James Moody (saxophonist)
James Moody (March 26, 1925[1] – December 9, 2010)[2] was an American jazz saxophone and flute player and very occasional vocalist, playing predominantly in the bebop and hard bop styles. The annual James Moody Jazz Festival is held in Newark, New Jersey.
James Moody
March 26, 1925
Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
December 9, 2010 (aged 85)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Musician
Saxophone, flute
1947–2010
Moody had an unexpected hit with "Moody's Mood for Love", a 1952 song written by Eddie Jefferson that used as its melody an improvised solo that Moody had played on a 1949 recording of "I'm in the Mood for Love". Moody adopted the song as his own, recording it with Jefferson on his 1956 album Moody's Mood for Love and performing the song regularly in concert, often singing the vocals himself.
Early life[edit]
James Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia, United States,[1] and was raised by his (single) mother, Ruby Hann Moody Watters.[3] He had a brother, Louis.[4] Growing up in Newark, New Jersey,[5] he was attracted to the saxophone after hearing Lester Young, "Buddy" George Holmes Tate, Don Byas, and various saxophonists who played with Count Basie. When he was 16 years old, his Uncle Louis bought him his first saxophone, an alto. His first playing models were Jimmy Dorsey followed by Charlie Barnet and George Auld, but early on was a self-taught ear player learning mostly from listening to records.[6]
Awards and honors[edit]
Two months after his death, Moody won the Grammy Award posthumously for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his album Moody 4B.
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center hosts the James Moody Jazz Festival.[13][14]
Personal life[edit]
Moody was married three times; the first two ended in divorce. His third marriage was to the former Linda Petersen McGowan, whom he married in 1989. He had a daughter, Michelle Moody Bagdanove, and through Linda, three step-sons, Regan, Danny and Patrick McGowan.[4] Moody and his wife resided in San Diego.
He was an active member of the Baháʼí Faith.[11] He investigated and took up the faith after his friend Dizzy Gillespie died. For a time, he held belief in the ancient astronaut theory detailed in Zecharia Sitchin's book The 12th Planet, sometimes advocating it to listeners at live events.[6]
In 2005, the Moodys established the Moody Scholarship Fund[15] at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College-State University of New York (SUNY Purchase). Moody was awarded an NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship in 1998 and often participated in educational programming and outreach, including with the International Association for Jazz Education, or IAJE.
Moody was fluent in Italian.
Death[edit]
On November 2, 2010, Moody's wife announced on his behalf that he had pancreatic cancer, and had chosen not to have it treated aggressively. After palliative care, Moody died in San Diego, on December 9, 2010, from complications resulting from the cancer.[2]