Johnny Pate

Song writer, bass player, arranger, producer, conductor, educator – Jazz Man Extraordinaire!

I had the privilege of meeting Johnny Pate in the Spring of 2009. I was on a quest for the chart of the song “An Older Man Is Like an Elegant Wine” which I had heard on a Nancy Wilson CD.  Johnny’s name appeared in the liner notes. I rushed to the internet and discovered an article written by Devra Hall about Johnny Pate.  I contacted her and within two days, Mr. Pate sent me an email.  Technology is really wonderful!

Born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, December 5, 1923,  Mr. Pate served in 218^th AGF Army Band during World War II and from there he went on to play with such greats as Coleridge Davis’ big band, Joe Williams, Ella, Sarah, and Duke Ellington. He produced albums for B.B. King, Shirley Horne and Curtis Mayfield and many more. His numerous accomplishments are detailed in the bio appearing at the end of this article.

I explained to Johnny that I was preparing to record a CD and wanted to sing that song but could not locate the chart.  He said he could have it ready for me in a couple of days.  Then he invited me to his home to pick up the chart and meet.

When I arrived at Johnny’s home I was surprised to see that he had been working on a list of songs he thought might be good for me to record. Johnny sat on the floor and played song after song while telling me wonderful stories of his life.  His lovely wife, Carolyn, served tea and cookies and added a few stories of her own.  Johnny also provided suggestions for singers to whom I should listen.  He did all that for someone he had never even met!

Asked how he knew what would be best for me, he said he had listened to the sample songs on my website.  All the material he selected was perfect.  I came away with 5 songs for my CD to be recorded in October.  Two of the songs were written by Johnny Pate, “Someone You’ve Loved” and “Yes, I Know When I’ve Had It.”

To say that Johnny Pate is inspirational is an understatement.  Sitting with the legendary Mr. Pate widened my musical horizons.  Johnny is passionate about jazz and that passion is contagious.

Although Johnny has “retired” rumor has it, somewhere in North Texas, it is my hope that he will never really retire as he has so much to give to the musical community.

I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to meet the marvelous Johnny Pate.

Please check out Johnny’s website http://patesplace.net where he showcases jazz legends, provides his expert commentary, and introduces new artists.

Johnny Pate’s Bio

The bio information provided below is taken from a bio written by Ken Hanlon and printed in a March 30, 2003 concert program as well as in the CD booklet for “Johnny Pate: 80th Birthday Celebration,” recorded live at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The text was edited and updated in July 2007 by Devra Hall Levy.

Born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, Dec 5, 1923, Johnny Pate is a self-taught bassist and arranger, having learned these skills while serving in the 218th AGF Army Band during World War II. After his discharge in 1946, he played with Coleridge Davis’ big band and from 1947 to 1949 worked, in succession, with jazz violinists Stuff Smith and Eddie South. While performing with South, Johnny furthered his musical training by studying at Chicago’s Midwestern Conservatory from 1951 to 1953. In ’53-’54 he was with Dorothy Donegan’s Trio and moved from there to the Ahmad Jamal Trio in 1956. During this same time period, Johnny worked for the Club De Lisa as the arranger of its shows’ production numbers, which were modeled after the famous Cotton Club reviews in Harlem. The feature male singer in the show was a young man by the name of Joe Williams. Johnny and Joe became life-long friends and Johnny often says that he met Joe long before Count Basie even knew who he was.

Toward the end of the 50’s, Pate led his own trip that served as the house band at Chicago’s Blue Note. There he worked with such stalwarts as Ella Fitzgerald Sarah Vaughan and Duke Ellington. Johnny’s stint as Ellington’s bass player at the Blue Note was the result of Jimmy Woode, the band’s bassist, having taken ill. Johnny ended up subbing for Woode throughout the entire Ellington Blue Note appearance. Unbeknownst to Johnny, Duke, or anyone else in the Ellington orchestra, a “bootleg” recording was made and eventually released in 1994 much to Johnny’s surprise. On that recording you can hear Duke recognize Johnny following his solo on Satin Doll.

Having recorded as a bassist with his own trio on the Federal, King, Gig, Salem, and MGM labels, Johnny wrote the arrangements, played bass, and conducted on James Moody’s 1958 Argo album, Last Train from Overbrook. That album was one of his last as a bassist as the demand for his services as an arranger, conductor, and producer of jazz albums forced him to make these his main musical pursuits. Among the albums that Johnny produced or arranged in the 1960s were Wes Montgomery’s Movin’ Wes on the Verve label and Shirley Horn’s Travelin’ Light on the ABC-Parmount label, the latter of which also featured two of Pate’s songs: “Have You Tried To Forget” and “Yes, I Know When I’ve Had It.” Other Verve albums followed: Stan Getz’ Didn’t We?, Kenny Burrell’s Asphalt Canyon Suite, Phil Woods’ Round Trip, Monty Alexander’s This Is Monty Alexander, and Jimmy Smith’ The Other Side of Jimmy Smith. In 1993 Johnny produced a second album for Smith, Sum Serious Blues, on the Milestone label that features the vocal work of Marlena Shaw.

Johnny also successfully ventured into the rhythm and blues field at the request of record producer Carl Davis who wanted to add a new musical twist to h9s recordings of “doo-wop” groups Johnny’s suggestion was to add some brass to the backup arrangements. The first recording was of a tune titled “Monkey Time” by Major Lance that became a big R&B hit. The composer of the song, Curtis Mayfield, was the leader of the R&B group the Impressions. Curtis Mayfield was so taken by Johnny’s arrangements that he asked him to do the arrangements for the next Impressions ABC-Paramount recording session. Johnny accepted the offer and soon found himself working for ABC-Paramount full-time as a producer. In his own words: “all of a sudden now, I’m doing rhythm and blues things that I’m picking checks up (for) that look like telephone numbers and I wasn’t getting these kind of checks doing jazz!” Johnny worked with Mayfield on a string of singles hits that included: “It’s All Right,” “Amen,” “Keep On Pushin’” and “People Get Ready.” Johnny would later arrange, orchestrate and conduct all of Curtis Mayfield’s original music for the highly successful movie Superfly.

B.B. King signed with ABC-Paramount right around the same time that Johnny joined the company, and Johnny soon found himself regularly producing albums for B.B. One of those albums, B.B. King Live at the Regal, is considered one of the greatest live rhythm and blues albums of all time.

Johnny’s success in the R&B field was followed by film and television scoring projects in the ‘70s, the best known of which is the music for Shaft in Africa (1975). Johnny also did the scores for the Shaft television series (1976) that, unfortunately, was rather short-lived. Other Johnny Pate movie scores include: Brother on the Run (1973), Bucktown USA (1976), Dr. Black and Mr. Hyde (1977), Satan’s Triangle (1978), and the original score for Bustin’ Loose (1980).

When Johnny finally decided to seek “retirement” in Las Vegas, he quickly found his good friend, Joe Williams, on his doorstep insisting that not only was he not retiring yet, but that he had several projects for which he needed Johnny’s services as both an arranger and conductor. Williams was getting more and more requests to perform with symphony orchestras and Joe was adamant about having Pate as his conductor. From Johnny’s arrival in Las Vegas until Joe’s passing in 1999, Johnny wrote arrangements and conducted for Williams on many occasions. He and his wife Carolyn also accompanied Joe and Jillean Williams to England for the recording of the CD Here’s to Life with Robert Farnon. Included in that album was the ballad that Shirley Horn had recorded in 1965, “Have You Tried to Forget?” under its new title “Someone You’ve Loved.”

For several years, Johnny hosted a Las Vegas radio show and shared his great musical expertise with his listeners as well as with music students at UNLV where he taught. Johnny since left Las Vegas but he continues to produce music…at his own tempo… and continues to maintain close friendships with the artists with whom he worked through an illustrious career.

Adding to the dining experience of Cafe Portobello is a first class group of Dallas jazz musicians and vocalists every Saturday night from 7 Pm to 10 PM. Dallas jazz vocalist, Jennifer Martin is at the cafe the first Saturday of every month. Other jazz performers include vocalist Carolyn Lee Jones, saxophonist Bryan Meggison, a graduate of North Texas, Mike Finkel on piano with Freddie Jones, one of the country’s best known trumpet player and many more you are sure to enjoy.

Café Portobello’s friendly atmosphere makes for a fun evening of jazz. It is a place where you will be greeted by the owner by name and treated as a valued guest. It is a place where you will meet new friends, enjoy good jazz performers and go home humming your favorite songs!

Check the schedule for the next appearance
of Dallas jazz vocalist, Jennifer Martin
at Dallas jazz cafe, Café Portobello

Carmen will be heading up the Open Mic on Monday nights at LBG. All types of music are included in this open mic venue. There will be a piano player there so bring your charts or your karaoke CD. And you will also hear a few tunes from the marvelous Carmen.

Lakewood Bar and Grille is located on Gaston between Abrams Road and La Vista Drive. It is a casual neighborhood establishment with great food. The hamburgers are terrific and new menu items include Nachos, Catfish Platter, Chicken Salad, BLT, Reuben, Ribeye Steak Sandwich, Grilled Cheese, and even a Veggie Burger. (And did I mention the Sweet Potato Fries?) And then there is a variety of wonderful local talent featuring Jazz, Country and Classic Rock.  Check the calendar on their website for your favorite.

Jack Allday is presenting Jazz on Sundays at 2 PM and Tuesdays at 6:30. He is showcasing some of the best Jazz groups in Dallas. Jennifer Martin will be appearing on November 3rd.

Drop in on a Monday night to hear Carmen and some very talented singers She will be featuring all musical genres so join her and share your country, jazz, rock or soul with the crowd at the Lakewood Bar and Grille.

This year’s show opens September 11, 2009 at the Majestic Theatre and runs for four performances: September 11 at 8 PM, September 12 at 2 PM and 8 PM and September 13 at 2 PM. For ticket information go to the Senior Follies Website.

Mark says, “There are just so many talented seniors in Dallas; they sound like young cast. Music keeps these performers young and this kind of music never gets old. I think people will really be impressed with the caliber of talent we’ve assembled. Many of our performers have had very successful careers on stage.” Some are still performing.

Along with the well known jazz singer Trella Hart and the comedy of Rosemary Rumbley, Jennifer Martin will be performing two solos in the show. There will be the traditional show girls and The Dallas Tap Dazzlers just to name a few.

The proceeds from the show will be contributed to the effort to preserve the historic Majestic Theatre. The Majestic opened in 1913. The Majestic is as close as Dallas Theatre comes to resembling Broadway. It has been masterfully restored. The five story Renaissance Revival performance venue seats 1570 people. It would be a tragedy to see this beautiful landmark disappear.

We hope to see you all at the Senior Follies supporting our local talent and the future of the Majestic Theatre.