Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

COPELAND, Ray

(b 17 July '26, Norfolk VA; d 19 May '84, Sunderland MA) Lead trumpet, arranger, composer, teacher. With Mercer Ellington, Savoy Sultans, others late '40s; worked in paper factory '50-5, gigging in his spare time with Machito, Lionel Hampton, Tito Puente, many others; also had NYC gigs with his own 14-piece band; led dates for Andy Kirk (wrote book of arrangements for him), but meanwhile turned down offers from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Lionel Hampton to look after son Keith (see his entry). Played lead on Buck Clayton/Tony Bennett record date '55; played on The Trumpet Album '55-7 on Savoy, arranged by Ernie Wilkins, with Art Farmer, Charlie Shavers, Shorty Baker, etc. First black to play in band at Roxy Theatre '55 till it closed '60; one of those rare musicians who could play first-class lead as well as solos, he played too much lead at the Roxy (and was not paid for it), lost his embouchure; gradually got it back but meanwhile turned down an offer from Skitch Henderson '60 to join Johnny Carson's Tonight show band (he recommended Clark Terry). He arranged a Roulette date for drummer Specs Powell '58 (b Gordon Powell, 5 June '22, NYC; CBS staff musician for many years); with Pearl Bailey and Louie Bellson mid-'60s; Monterey Jazz Festival with Gil Fuller '65, etc. Recorded with Thelonious Monk '54 on Prestige, on Riverside '57 (Monk's Music); Art Blakey big band '57 on Bethlehem; also with the Johnny Richards orchestra (the Mosaic limited edition collection of Johnny Richards due in 2005 will have Copeland on it), Randy Weston Sextet '66 including Monterey jazz festival, toured Africa with Weston for State Dept '67 (on his LPs African Cookbook, Tanjah); with Oliver Nelson's Jazz Interactions Orchestra (Jazzhattan on Verve '67). Summoned to Europe by Monk, he played an easily witty solo on 'Wee See' Oct. '67 in Rotterdam, mistitled 'Hackensack' on some issues. Toured Morocco with Weston '70; own composition 'Classical Jazz Suite In Six Movements' at Lincoln Center '70; played in Broadway pit bands '70-2; arranged and conducted 'Attica Blues' for Archie Shepp in France '81. He published a book on jazz improvisation; taught in county school systems and high schools and at Amherst and Berklee.