Charlie Rouse

Biography

Rouse was born in Washington, DC in 1924. At first he worked with the clarinet, before turning to the saxophone.

Rouse began his career with the Billy Eckstine Orchestra in 1944, followed by the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band in 1945, the Duke Ellington Orchestra from 1949 to 1950, the Count Basie Octet in 1950, Bull Moose Jackson And His Buffalo Bearcats in 1953, and the Oscar Pettiford Sextet in 1955. He made his recording debut with Tadd Dameron in 1947, and in 1957 made a notable album with Paul Quinichette.

He was a member of Thelonious Monk's quartet from 1959 to 1970. In the 1980s he was a founding member of the group Sphere, which began as a tribute to Monk.

Charlie Rouse died from lung cancer on November 30, 1988 at University Hospital in Seattle at the age of 64.

Honors

The asteroid 10426 Charlierouse was officially named to honor Rouse by American astronomer Joe Montani of Spacewatch, who discovered it in 1999. Earlier, in 1994, asteroid 11091 Thelonious had also been discovered and named by Montani.

As leader

With Julius Watkins as Les Jazz Modes/The Jazz Modes

With Sphere

As sideman

With Dave Bailey

With Clifford Brown

With Donald Byrd

With Benny Carter

With Sonny Clark

With Art Farmer

With Joe Gordon

With Bennie Green

With Hank Jones

With Duke Jordan

With Thelonious Monk

With Oscar Pettiford

With Louis Smith

With Art Taylor

With Mal Waldron