Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture > Video Oral History Gallery

Video Gallery Cataloging Data: Charles Tolliver

Location

Schomburg-MIRS



Call #

Sc Visual VRA-191 Service copy. 

Sc Visual VRB-2024 Original of: Sc Visual VRA-191



Author

Tolliver, Charles, interviewee. 



Title

Oral history interview with Charles Tolliver, 1 April 1993

[videorecording] / interviewer, Jimmy Owens.



Imprint

1993.



Description

1 videocassette (2 hr., 1 min.)

020100



Note

Title supplied; duration: 2 hr., 1 min.



Credits

Produced and directed by James Briggs Murray.



Note

Recorded on April 1, 1993, at the Schomburg Center for

Research in Black Culture, Louis Amrstrong Jazz Oral

History Project.



Summary

The oral history interview with Charles Tolliver, jazz trumpeter,

composer, record company executive, begins with his childhood in

Jacksonville, Florida and New York City. Born March 6, 1942,

Jacksonville, Florida, Tolliver grew up in a music-filled home;

he recalls listening to Jazz at the Philharmonic. Tolliver played

drums in the drum and bugle corps in school, began playing trumpet

at 8, was self-taught and considered it a serious hobby. 1952, his

family moved to Harlem, shortly thereafter he performed Because of

You in Amateur Hour at the Apollo Theater. Charlie Shavers,

Jackie McLean were influences; as a teen he took in music at

Birdland in the underage section, describes impact of seeing

Lee Morgan perform with Dizzy Gillespie in Central Park, Max Roach

with Clifford Brown at Basin Street East. Tolliver talks about

learning music and solos off the radio, participating in jam sessions

in Colonial Park at age 14 or 15, and playing in all the bands at

Cardinal Hayes High School where he learned to read music. 1960-63,

Tolliver studied pharmacy at Howard University, spent half his time

playing and practicing music, learned chords, and acquired a better

grasp of the keyboard. This additional knowledge led to his decision

to return to New York City to pursue a life in music (1963). 



Back in NYC, Tolliver spent time at the Five Spot, Village Vanguard;

Kenny Durham was main trumpet influence now. 1963, he began playing

with Jackie McLean, recorded some of his own music on McLean's 

It's Time (1964-Blue Note). 1964, he began his own publishing

company,  Tolltone, namely to safeguard his own music. Tolliver was

also working with Hank Mobley, Sonny Rollins, Roy Haynes; 1965,

toured with Art Blakey. California, 1966, Tolliver played with 

Willie Bobo briefly, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra (1966-67), 

recorded frequently as a sideman, became more involved in big band

writing. Main musical influences now: Bobby Brown (alto sax),

John Coltrane.



1967-69, Tolliver played with Max Roach's quintet, recorded Members

Don't Git Weary (1968). 1969, left Roach and formed Music, Inc., a 

quartet which evolved into a big band, recorded Live at Slugs (1970).

1971, formed Strata-East Records with Stanley Cowell (pianist);

their initial product being their own Music, Inc. Big Band. Their

company later recorded Clifford Jordan, Larry Ridley, Billy Harper,

Charlie Rose, Cecil McBee. 1980's, Tolliver led a quartet on a tour

of Europe and Dubai. 1983, respited the recording business; 1988,

resumed business, reissued 21 LP's onto CD.



Currently Tolliver is writing, arranging and performing. Tolliver

briefly mentions son Chad, a guitarist; concludes interview with his

future plans to work with a big band, something in the Thad Lewis

mode.



Note

Reproduction. Originally produced: New York, N. Y. : Schomburg

Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library,

1993. 1 videocassette ; 1/2 in. (MII) VHS.



Use terms

Permission required to cite, quote and reproduce; contact 

repository for information.



Biography/History

Charles Tolliver is a jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger and

record company executive. Born March 6, 1942 in Jacksonville,

Florida, began playing cornet at age 8, at age 10 he moved to New

York City. He studied pharmacy at Howard University three years,

returned to NYC to pursue a life in music; performed and recorded

with prominent musicians such as Max Roach afterwhich he formed

his own group, Music, Inc., and his own recording company with

Stanley Cowell, Strata-East Records. Currently he is involved in

his recording business, performing, arranging and composing. 



Note

Forms part of: Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.



In

Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project



Subject

Armstrong, Louis, 1900-1971 -- Influence. 

Blakey, Art, 1919- 

Coltrane, John, 1926-1967 -- Influence. 

Cowell, Stanley. 

Durham, Kenny, 1924-1972 -- Influence. 

McLean, Jackie. 

Roach, Max, 1924- 

Tolliver, Charles -- Childhood and Youth. 

olliver, Charles -- Interviews. 

Wilson, Gerald. 

Music, Inc. (Musical group) 

Strata-East (Recording company) 

Afro-American composers. 

Afro-American musicians. 

Afro-American sound recording executives and producers. 

Chords (Music) -- Technique. 

Jazz musicians -- United States -- Interviews. 

Trumpet players -- United States -- Interviews. 



Form/genre

Biographies. 

Interviews. 



Additional name

Owens, Jimmy, interviewer. 

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Louis Armstrong Jazz

Oral History Project. 

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. 



Donor

The Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project was funded by the

Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.