Cannonball Adderley

Cannonball Adderley on vinyl: soul and swing on the alto sax

In short: Julian “Cannonball” Adderley came to New York from Florida in 1955 and was the talk of the town at once. He played in Miles Davis’ sextet on “Kind of Blue”, then led his own quintet with his brother Nat and became one of the leading names in soul jazz – with the hit “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!”, recorded in 1966 and a big success in 1967. The Vinyl Room currently has 15 Cannonball Adderley records.

What makes Cannonball Adderley special?

Adderley’s alto sounds warm, joyful and full of blues – he could play fast and virtuosically and still sing. In our stock you’ll find early recordings like “Presenting "Cannonball"” and “Jump For Joy”, the meeting with Gil Evans on “New Bottle Old Wine” and Kenny Dorham’s “Blue Spring”.

On Riverside came “Know What I Mean?” with Bill Evans and the “Poll-Winners” record with Ray Brown and Wes Montgomery. Later he recorded for Capitol – in our stock “Cannonball Adderley-Live!” and “Fiddler On The Roof”.

From our stock

Hard bop & soul jazz

All Cannonball Adderley records

→ Riverside · Bill Evans · Soul jazz · Capitol Records

FAQ

Did Cannonball Adderley play on “Kind of Blue”? Yes, as the alto saxophonist in Miles Davis’ sextet (1959).

Who was Nat Adderley? His younger brother, a cornet player, with whom he led his own quintet.

What is “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!”? A soul-jazz hit by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, recorded in 1966 and a big success in 1967, composed by pianist Joe Zawinul.

Which Cannonball Adderley records do you have? Recordings on Riverside, Capitol and others – 15 records in all.