Charles R. Rice (March 1, 1920 – April 22, 2018), better known as Charlie Rice, was an American jazz drummer.
Having played with Jimmy Oliver, Rice led the first house band at Philadelphia's Club 421, with a lineup including Vance Wilson, Bob Bushnell, Red Garland and Johnny Hughes.Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians Retrieved 30 April 2013.
After playing with Eddie Vinson's and Jimmy Heath's big bands (with John Coltrane in both lineups) in 1951 he went with Oscar Pettiford, Rudy Williams, Clifton Best,"Jazz Group To Play For Korea Troops" 22 Nov 1951 JET at Google Books. Retrieved 30 April 2013. J.J. Johnson and Howard McGhee on a USO tour to the South Pacific, as part of a unit known as the "Swingin' Jamboree"."Rhythm and Blues Notes" Billboard at Google Books. Retrieved 30 April 2013. The concerts were recorded and released the following year as Howard McGhee and his Korean All Stars, Jazz At the Battlefront Volume 1."Overview" allmusic. Retrieved 30 April 2013."Hot Jazz Record Reviews" Billboard at Google Books. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
Back in Philadelphia, he led the Charlie Rice All-Stars."Rhythm and Blues Notes" 20 Jun 1953 Billboard at Google Books. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
As well as playing with Sonny Stitt, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (again with John Coltrane), and Leo Parker, in 1964 and 1965 he toured and recorded with Chet Baker.
As of October 2011, Rice was still performing."Jazz Bridge Presents Charlie Rice in Collingswood on October 6th" All About Jazz. Retrieved 30 April 2013. He died in April 2018 at the age of 98.Charles R. Rice Obituary He was buried at Harleigh Cemetery, Camden.Charles R. Rice
Discography With Chet Baker The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 (Colpix, 1964) I/We Had a Ball (Limelight, 1965) - 1 track Baby Breeze (Limelight, 1965) With Sonny Stitt and Eddie Davis The Battle of Birdland (Roost, 1954) With Eddie Davis Modern Jazz Expressions (King Records, 1956) Uptown (King Records, 1958) This and That (King Records, 1959) Goodies From Eddie Davis (Roulette, 1999) With The Gordons The Gordons (Crusade Enterprises, 1977) With Al Grey / Jimmy Forrest O.D. (Out 'Dere) (Greyforrest Records, 1980) With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Shirley Scott The Best of Eddie "Lockjaw Davis – Shirley Scott (Bethlehem Records and Solid Records, 2013)
References