Anthony Ortega

A talented and advanced improviser, Anthony Ortega by no means received very much acknowledgement and has been around obscurity for much too very long. Ortega experienced his first main work with Earle Spencer’s Orchestra in 1947. After providing in the Military, he was with Lionel Hampton’s big music group (1951-53) including for Hamp’s ill-fated Western tour. He used Milt Buckner, led his personal group in LA, went to Scandinavia in 1954 (which led to an Lp for Vantage) and in 1955 relocated to NY. Ortega experienced stints with Nat Pierce (1956-58), Dizzy Gillespie, Maynard Ferguson, Paul Bley as well as the Quincy Jones Big Music group (1960). After that he frequently led his personal group, moving back again to Los Angeles from the mid-1960’s and dealing with the big rings of Don Ellis and Gerald Wilson. Like a leader, as well as the Vantage recording, Ortega has documented units for Bethlehem, Herald, Revelation (including a 1967 program which was reissued on Compact disc by Hat Artwork) and Finding (1978); the latter presented his wife Mona Orbeek Ortega on piano and vibes.