The 3 Sounds

The 3 Sounds (also known as The Three Sounds) was an American jazz piano trio that formed in 1956 and disbanded in 1973.

The band formed in Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States, as the Four Sounds. The original lineup consisted of Gene Harris on piano, Andrew Simpkins on double bass and Bill Dowdy on drums, along with saxophonist Lonnie "The Sound" Walker, who dropped out the following year. The group moved to Washington and then New York, where, as the Three Sounds, they cut a record for Riverside Records, before signing an exclusive contract with Blue Note.

Between 1958 and 1962, the group released nine albums for Blue Note. They toured nationally during this period, building a large following in jazz clubs across the country. The trio played and recorded with the likes of saxophonists Lester Young, Lou Donaldson, Stanley Turrentine and Sonny Stitt, cornet player Nat Adderley, singer Anita O'Day, and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, among others.

Samples in hip hop Part of the Three Sounds song "Put On Train", from the 1971 Gene Harris album The 3 Sounds, was the prominent background sample in the hip hop group Beastie Boys' song "What Comes Around" on their 1989 album Paul's Boutique.

Discography

1958 – 1962: Blue Note years YearCatalog numberTitleDate recordedNotes1959BLP 1600Introducing the 3 Sounds1958-09-16, -181959BLP 4012LD + 31959-02-18with Lou Donaldson1959BLP 4014Bottoms Up!1958-09-16, -28, 1959-02-111960BLP 4020Good Deal1959-05-201961BLP 4044Moods19601961BLP 4057Blue Hour1960with Stanley Turrentine1961BLP 4072Feelin' Good19601962BLP 4088Here We Come19601962BLP 4102Hey There19611963BLP 4120It Just Got to Be19601964BLP 4155Black Orchid19621966BLP 4197Out of This World19621986BST 84434Babe's Blues1961, 19621998N/AStandards1959, 1962

1962: Verve year YearCatalog numberTitleDate recordedNotes1963V-8513Blue Genes19621963V-8514Anita O'Day & the Three Sounds1962with Anita O'Day

1962 – 1964: Mercury years YearCatalog numberTitleDate recordedNotes1963MG 20776The Three Sounds Play Jazz on Broadway19621963MG 20839Some Like It Modern19631964MG 20921Live at the Living Room1964live

1965 – 1966: Limelight years YearCatalog numberTitleDate recordedNotes1965LM 82014Three Moods1965with arrangements by Julian Lee1965LM 82026Beautiful Friendship1965with arrangements by Julian Lee1966LM 82037Today's Sounds1966-02live; with Kalil Madi replacing Bill Dowdy on drums

1967 – 1970: Return to Blue Note YearCatalog numberTitleDate recordedPersonnel/Notes1967BLP 4248Vibrations1966Andy Simpkins (bass), Kalil Madi (drums)1967BLP 4265Live at The Lighthouse1967Andy Simpkins (bass), Donald Bailey (drums); live1968BST 84285Coldwater Flat1968Andy Simpkins (bass), Donald Bailey (drums); plus Oliver Nelson Orchestra1968BST 84301Elegant Soul1968Andy Simpkins (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); plus orchestra1969BST 84341Soul Symphony1969Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); plus orchestra1996N/ALive at the 'It Club'1970Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); live2000N/ALive at the 'It Club' Volume 21970Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); live (Source:The Three Sounds Catalog - album index accessed January 25, 2018)

References

External links Hard Bop Homepage entry