Norman Simmons (musician)

Norman Simmons (October 6, 1929 – May 13, 2021) was an American musician, arranger, composer, educator, and most prominently a pianist who worked extensively with Helen Humes, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, Anita O'Day, and Joe Williams among others.

Biography
Simmons was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 6, 1929. During the early 1950s, he was house pianist at the Beehive Lounge on East 55th Street, playing with visiting musicians such as Wardell Gray, Lester Young and with Charlie Parker on his final Chicago performance in February 1955.

In 1966, his arrangement for Ramsey Lewis' hit of "Wade in the Water" became a large commercial success. He was a member of the Ellington Legacy Band from 2002.

As leader

 * Norman Simmons Trio (Argo, 1956)
 * Ramira The Dancer (Spotlite, 1976)
 * Midnight Creeper (Milljac, 1979)
 * I'm...The Blues (Milljac, 1981)
 * 13th Moon (Milljac, 1986)
 * The Heat And The Sweet (Milljac, 1997)
 * The Art Of Norman Simmons (Savant, 2000) - with Eric Alexander
 * Manha De Carnaval (Sound Hills [Japan], 2002)
 * Synthesis (Savant, 2002) - with Eric Alexander
 * In Private (Savant, 2004)

As sideman
With Roy Eldridge With Johnny Griffin With Red Holloway With Etta Jones With Carmen McRae With Betty Carter With Harold Ousley With Anita O'Day With Scott Hamilton and Warren Vaché With Clifford Jordan, Von Freeman, Cy Touff, Victor Sproles, and Wilbur Campbell With Dakota Staton With Joe Williams With Al Grey and Bjarne Nerem
 * What It's All About (Pablo, 1976)
 * Battle Stations (Prestige, 1960) - with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
 * Johnny Griffin’s Studio Jazz Party (Riverside, 1960)
 * Red Soul (Prestige, 1965)
 * My Buddy: Etta Jones Sings the Songs of Buddy Johnson (HighNote, 1998)
 * All the Way (HighNote, 1999)
 * Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics (Philips, 1962)
 * Live at Sugar Hill San Francisco (Time, 1963)
 * Second to None (Mainstream, 1964)
 * Woman Talk, Live at the Village Gate (Mainstream, 1965)
 * Live & Wailing (Mainstream, 1965, reissued with Woman Talk on Columbia, 1973)
 * Carmen McRae (Mainstream, 1971)
 * Betty Carter (Bet-Car Productions, 1970)
 * Round Midnight (Roulette, 1975)
 * Finally, Betty Carter (Roulette, 1975)
 * The People's Groove (Muse, 1977)
 * Sweet Double Hipness (Muse, 1980)
 * Anita O'Day with John Poole Trio Featuring Norman Simmons - Live at Mingo's (Emily, 1979)
 * Skyscrapers (Concord Jazz, 1980)
 * Hyde Park After Dark (Bee Hive, 1983)
 * Ms. Soul (Groove Merchant, 1974)
 * Joe Williams & Friends June 1985 - I Just Want to Sing (Delos, 1985)
 * Every Night: Live At Vine St. (Verve, 1987)
 * In Good Company (Verve, 1989)
 * That Holiday Feelin' (Verve, 1990)
 * Ballad And Blues Master (Verve, 1992)
 * Al Meets Bjarne (Gemini, 1987)

As arranger
With Johnny Griffin
 * The Little Giant (Riverside, 1959)
 * The Big Soul-Band (Riverside, 1960)
 * White Gardenia (Riverside, 1961)

With Teri Thornton With Mark Murphy
 * Devil May Care (Riverside, 1961)


 * Memories of You: Remembering Joe Williams (HighNote, 2003)