George Holmes "Buddy" Tate was born on February 22, 1913, and passed away on February 10, 2001. He was an American jazz musician who played the saxophone and clarinet.

Biography

Buddy Tate was born in Sherman, Texas, United States. He first played the alto saxophone. A website called All About Jazz says, "Tate was performing in public as early as 1925 in a band called McCloud's Night Owls." A 2001 New York Times death notice stated, "he began his career in the late 1920s, playing around the Southwest with bands led by Terrence Holder, Andy Kirk, and Nat Towles."

Tate later switched to the tenor saxophone and became well-known in bands led by Andy Kirk. He joined Count Basie in 1939 and stayed with him until 1948. Tate said he was chosen by Basie after the death of Herschel Evans, which he claimed he had dreamed about.

After leaving Basie's band, Tate worked with other groups before finding success on his own. In 1953, he started a group in Harlem. His band performed at the Celebrity Club from 1953 to 1974. In the late 1970s, he co-led a band with Paul Quinichette and played with Benny Goodman.

In 1979, Tate returned to his hometown of Sherman, Texas, to perform at Austin College's Sid Richardson Center as part of The Sherman Symphony Pops Series. Mayor Virginia Morriss declared October 6 "Buddy Tate Day." Musicians who performed with Tate included Jay McShann, Claude Williams, Buster Smith, and Paul Gunther.

In 1980, Tate was injured by hot water in a hotel shower and was unable to perform for four months. Later, he suffered from a serious illness. In the 1990s, he played less often but still performed with musicians like Lionel Hampton.

In 1992, Tate appeared in a documentary called Texas Tenor: The Illinois Jacquet Story. In 1996, he recorded music with saxophonist James Carter, along with trumpeters Harry "Sweets" Edison and Lester Bowie, and saxophonists Hamiet Bluiett and Larry Smith.

Tate lived in New York until 2001, when he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to live with his daughter. He died in Chandler, Arizona, twelve days before his 88th birthday.

Discography

• Jumpin' on the West Coast (Blue Lion, 1947)
• And His Celebrity Club Orchestra (Black & Blue, 1976) – recorded in 1954. Some titles were released on the Baton label.
• Swinging Like Tate (Felsted, 1958)
• The Madison Beat (Harmony, 1959)
• Tate's Date (Swingville, 1960)
• Tate-a-Tate (Swingville, 1960) with Clark Terry
• Buck & Buddy (Swingville, 1960) with Buck Clayton
• Groovin' with Buddy Tate (Swingville, 1961)
• Buck & Buddy Blow the Blues (Swingville, 1961) with Buck Clayton
• And His Celebrity Club Orchestra Vol. 2 (Black & Blue, 1968)
• Unbroken (MPS, 1970)
• Broadway (Black & Blue, 1972)
• Buddy Tate and His Buddies (Chiaroscuro, 1973)
• The Texas Twister (Master Jazz Recordings, 1975)
• Jive at Five (Storyville, 1975)
• Our Bag (Riff, 1975)
• Kansas City Joys (Sonet, 1976)
• Tate A Tete At La Fontaine – Buddy Tate Quartet & Quintet Featuring Tete Montoliu At La Fontaine, September 24 1975, Copenhagen (Storyville, 1976)
• Buddy Tate Meets Dollar Brand (Chiaroscuro, 1977) with Dollar Brand
• Live at Sandy's (Muse, 1978)
• Hard Blowin' (Muse, 1978)
• The Great Buddy Tate (Concord, 1981)
• The Ballad Artistry (Sackville, 1981) with The Ed Bickert Trio
• Just Jazz (Uptown Records, 1984) with Al Grey
• Just Friends (Muse, 1990 [1992]) with Nat Simkins and Houston Person

• Madison Time (Columbia, 1960)
• Dancing the Big Twist (Columbia, 1961)

• Conversin' with the Elders (Atlantic, 1996)

• Midnight Slows, Volume 1 (Black & Blue, 1973)
• Midnight Slows, Volume 4 (Black & Blue, 1974)
• Midnight Slows, Volume 5 (Black & Blue, 1974)

• Buck Meets Ruby (Vanguard, 1954) with Ruby Braff
• Jumpin' at the Woodside (Columbia, 1955)
• All the Cats Join In (Columbia, 1956)
• Songs for Swingers (Columbia, 1958)
• Copenhagen Concert (SteepleChase, 1959 [1979])
• One for Buck (Columbia, 1961)

• Live at Sandy's! (Muse, 1978)

• Midnight Slows, Volume 2 (Black & Blue, 1973)

With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

• Very Saxy (Prestige, 1959)

• Rockin' Chair (Clef, 1951)

• Yes Indeed! (Swingville, 1960) with Emmett Berry
• Let's Jam (Swingville, 1961) with Joe Thomas

• The Last of the Blue Devils (Atlantic, 1978)

• Livin' the Blues (BluesWay, 1968)

• Things Ain't What They Used to Be (Swingville, 1961) as part of the Prestige Swing Festival

• Henderson Homecoming (United Artists, 1959)

With Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson

• Live at Sandy's (Muse, 1978 [1981])
• Hold It Right There! (Muse, 1978 [1984])

• Bones for the King (Felsted, 1958)