| ODEAN POPE |
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One of the premiere tenor saxophonists in jazz for over a quarter century, Renaissance man Odean Pope is also an accomplished composer, arranger, and educator. Born in South Carolina and raised in jazz-rich Philadelphia, Pope began his professional career in the pit band at the Uptown Theater, backing up such R&B legends as Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, and the Temptations, and developing his trademark brawny, robust sound. His big jazz break came as a teenager when John Coltrane asked him to sub for him in the Jimmy Smith Trio. Another early highlight was his participation in a series of jazz concerts at the University of Pennsylvania as part of a quintet led by classically-trained drummer Jimmy DePriest, now conductor of the Monaco Symphony Orchestra. |
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In 1967 Pope joined Max Roach's quartet. Aside from a period in the '70s, during which he co-led the acclaimed fusion band Catalyst, Pope has remained an important member of the quartet (and Roach's Double Quartet) to this day. When the quartet played the North Sea Festival in the late '80s, Pope was named #1 Tenor Saxophonist of the huge event. |
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Also in the '80s, Pope began leading his own bands: a pianoless Trio featuring longtime associate Tyrone Brown on bass; and his unique Saxophone Choir, modeled on the big Baptist church choirs of his youth and consisting of nine saxophones plus rhythm section. To date the Trio has released four recordings, and the Choir three, all to rave reviews, and both groups have toured widely, both in the U.S. and Europe, where Pope has achieved legendary status. Other touring highlights include a tour with Roach and Dizzy Gillespie in 1989, and a 1996 European tour co-leading a quintet with David Murray. Over his long career Pope has also performed with Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Billy Taylor, Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, and Chet Baker. |
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As a saxophonist, Pope has evolved a highly personal and recognizable improvisational style characterized by relentless rhythmic propulsion and a thorough mastery of circular breathing and multiphonics -- the art of playing multiple tones simultaneously, using oboe fingering. |
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Pope has composed some exciting and complex music, utilizing four, five, and six tone scales, and odd meters such as 5/4, 7/4, and 9/4. His accomplishments in this realm have been recognized by several commissions and fellowships, including the prestigious Pew Fellowship in 1992, where he was chosen as one of sixteen recipients our of 860 applicants. A composition written for his wife, "Cis", received a Certificate of Achievement from Billboard and was performed by Roach's Double Quartet at Spellman College when Bill Cosby made his donation of twenty million dollars. Pope also wrote and produced the musical "Improvo", and unpredecented marriage of dance and music in which "tap percussionists" played rhythms Odean had written out. In addition to his composing skills, Pope is also a superb arranger, whose lush chants for the Saxophone Choir have been oft-praised by musicians and critics alike. |
As educator, Pope has a long history in Philadelphia schools and community organizations, and was recipient of a major grant to create an interactional project at Please Touch Museum. He has taught at Philadelphia's Creative Performing Arts High School, where his students included current jazz stars Chris McBride and Joey DeFrancesco. On the college level Pope has been artist-in-residence at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland and at UMass Amherst.
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Odean Pope can be seen on A&E cable in reruns of the Max Roach Quartet performing his "Elixir Suite" at the Newport Jazz Festival. He was also the tenor saxophonist in Embassy Home Entertainment's "Jazz in America" video, and a performance by the Saxophone Choir was featured on WYBE's "Legends of Jazz" series. |
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