In the early '70s,
Charles Tolliver was one of the brightest young trumpeters in
jazz. He studied at Howard University and then moved to New York in 1964, playing and recording with
Jackie McLean.
Tolliver was on quite a few excellent advanced
hard bop records in the mid-'60s, played with
Gerald Wilson's Orchestra in Los Angeles (1966-1967), and was a member of
Max Roach's group at the same time (1967-1969) as the compatible
Gary Bartz. In 1969,
Tolliver formed a quartet called
Music Inc. that often featured pianist
Stanley Cowell and was on a few occasions expanded to a
big band.
Tolliver and
Cowell founded the Strata East label in 1971, which released many fine records in the 1970s. Although it was an era when there was a serious shortage of talented young trumpeters (prior to the rise of
Wynton Marsalis),
Tolliver after the mid-'70s maintained a low profile.
Charles Tolliver, whose fat tone was influenced by
Freddie Hubbard while his ideas display bits of
John Coltrane, has recorded as a leader for Impulse (two songs from a 1965 concert), Black Lion, Enja, and Strata East. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
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Charles Tolliver's Music Inc.