Specs Wright

Much less well-known as a few of his Philadelphia-bred contemporaries (including drummer Philly Joe Jones, saxophonist John Coltrane, trumpeter Lee Morgan, as well as the Heath Brothers), Specs Wright however had a short but distinguished profession being a sideman, using a number of the top bop and really difficult bop music artists of his time. Wright performed within a U.S. Military band before departing the program in 1947; then performed in an organization with saxophonist Jimmy Heath and another with trumpeter Howard McGhee. He became a member of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie’s big music group in 1949 (Coltrane was also an associate; Wright was the drummer in the band’s November 1949 studio room sessions, Coltrane’s initial industrial recordings). He remained with Gillespie’s big music group until it folded in the springtime of 1950. Afterwards that season, he recorded using a Gillespie sextet that included Coltrane, Jimmy Heath, bassist Percy Heath, and vibist Milt Jackson. Through the ’50s, Wright performed and documented with such music artists as R&B saxophonist Earl Bostic (Coltrane was once again a fellow bandmember), pianist Kenny Drew Sr., saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, drummer Artwork Blakey, and vocalist Carmen McRae, amongst others. He also freelanced around his hometown. In 1958, Wright used saxophonist Hank Mobley’s septet in the traditional Monday Evening at Birdland LPs (in the Roulette label) with Mobley, saxophonist Billy Main, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Tommy Bryant, and Lee Morgan. He also used tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins and vocalist Betty Carter around that point. In 1959, he changed Artwork Taylor in Crimson Garland’s trio for a brief period; the band documented with tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins during Wright’s tenure. Wright also supported the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross in 1960-1961.