tenor Saxophone (Big Nickel Press, 1995), the only book ever written about the R&B sax and its influences.These days Big Jay McNeely spends a good deal of time playing in Europe, Australia and Japan, but he has also had time to honk and shout at several Doo-Wop Society concerts, blues and jazz festivals, the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Festival, and the Rockin’ 50s fest in Green Bay. He has also recently appeared in several of Art LaBoe’s variety concerts. Big Jay is still tearing it up and knows how to delight and entertain an audience of any size, from small clubs to stadium crowds. One of the last true old school entertainers, Big Jay is still available for booking at select concerts, festivals and clubs.TO BOOK BIG JAY for concerts or events, send an inquiry message with an email contact here to MySpace.This myspace page is not maintained by Big Jay, however he reads all messages and comments about once a week. He hopes to hear from all his fans and all of the musicians he's worked with and influenced over the years. Contact him here or via snail mail - attn: C.J. McNeely, 4821 Lankershim Blvd Suite F 292, North Hollywood CA 91601.Mr. McNeely is taking a select number of students for sax lessons. He is also available for sessions for Television, Movies, and select recording projects. Contact him directly at (323)-295-9671. |
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My Interests |
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Music:Member Since: 3/23/2006Band Website: electricearl.com/bigjay/index.html Influences: Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Illinois Jacquet, Arnette Cobb. Sounds Like: Honkin, screamin, Rock & Roll saxophone at it's finest. Big Jay is also known for playing great jazz, soul, and funk. Contemporaries include Joe Houston, Sam "the Man" Taylor, Hal Singer, Willis "Gatortail" Jackson, Boots Randolph, King Curtis, Lee Allen, Sam Butera, Plas Johnson.... Record Label: Big J Records, Swingin' Records Type of Label: None |
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My Background and Lifestyle |
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| Occupation: | Music Artist (R&B / Blues / Rock) |
My Pictures |
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My Blog |
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BIG JAY VIDEOS on YOU TUBE |
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| Big Jay is now on YouTube!http://www.youtube.com/BigJayMcNeelyIf you have any video of Big Jay, let us know...! Posted by Big Jay McNeely on Tue, 13 May 2008 11:49:00 PST |
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BOOK BIG JAY McNEELY HERE |
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| Big Jay McNeely is still performing at select festivals, concerts, and events.If you are interested in booking him, please send a message to this myspace page with:1) your name2) contact email address... Posted by Big Jay McNeely on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:52:00 PST |
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BUY BIG JAY McNEELY CDs HERE |
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| Big Jay McNeely- the Go! Go! Go! ManSWCD-715 A collection of Hits, Rarities, Live Cuts, Radio, Alternate takes and Swingin' sides 1949-59. Includes some never-before released materi... Posted by Big Jay McNeely on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 03:43:00 PST |
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My Friends |
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Bob McNeely, Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues Festival, the Hollywood Combo, Dale Hawkins, Rocket in a Pocket, Robert Johnson’s BACKBONE, Jo Jones, ebi, Swamp-Gal, Miki, rizorkestra one-man-folk-roots-blues-band, The Blues Archives, The Hoy Hoy Boy (Piano Red Enthusiast), Steve Ditzell & Blue Lightning Band w/Junior Wells, Mike, Klub Shwing, math, Big Mama Thornton, nick henry Bluezone, Jambalaya Brass Band, Vince & the Vipers, Fumie, Blues Detour, Susan, Martijn van Toor, Gregor Hilden, Bobby and The Blackouts, Jet, BABYLON RANCH GANG, Samm Bennett, Christian Dozzler, Larry Geiger, Jan Hirte, The King Bees, DICARLO PRODUCTIONS, now a ghost, The Crown Vics, PACHUCO BILL, Boppin Blues Band, Rosebud Blue Sauce, John Tank, watson, PARTLOW, sally, Cadillac Al, Sir Takee, Tom Greed, ROBY SUPERSAX EDWARDS!, PIGSNOOTS
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Tags |
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Big Jay McNeely's profile has been tagged with the following keywords. Click a tag to search for profiles with the same tags. jesse belvin, marvin phillips, tenor saxophonist, book tenor, hampton hawes, watts california, johnny fame, savoy records, hollywood flames, mid fifties, jazz legends, mel williams, california rock, white blues, b blues, vocal groups, honkers, disturbing the peace, clovers, big jay mcneely |
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