Ron Holloway

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Ron Holloway
Ron Holloway in performance
Ron Holloway in performance
Background information
Birth name Ronald Edward Holloway
Also known as Ron Holloway
Born August 24, 1953 (1953-08-24) (age 54)
Origin Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Genre(s) Jazz, R&B, Blues and Funk
Occupation(s) Musician
Instrument(s) Tenor Saxophone
Years active 1966 to the present (2008)
Label(s) Fantasy Records / Milestone Records
Website http://www.ronholloway.com

Ronald Edward "Ron" Holloway ( born August 24, 1953 in Washington, D.C.) is an American tenor saxophonist known for his ability to adapt to virtually any musical environment. In the Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz renowned jazz critic Ira Gitler describes Ron Holloway as "a bear-down-hard-bopper who can blow authentic R&B and croon a ballad with warm, blue feeling."

Holloway was a member of Dizzy Gillespie's final quintet until Diz' passing on January 6th, 1993. Today he is one of the busiest tenor saxophonists on today's music scene in any genre. A member of Susan Tedeschi's Band, Ron also appears as a frequent guest of the Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule, the Derek Trucks Band, Little Feat and Taj Mahal (musician).


Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Growing Up

Ron Holloway grew up in a household where listening to jazz was a favorite pastime. His parents, Winston and Marjorie Holloway were and remain avid jazz listeners. "My parents met while attending Howard University in Washington, D.C. They both loved jazz and would frequently attend concerts at the Howard Theatre. I'm sure I heard jazz in the womb. In my pre-teen years I remember my dad coming home from work, at least a couple of times a week with the latest Prestige Records or Blue Note albums. He's a big fan of saxophone and trumpet led groups, so I heard all of the great horn soloists." During these early years Ron listened to and enjoyed his fathers albums but had no interest in becoming a musician himself.


[edit] Enter the Saxophone

In October of 1966, at thirteen years of age Ron attended Carter G. Woodson Jr. High School. It was there he was introduced to the saxophone. "It was the very first day at Woodson Jr. High and I was seated between two good friends during orientation. Amongst several speakers that day was the school band director, Mr. Arthur Capehart. After introducing himself Mr. Capehart informed us he didn't have enough instrumentalists to form a complete band and invited students to come upstairs to the bandroom the following morning to select and learn how to play the instrument of their choice. My two buddies were ecstatic! They immediately decided they wanted to go up the next day. I, on the other hand had no interest whatsoever. The two of them kept after me until I agreed- more to shut them up than anything else."

"The next morning the three of us went upstairs together. Mr. Capehart pulled out three instruments: A clarinet, a french horn and an alto saxophone. He asked us if we had a preference. I was quick to speak up because I had been exposed to the sound of the saxophone my whole life. It turned out to be a good choice because I became attached to the instrument immediately! The irony is my two friends both quit playing the clarinet and the french horn after a mere two years. Forty-one years later I'm still playing the saxophone and that's how I make my living."

"I started taking the school horn home everyday so I could practice. I was very eager to learn and improve. As soon as I got home I'd take the horn out of it's case and start playing. Before I knew anything three hours had gone by and it was dinner time."

Ron played the alto saxophone for only a few months. "Mr. Capehart needed me to change to the larger tenor sax." By the end of the year Ron had made the switch to the instrument that was to become his voice; the tenor saxophone. In December of 1966 the Holloway's moved from Washington, D.C. to Takoma Park, Maryland. "We had been living in a modest apartment in D.C. and suddenly we were in a house with a nice roomy basement. It was the perfect place for me to practice without disturbing anyone. At that point in my life I was very excited about pursuing music and starting that journey toward reaching my full potential. I was only thirteen but I felt I had found my life's work."

[edit] Discovering the Masters / Influences Begin to Take Shape

In January of 1967 the Holloway family began a new chapter in their lives. Ron was very excited and pleased to be living not only with his parents and younger brother, but with his Grandmother. Ron was now attending Takoma Park Jr. High School and playing in the school band. Each day upon returning home he would go down to the basement and absorb valuable lessons from his dad's vast record collection. "One of the first tenor sax players to make an impression on me was Willis "Gatortail" Jackson. His style was more R&B based and therefore easier for me to grasp at that early stage. As my hearing became more advanced I heard and identified the voices that spoke to me most profoundly. I came under the sway of Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, who remain my principle influences to this day. I was mesmerized by their music! As I listened to these players I noticed something very important: They all had their own distinctive styles and sounds. I realized this was the thing to strive for; a personal expression that people could recognize as me."

[edit] First Woodshed / Jamming and Sitting In / First Group

It wasn't long before Ron Holloway began to find his own voice on the tenor saxophone. When school let out in the summer of 1967 Ron would practice anywhere from 8 to 10 hours each and everyday. "I didn't mind devoting the whole day to practicing. I was thoroughly consumed by my instrument and my musical heroes." Over the next few years Ron would regularly participate in jam sessions with school buddies and joined his first top 40/R&B band; the Speculations. More and more the practice of sitting in with all types of groups became an important element in Ron's development and the main reason for his versatility. It wasn't unusual to find him sitting in with a jazz, R&B, funk, rock, fusion, blues or even a country band all in the space of a week. The Washington D.C. music scene continued to thrive into the early 1970's and Holloway took full advantage of it. However, despite all the local activity Ron eventually felt the need for greater musical challenges.

[edit] Mid '70's Milestones - Sitting in w/ Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Rollins and Dizzy Gillespie

  • In the summer of 1974 Ron and his dad were excited to see Freddie Hubbard was appearing at the short lived Etcetera Club in dowtown D.C. On the Friday night they went to hear him the younger Holloway brought along a cassette player and a tape of himself practicing along with one of Hubbard's recordings. During the break Ron went up to the dressing room and introduced himself to Freddie. After hearing the tape Freddie told Ron to come back to the club on Sunday night and sit in. Holloway did and the result was an open invitation to sit in anytime Hubbard was in town.


  • The next year, 1975, Ron and his mom went to Howard University to attend a packed clinic given by tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins. Sonny was backed by a rhythm section comprised of area musicians. At one point during the performance/clinic Sonny invited local horn players to join him onstage. Holloway played on the Rollins tune "Playin' in the Yard". The solo went well enough where Ron received a standing ovation from the audience. Sonny and Ron kept in touch afterwards and the two became good friends. Years later Sonny would send Holloway's demo to his record label (Fantasy/Milestone) which resulted in Holloway being signed by the label.
  • 1977 proved to be a most pivotal year in Ron Holloway's career. This was the year Ron met and sat in with one John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie. "By '77 I was making my living playing music. I was living in an apartment close to my old high school and a couple of miles from my parents house. Late one morning I was recovering from playing until the wee hours when the phone rang. It was my dad informing me of a new jazz club that was about to open about a mile from where I was living. The name of the club was the Showboat Lounge and Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy Gillespie were among the scheduled performers."

On the first night of Dizzy's first week Ron went to the Showboat armed with a tape recorder. "I arrived about 45 minutes before showtime, asked where the dressing room was and headed in that direction. As I approached I realized the door was ajar because I could hear Dizzy warming up. He was holding long tones, starting from the lowest notes and coming up the chromatic scale. When I got to the door I stood in the frame for a second. Dizzy looked up, saw me and immediately said 'Whatcha got on the tape?' I said; Mr. Gillespie this is a tape of myself sitting in with Sonny Rollins at Howard University. He said 'Let's hear it!' He patted the chair next to his with his hand as if to say 'sit here'. I sat down, pressed play and Dizzy listened intently. After he'd heard my solo he whirled around in his chair and with all of the enthusiasm of a child asked 'You got your horn?' I said 'No sir, I didn't want to appear presumptuous.' Dizzy grinned widely and said 'Presumptuous-- now THERE'S a word!' We both burst out laughing."

Ron performed with Dizzy that whole week and afterwards had a standing invitation to sit in with the band. In 1979 Ron sat in with Dizzy at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London. On June 6th, 1987 Ron performed with a large group of musicians honoring Dizzy at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Holloway would eventually become a full time member of Gillespie's quintet.

[edit] Root Boy Slim & the Sex Change Band

1977 continued to be a pivitol year for the young saxophonist. It was in the summer of '77 that Ron met one Foster MacKenzie III aka Root Boy Slim and otherwise known as the Duke of Puke. In 1979 Rootboy, Ron and the rest of the Sex Change Band participated in a film entitled "Mr. Mike's Mondo Video" which was written by Michael O'Donoghue. Mondo Video was deemed a bit too raunchy for regular television. In the early 1980's Rootboy and Holloway made cameo appearances in a film made by the D.C. area comedy group known as The Langley Punks for their Travesty Films group. Ron recorded four albums with Rootboy and at least two 45's: "Xmas at K-Mart" backed with "Too Much Jawbone" and "Do the Meltdown" backed with "Graveyard of Losers". Holloway was a member of several Root Boy configurations from 1977 to 1987.

[edit] Osiris Marsh

As is so often the case in the music business, Ron's tenure with Root Boy Slim overlapped with a couple of other groups. One such group was the D.C. funk band called Osiris. Osiris Marsh and Ron Holloway first met in 1979. Ron recorded two albums with Osiris; Since Before Our Time for Warner Bros. Records and O-Zone for Marlin Records. Holloway played with Osiris from 1979 to 1981.

[edit] Gil Scott-Heron

One Saturday night in November of 1981 Ron Holloway was off. The urge to find someplace to play was tugging at him. Suddenly he remembered some of the employees at Blues Alley telling him drummer Norman Connors was playing the club that weekend. Ron grabbed his horn, jumped in the car and headed downtown. Once in the club Holloway spotted Connors and introduced himself. Norman smiled and asked Ron if he wanted to sit in on the next set. Ron assembled his horn and mounted the stage when Norman called him up. He received a good response from the audience. As Ron climbed the stairs leading to the dressing room he suddenly heard a deep resonant baritone voice say; "I like the way you handled yourself up there!" Ron, still on the stairway turned around to see Gil Scott-Heron right behind him. Gil invited Ron to join his group. "In February of 1982 I played my first gig with Gil Scott-Heron at the Bottom Line in New York City. I remember on that first night Diana Ross and Gato Barbieri were in the audience. I got so many things together on my horn while playing with Gil. It was really a valuable period of self discovery." Also early in 1982 Holloway was aboard when film maker Robert Mugge documented Scott-Heron's performance at the Wax Museum nightclub in Washington, D.C. The film is called "Black Wax". Ron Holloway was a member of Scott-Heron's group from February of 1982 until June of 1989.

[edit] Joining the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet

Though he was a member of Scott-Heron's group during this period Ron continued to appear with Dizzy whenever he would perform in D.C. "In June of 1989 Ron was sitting in with Dizzy at Blues Alley. "Dizzy's manager came up to me at the bar and said 'Birks wants to see you upstairs. He wants to talk to you about something.' I went up to the dressing room and Dizzy told me he needed a regular saxophone player and asked me if I'd like to join his quintet. I responded with a question: "When do I start?" 'I think you already have ' was Dizzy's reply. Ron toured the world with Dizzy, performing for kings and dignitaries and performed on the Johnny Carson and Arsenio Hall shows. During his tenure with Gillespie Ron recorded two CDs; "The Symphony Sessions" on Pro Arte and "Dizzy Gillespie - Live! at Blues Alley" on the Blues Alley imprint. He also played many of the important Jazz festivals and clubs around the world with Diz.

"Joining Dizzy Gillespie's Quintet was a major milestone in my life. If you are an aspiring young musician you'd be hard pressed to improve upon standing next to John Birks Gillespie night after night. When I think back on it I still have to pinch myself. It's difficult to say whether my life has been more enriched professionally or personally but I suspect the latter. For, as great a musician as Dizzy was he may have been an even more remarkable human being. The last week I played with Dizzy, in February of 1992, was at a nice club called Jazz Alley in Seattle, Washington. It wound up being Diz' last booking. Here's the thing: I remember he played so strong and with such precision that week that guitarist Ed Cherry and myself were pleasantly stunned. We stood dead in our tracks as one set in particular ended and Ed looked at Diz in amazement and called out Dizzy's name loudly to let Dizzy know how impressive his playing had been throughout that entire set. Dizzy just shrugged it off but Ed and I both knew what we had just witnessed. We were both emotionally affected. It was uncanny and just a little eerie. Dizzy had just played the way he played twenty years previous. The very next week Dizzy underwent some tests because he hadn't been feeling well. To everyone's shock the diagnosis was grim. Dizzy was forced to cancel his engagements until further notice. Sadly, on January 6th, 1993 we lost him. It was the end of an era. I will forever treasure the time I was fortunate enough to spend in his company before and after joining his band."

The sitting in period that had begun in June 1977 ended in June 1989 when Dizzy hired Ron. Ron Holloway was a member of the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet from June of 1989 until the passing of his friend on January 6th, 1993.


[edit] Signing with Fantasy Records

In August and September of 1993 Ron went into the studio and recorded what would be released as his first CD. Once the recording was finished Ron sent his demo tape to his good friend and mentor Sonny Rollins who sent the tape to Ralph Kaffel at Fantasy. Ron received a call from Ralph to sign with the label within a week.

"Slanted" was released in early 1994 followed by "Struttin'" in 1995, "Scorcher" in 1996 and "Groove Update" in 1998, all on the Fantasy/Milestone Records label.

[edit] Enter Little Feat

The time honored tradition of sitting-in in all kinds of musical situations is something Ron Holloway is well familiar with. In 2002, as Ron was leaving Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis, Maryland a crew member of the band Little Feat saw him with his saxophone. He informed Ron the group would be performing on the main stage the next night and suggested Ron come down and bring his horn. Ron did just that and the result is a cameo appearance on the song "Feat's Don't Fail Me Now" from the "Live at the Rams Head" CD on Hot Tomato Records. On October 14th, 2002 Little Feat revisited their 1978 live album "Waiting For Columbus". Once again the band performed the songs in front of a live audience at the same venue the original album was recorded at; Lisner Auditorium (George Washington University) in Washington, D.C. For this event the group enlisted a large number of their musical friends. It was at this concert that Ron and Warren Haynes first met.

Over the years Little Feat and Ron have maintained close ties. In early February of 2006 Ron traveled to Negril, Jamaica to perform as a special guest on the 4th Annual Featfan Excursion. There are numerous recorded performances of Little Feat with Ron Holloway.

[edit] Derek Trucks

The first meeting between Derek Trucks and Ron Holloway took place in 2002 just outside the entrance to the Rams Head onboard Derek's tour bus. "The first time I met Derek I was surprised by how much music he was conversant with. He was listening to a Wayne Shorter CD and mentioned several other recordings by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Charles Lloyd, Sun Ra, John Gilmore (musician) and John Coltrane. I realized just how serious he is on that night." Trucks and Holloway have performed together many times since in the context of the Derek Trucks Band, the Allman Brothers Band, the Susan Tedeschi Band and a new group co-led by husband and wife called the "Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival".

[edit] Warren Haynes

For Ron Holloway a lot of things converged on September 30th, 2004. Little Feat was scheduled to open for the Allman Brothers Band at Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia. "I realized this was a very momentous occasion. First of all I was opening with Little Feat. Second; both Derek Trucks (with whom I had played) and Warren Haynes (who I had met) are the two guitarists with the ABB. To top it all off I was about to hear the Allman Brothers Band LIVE for the first time. After I finished playing the opening set with Little Feat I was on my way back to the dressing rooms and as soon as the door opened Warren Haynes walked through. He and I spoke and suddenly Warren says "Hey, Ron-- how would you like to do some playin' with the Brothers?". Ron played on one of the last tunes of the night called "Southbound".

After the show Warren Haynes invited Ron to sit in with his band; Gov't Mule. The Mule, as they are affectionately called were scheduled to perform at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. in October. Ron made his way down to the 9:30 Club and performed to a packed house with the Mule on October 27th and October 28th, 2004. Both these nights were recorded.

Since this first encounter Gov't Mule and Ron Holloway have performed together many times, most notably at the Beacon Theatre, the Wanee Festival and the Warren Haynes Annual Christmas Jam in Asheville, North Carolina.


[edit] Gregg Allman

Gregg Allman and Ron Holloway were introduced to each other by Warren Haynes the night they all played together for the first time at Nissan Pavilion. Ron has since toured with the Allman Brothers Band and made several Instant Live Recordings with them.

Over the past few years Ron has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Gregg several times at the Wanee Festival in Live Oak, Florida and the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

[edit] Susan Tedeschi Trucks

On a chilly Saturday night in October of 2005 Ron found himself sitting at home with nothing to do. Suddenly he remembered Susan Tedeschi was performing at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, Maryland. "Susan and I originally met a few years before on one of Derek's concerts. In fact we both sat in with Derek on some of the same shows like the Wanee Festival and the Birchmere." Since joining her band Ron has performed in Europe and toured extensively throughout the United States with Susan playing major festivals, theatres and clubs. He has also appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and has been heard on several radio broadcasts with Susan in the U.S. and Canada. Susan and Ron also perform together in the group she co-headlines with her husband; the "Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival".

[edit] 2007 / 2008

[edit] Selected Discography

[edit] Ron Holloway (as leader)

[edit] Ron Holloway (as sideman)

  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.___10/13/07
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.___10/12/07
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Aspen Jazz Festival - Snowmass, Colorado___09/03/07
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Wanee Festival - Live Oak, Florida___4/14/07
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Pavilion - Charlottesville, Virginia___09/16/06
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Warner Theatre - Washington, D.C.___9/15/06
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Bospop Festival - Weert, Holland___07/09/06
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Innsbrook Pavilion - Glen Allen, Virginia___4/19/06
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Beacon Theatre (Mule-a-Go-Go) New York City___12/31/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Beacon Theatre (Mule-a-Go-Go) New York City___12/30/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Beacon Theatre (Mule-a-Go-Go) New York City___12/29/05
  • Gov't Mule - Warren Haynes Christmas Jam at the Asheville Convention Center - Asheville, North Carolina___12/17/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at DAR Constitution Hall - Washington, D.C.___11/23/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Rams Head Live - Baltimore, Maryland___06/25/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Innsbrook Pavilion - Glen Allen, Virginia___06/09/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Festival Pier - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania___06/05/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Wanee Festival - Live Oak, Florida___4/16/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Wanee Festival - Live Oak, Florida___4/15/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Kirby Center - Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania___02.25.05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Martin Luther King Performing Arts Center - Charlottesville, Virginia___ 02/20/05
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Beacon Theatre in New York City (New Year's Eve)___12/31/04
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the Beacon Theatre in New York City___12/30/04
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Rams Head Live - Baltimore, Maryland___12/27/04 and 12/28/04
  • Gov't Mule - Warren Haynes Christmas Jam at the Asheville Convention Center - Asheville, North Carolina___12/18/04
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at Landmark Theatre - Richmond, Virginia___10/31/04
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.___10/28/04
  • Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule at the 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.___10/27/04

[edit] Television Appearances

[edit] Filmography

- Pacific Arts Video - VHS (Directed by Michael O'Donoqhue)

[edit] Awards

[edit] References

Online

Books

  • The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler___Oxford University Press (U.S.A.)
  • Living the Jazz Life: Conversations with Forty Musicians about Their Careers in Jazz by W. Royal Stokes___Oxford University Press (U.S.A.)
  • Dizzy: The Life and Times of John Birks Gillespie by Donald Maggin___Harper Entertainment
  • Groovin' High: The Life of Dizzy Gillespie by Alyn Shipton___Oxford University Press, USA
  • Bebop:Third Ear - The Essential Listening Companion by Scott Yanow___Miller Freeman Books
  • The Great Jazz Day by Charles Graham, Dan Morgenstern, Whitney Balliett, Gary Giddins and Ralph Ellison___Da Capo Press
  • Bebop and Nothingness: Jazz and Pop at the End of the Century by Francis Davis___Schirmer Books
  • All Music Guide to Jazz by Scott Yanow___Backbeat Books
  • Musichound Jazz: The Essential Album Guide edited by Steve Holtje and Nancy Ann Lee___Schirmer Trade Books

Periodicals

Radio

[edit] External links

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