Tenor Saxophonist Gene Ammons—”Juggernaut”

One of the giants of tenor sax in Billy Eckstine's band, which I discussed last week, was Gene "Jug" Ammons. He was ranked among the better tenor saxophonists of the late 1940s and is among the most prominent Chicago-born jazz artists. Here is Gene Ammons All Star Sextet with "Juggernaut."

Ammons own composition "Juggernaut" was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Hackensack, New Jersey on June 15, 1955, with Art Farmer-trumpet; Lou Donaldson-alto saxophone; Gene Ammons-tenor saxophone; Freddie Redd-piano; Addison Farmer-bass; Kenny Clarke-drums.

It was originally issued as one side of a 10-inch Prestige LP (The other track was a blues called Woofin' and Tweetin').

Tenor saxophonist Eugene Ammons (1925-1974) was the son of boogie woogie pianist Albert Ammons (1907-1949).

Gene was one of the many musicians trained by Captain Walter Dyett at the famed DuSable High School in Chicago.

After playing in the band of trumpeter King Kolax in 1943, Gene Ammons joined the band of Billy Eckstine in 1944. There he played some great tenor duets with Dexter Gordon.

Ammons remained with Eckstine until 1947. Two years later Gene replaced Stan Getz in Woody Herman's Second Herd.

In the early 1950s Gene Ammons led several small formations, sometimes coupled to Sonny Stitt. Unfortunately their music was often too loud and showed the musicians more as exhibitionists.

After his colleboration with Stitt, Ammons started working with other small groups which better highlighted his musical maturity. In hindsight you can say that he was a soul musician before that music got that name.

In 1960 Ammons' drug addiction led to his arrest for possesion of heroin and he was sentenced to two years at Statesville penitentiary in Joliet, Illinois. After his release Gene resumed performing, but playing in nightclubs was considered a violation of his parole and he was arrested and imprisoned again until 1961.

In 1962 Gene Ammons was arrested again and sentenced to 15 years in Statesville on a narcotics possession charge.

While in Joliet, Ammons directed a prison band and between 1963 and 1969 he even recorded several albums while in the penitentiary. After spending 7 years in prison again, Ammons was paroled in 1969.

Because of his criminal record Gene Ammons was prevented by the New York State Liquor Board from ever playing in New York again. Therefore Ammons resumed playing in Chcicago with such colleagues as Don Byas, Dexter Gordon and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis.

In 1974 he went to Europe to play at the Ahus Jazz Festival in Sweden. Upon his return to the United States Gene Ammons was admitted to a Chicago hospital where he died of bone cancer, age 47.

In his 1974 obituary, the Chicago Times said "Tho he experimented with freer sounds in the last year, Ammons never lost his funky feeling of the titanic tone he used to deliver a soulful ballad."

Speaking of the 70s jazz scene at the time, Ammons observed "The avant-garde wouldn't fit in my bag. I might try a free lick here and there, but I'll stick mostly to the Gene Ammons I know."