Charlie Persip

Charli Persip
Charli Persip
Background information
Birth name	Charles Lawrence Persip
Born	July 26, 1929; Morristown, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	August 23, 2020 (aged 91); New York City
Genres	R&B, jazz fusion, jazz
Occupation	Drummer
Instrument	Drums
Years active	1945–2010
Website	Charlie Persip discography at Discogs

Charles Lawrence Persip (July 26, 1929^[1] – August 23, 2020),^[2] known as Charli Persip and formerly as Charlie Persip (he changed the spelling of his name to Charli in the late 1960s),^[3]^[4]^[5] was an American jazz drummer.

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Born in Morristown, New Jersey, United States,^[1] and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Persip attended West Side High School, preferring it over Newark Arts High School because he wanted to join the former's football team.^[6] He later studied drums with Al Germansky in Newark.^[7] After playing with Tadd Dameron in 1953,^[1] he gained recognition as a jazz drummer as he toured and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie's big and small bands between 1953 and 1958.^[8] He then joined Harry "Sweets" Edison's quintet and later the Harry James Orchestra before forming his own group, the Jazz Statesmen, with Roland Alexander, Freddie Hubbard, and Ron Carter in 1960.^[1] Around this time, Persip also recorded with other jazz musicians, including Lee Morgan, Melba Liston, Kenny Dorham, Zoot Sims, Red Garland, Gil Evans, Don Ellis, Eric Dolphy, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Gene Ammons and the singer Dinah Washington. Persip was also the drummer on the "Eternal Triangle" recording, Sonny Side Up (Verve, 1957), featuring Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt. From 1960 to 1973 he toured as a drummer and conductor with Billy Eckstine.^[1]

Along with his performing activities, Persip earned a reputation as an educator. From 1974, he was an instructor of drums and music for Jazzmobile, Inc. in New York City.^[1] As of 2008, he was an associate professor at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in Manhattan.

Persip led Supersound, his jazz big band that was started in the mid-1980s as Superband. Supersound's first album was recorded on the Stash label, and was titled Charli Persip and Superband. The group's second album, Superband II, and third album, No Dummies Allowed, were recorded on the Soul Note label. Their fourth album was Intrinsic Evolution.

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Charli Persip died August 23, 2020, at Mount Sinai Morningside in New York City at the age of 91.^[2]

As leader

Gretsch Drum Night at Birdland with Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones (Roulette, 1960)
Gretsch Drum Night at Birdland Vol. 2 with Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones (Roulette, 1961)
Charles Persip and the Jazz Statesmen (Bethlehem, 1961)
Drum Night at Birdland with Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones (Roulette, 1974)
Charlie Persip and Gerry Lafurn's 17-Piece Superband (Stash, 1981)
In Case You Missed It (Soul Note, 1985)
No Dummies Allowed (Soul Note, 1989)
Charli Persip & Supersound - Intrinsic Evolution (2008 Charles Persip Productions & Cancrizans Booking & Management)