Biography
Some uncertainty surrounds the birth date of composer and trumpeter Cal Massey, although certain records list January 11, 1928. His skill in writing stands beyond dispute, as he produced material of striking emotional depth that found its way onto recordings by John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan, Philly Joe Jones, Archie Shepp, and others. Among the Massey pieces captured were “Bakai” by Coltrane, “Fiesta” by Jones, “Assunta, Father and Son” by Hubbard, “Message from Trane” by McLean, and “Cry of My People” by Shepp. He trained on trumpet under Freddie Webster and performed in large ensembles directed by Jay McShann, Jimmy Heath, and Billie Holiday. Preferring to devote himself to composition, Massey largely set aside performance for the remainder of his career, yet he assembled a group in the late ’50s that featured Jimmy Garrison, McCoy Tyner, and Tootie Heath and specialized in his own works, occasionally welcoming Coltrane and Donald Byrd as guests. From 1969 until his death in 1972 he collaborated and traveled with Archie Shepp while also partnering with Romulus Franceschini to establish the RoMas Orchestra, an ensemble likewise devoted to Massey’s compositions. His final project was the musical play Lady Day: A Musical Tragedy. Several of his pieces appear on the Shepp recordings Attica Blues, Things Have Got to Change, and Cry of My People, while the Candid CD Blues to Coltrane preserves rare instances of Massey’s accomplished trumpet work.
Albums
