Rubbin’ The Genie – 1955

Gene Quill

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Gene Quill was a great bebop alto-saxophonist who never achieved much fame

Born in Atlantic City on Dec. 15, 1927, he began playing the alto early on, won a “Stars in the Making” contest when he was 12, and at 15 was already a professional musician.

Inspired by Charlie Parker and a lifelong friend of fellow altoist Phil Woods starting in 1948, in 1951 Quill worked with the Buddy DeFranco, Jerry Wald, and Claude Thornhill big bands, playing with Thornhill on an occasional basis into 1956.

Quill made his recording debut as a leader in 1951, recorded with Thornhill that same year, and also made records in the 1950s with Al Cohn, singer Teddi King, guitarist Dick Garcia, trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist Jimmy Knepper, bassist Oscar Pettiford, Billie Holiday, with several big bands put together by arrangers, and under his own name.

As Phil and Quill, he made his first of a series of recordings with Phil Woods in 1956, holding his own with the masterful altoist.

Quill was a member of the Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band during 1960-64 (doubling on clarinet), and he performed with the Buddy Rich big band in 1966-67 but when work dried up (Quill made his last recording in 1968), he moved to Las Vegas, working anonymously with various orchestras.

Unfortunately bad health plagued him during his last years before his death on Dec. 8, 1988 at the age of 60.

There are very few films of Quill but his recordings are frequently exciting including this performance of “Rubbin’ The Genie” from 1955 in a quintet with trumpeter Dick Sherman, pianist Dick Katz, bassist Teddy Kotick, and drummer Osie Johnson.

-Scott Yanow

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