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DENIS CHARLES Percussion

*Please note that Denis´ name has sometimes been spelled Dennis Charles, especially on older albums.  Denis finally got a copy of his birth certificate and found his name was spelled Denis -- from then on that´s what he´s used.

Please E-mail us with any information you can add to Denis´ discography. 

We thank George Scala, and Ben Young at WKCR-FM, NY, for their invaluable help in this project.

RECENT RELEASES

WE DON'T (2003 [recorded in 1980s] (Eremite)
Denis Charles, Jemeel Moondoc (more info to come)

NETI NETI "Audio Letter Remix" 2003.
Compilation dedicated to Denis Charles and Don Cherry; Track 5 "Fading Green" Denis Charles, Don Cherry, Sharon Gannon, David Life, Sue Ann Harkey.

THE LAST CONCERT - DANKESCHON (Silkheart SHCD 151); Borgmann, Morris, Charles trio's last concert in Germany on 3/6/98. Also available from Cadence Records.

SANDY BULL, RE-INVENTIONS: BEST OF THE VANGUARD YEARS (Vanguard Records CD 157079520-2). Denis plays hand drums on a rare 1970s recording, found on this digitally remastered re-release of Bull´s Vanguard recordings. He plays on Track 8, Carnival Jump, from the album Demolition Derby (VSD 6578), 1972. See links to Vanguard Records website and Sandy Bull.|

DUET: BANGCEPTION on CD (Hatology);Denis Charles and Billy Bang (violin) live at Willisau (originally released 1982).

LIVE IN BRAZIL & THE BLUE NOTE (Stella: 2-CD set); The Rick DellaRatta Trio; Rick DellaRatta (piano), Rene Hart (bass), Denis Charles (drums).  Recorded Live in Fortaleza, Brazil, December 4, 1997; Ceara, Brazil, December 5, 1997; and The Blue Note, August 19, 1996 for the Panasonic Village Jazz Festival. 
See more info at Rick DellaRatta´s website.

PRE-MICROSCOPIC MUSIC CIRCA 1980 (Koch Jazz); Joel Forrester and the Illustrious Others. Joel Forrester, piano; Tony Salazar, trumpet; Phillip Johnston, soprano sax; Lucky Ennett, tenor sax; Dave Hofstra, Dewey Dellay, bass; Denis Charles, Richard Dworkin, drums; Shelley Hirsch, vocals.  Recorded 1980.

BELIEVE IT (Koch Jazz); People Like Us. Joel Forrester, piano; Claire Daly, baritone saxophone; Dave Hofstra,  bass; Denis Charles, drums. 

1998
DRUM TALK (Wobbly Rail) Susie Ibarra/Denis Charles .  Recorded Live at Context Studios 1/4/98, New York City.

THE MOTION OF EMOTION (CIMP (Cadence 153); Elliot Levin.  Elliot Levin, Akira Ando, Dominic Duval, Denis Charles.   Recorded June 1998. Available from Cadence Records.

CAPTAIN OF THE DEEP (Eremite 9); The Denis Charles Quartet (see reviews at  Green Mountain Jazz Messenger, and at  Jazz Views - Adelaide, Australia).  Jemeel Moondoc, Denis Charles, Nathan Breedlove, Wilbert DeJoode.

Recorded by VPRO radio on 9 May, 1991, De Effenaar Cultural Center, Eindhoven, Holland. Available from Forced Exposure, or contact us:

Read liner notes of Captain of the Deep.

1997
VISION ONE: Vision Fest 1997 Compiled  (AUM Fidelity 007/8)  2xCD (limited edition)
Denis plays on one track w/ Borah Bergman and Roy Campbell.  See info at AUM Fidelity website.

PEOPLE LIKE US ... IN HEAVEN (Jazz KOC CD 7853); New music by Joel Forrester.  Joel Forrester, Dave Hofstra, Claire Daly, Denis Charles.  Available from Koch International.

ORGANIC - Live in Karlsruhe, Germany (4/97) (Lotus Sound TLS 009); Thomas Borgmann, Wilber Morris, Denis Charles

1996
SPIRITS GATHERING (CIMP 109) Billy Bang Quartet. Curtis Clark, piano, Charles Tyler, sax, Wilber Morris, bass, Denis Charles, percussion, Billy Bang, violin. Soul Note Records, Milano. See review by Dave McElfresh at Jazz Now.

NO ... REALLY (Koch International 3-7814 2H1)   Joel Forrester Quartet. Joel Forrester, Dave Hofstra, Claire Daly, Denis Charles, March 1996.

1995
IN ORDER TO SURVIVE (Black Saint CD 120159-2) William Parker, Rob Brown, Cooper-Moore, Lewis Barnes, Denis Charles (+Jackson Krall) and Grachan Moncor III. Recorded Live @ Roulette * Knitting Factory, NYC April- June, 1993. See link at Jazz Improv.

 

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT (STELLA 61214-2) Rick Della Ratta; Rick DellaRatta, Piano/Vocals; Denis Charles, Drum; Rene Hart, Bass; Walt Szymanski, Trumpet.  See info at Rick DellaRatta´s website.

1994
HERE AT! (Soul Note SN 121243-2) Michael Marcus; Ted Daniel, Steve Swell, Fred Hopkins, William Parker, Sadiq Abdu Shahid.  Recorded 9/93, New York City.

1993
DON'T TELL! (CC Music 1CD) Luther Thomas Quintet. Ted Daniel, Charles Eubanks, Wilber Morris, Luther Thomas, Denis Charles. Recorded live in NY.

1992
A SCREAM FOR CHARLES TYLER  (Bleu Regard CT1943-CD); Denis Charles, drums; Bernard Santacruz, bass; Remi Charmasson, guitar. Recorded July 1992.  See review.

1991
VALVE # 10 (Soul Note 1186 CD 121186-2) Billy Bang Quartet; Billy Bang, Frank Lowe, Sirone, Denis Charles.  Recorded March 1988, Milano.

1989
BREATH RHYME (Silkheart SHCD 122) Rob Brown, William Parker, Denis Charles, April, 1989.

QUEEN MARY (Silkheart SHCD 121) Denis Charles Triangle; Denis Charles, Hus Charles, Wilber Morris and Booker T. Recorded April, 1989 in New York City. 
                Contact us for availability:          

1988
IT IS THIS, IT IS NOT THIS (Neti-Neti, Audio Letter) Dennis Charles ( African hand drum. Indian Bells, Drums and cymbals) with Don Cherry, David Life, Sue Ann Harkey, Sharon Gannon. 6-song LP on Cityzens for A Non-Linear Future Records and Tapes of NYC.These are first-take improvs. The musicians followed no pre-arranged musical scores, outline or plan. Recorded live on Mother's Day, 1987, Harold Dessau Stuidos, NYC

1986
VERMONT SPRING (Botticelli Records 1001) Marco Eneidi, William Parker, Denis Charles, May, 1986.

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1985                                                          
BE COOL IN MUNICH Rolf Penck, Live Concert Recording.

c. 1984                                                                                
ENDLESS JAZZ (Private edition - no label or cat. A.R. Penck & Co.)

1983
INTENSIVE CARE (Cadillac SCG 1011) The Jazz Doctors; Rafael Garrett (bass), Frank Lowe (tenor sax), Denis Charles (drums), Billy Bang (violin). Recorded 8/11/83 in London. Released 1984

1982

 BANGCEPTION (Hat Music 3512) Duet: Billy Bang (violin) & Denis Charles     (drums) live at Willisau, Switzerland, August 29, 1982. Released 1983.

1981
COLLECTIVE IMPROVISATIONS (Bleu Regard CT1946-CD); Charles Tyler, baritone & alto sax; Wilber Morris, bass; Denis Charles, drums. Recorded July 1981 in New York.

KONSTANZE'S DELIGHT (Soul Note SN 1041 [CD 121041-2) Jemeel Moondoc; Jemeel Moondoc, Roy Campbell, Khan Jamal, William Parker, Denis Charles, Ellen Chrsti.  Recorded live in NYC, October 1981.

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1980

THEATRE FOR YOUR MOTHER (TFYM004) Wayne Horvitz --Simple Facts; Roy Campbell-tp; David Sewelson-as,bs; Dana Vicek-ts; Wayne Horvitz-p,hca,b; William Parker-b; Denis Charles-d.

1979
CAPERS (Hat Hut 14 [2R14] Hat Art 2014)  Steve Lacy, Denis Charles, Ronnie Boykins. Recorded live @ Soundscape

1978
LIVIN' RIGHT (Big City Records LPK 225) Peter Kuhn, December 1978.

1972
DEMOLITION DERBY (Vanguard Records), Sandy Bull.  Denis plays on "Carnival Jump," a lively duet for oud and hand drums, recently released as Sandy Bull, Re-Inventions, Best of the Vanguard Years.  See link on Vanguard Records website. 

1967
THE MAGIC OF JUJU (Impulse AS-9154, n/a on CD) Archie Shepp, Denis Charles, Frank Charles, Martin Banks, Micheal Zwerin, Reggie Workman, Eddie Blackwell, Norman Connor, Bearn Harris, April 1967.

1963
SCHOOL DAYS (Quark QED 997, Enamen 3316 Now Hat Art CD 6140) Steve Lacy, Roswell Rudd, Henry Grimes, Denis Charles.  Recorded live in NYC, March 1963.

1962
DON'T STOP THE CARNIVAL (for RCA Victor, now on RCA Rollins set 09026-68675-2) Sonny Rollins, April 1962. Reissued(?) by BMG France [744321193112 & RCA 211 9311-2in 1994 as What´s New? Sonny Rollins, Jim Hall, Bob Cranshaw, Ben Riley, Willie Rodriguez, Denis Charles, Frank Charles, Jimmy Jones, Candidi Camero, unknown vocal choir.

1960-61
Music from these Cecil Taylor Candid sessions from Jan. 1961 has also been issued on Barnaby LPs, Candid CDs and (lately) Mosaic Records box set.
THE WORLD OF CECIL TAYLOR Candid 190.06, Cecil Taylor
NEW YORK CITY R&B Candid LP KZ331035, Candid CD 9017, TECW 20595 Cecil Taylor, Buell Neidlinger.  Released 11/71.  Denis plays on the Cell Walk for Celeste cut with Archie Shepp.
CELL WALK FOR CELESTE Candid 9034 TECW 29597 Cecil Taylor, Buell Neidlinger, Archie Shepp, Denis Charles

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1959
Music from Gil Evans Orchestra sessions recorded in NYC in January and on February 5, 1959 have been released as
:
AMERICA'S #1 ARRANGER (Pacific Jazz Stereo 28 now Blue Note Release) Gil Evans, February 1959, NYC

1958
LOOKING AHEAD (Contemporary 7562 Now OJC 452) Cecil Taylor Quartet. Cecil Taylor, Buell Neidlinger, Earl Griffith, Denis Charles, June 1958.

1957
AT NEWPORT (Verve LP 8238 ) Cecil Taylor Quartet; Cecil Taylor, Denis Charles, Buell Neidlinger, Steve Lacy, July 1957.

1956
JAZZ ADVANCE (transition TRLP 19 now Blue Note CDP 7 84462-2) Cecil Taylor, September, 1956 in Boston.

1955
IN TRANSITION Cecil Taylor, Buell Neidlinger. Recorded Dec. 10, 1955 in Boston.

INTERNATIONAL RECORDINGS (not a complete list)

CECIL TAYLOR Jumpin Punkins -- Candid 790.13 Jazz Advance -- Blue Note 7844622 The World of Cecil Taylor -- Candid 190.06 Cell walk for Celeste -- Candid 790.34 Air -- 790.46 New York City R & B -- Candid 790.17

OTHER DOCUMENTARY MATERIAL
Interview With Denis Charles  by Ludwig van Trikt, Cadence Magazine Vol 13 No 10 Oct 1987; Cadence Building, Redwood, NY 13679.

FILM AND THEATER
I´m Not Rappaport (1996)
The Connection (NYC--Off-Broadway)  1960s.  Denis was an actor.

DENIS CHARLES ON A GRANT FOR DOCUMENTARY FILM ON ST. CROIX
The invasion of technology in the music of today makes it essential to research in order to preserve the music of St. Croix in its traditional form.

I was exposed to music for the first eleven years of my life.  My father, as I´ve said, was the guitarist in the original band, and still is to this day.  Through him, l became familiar with the music and its history, plus I became well acquainted with his musician friends.  Hearing that beautiful music at such a young age figured immensely in my later years when I became a jazz musician.  To my ears, the rhythms I heard then was a raw form of the jazz rhythms I would hear in New York years later.  I recognized then and recognize now the definite connection.