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World Saxophone Quartet discography

This is a discography of albums released by World Saxophone Quartet.

World Saxophone Quartet were founded in 1977. The original members of the quartet were Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and David Murray. Julius Hemphill left the group in 1989.Since then a number of other saxophonists have filled the fourth slot in the group including Arthur Blyth, John Purcell, James Carter, Kidd Jordan, . Other musicians occasionally join the quartet in performance and on recordings.


World Saxophone Quartet discography

Point of No Return, World Saxophone Quartet, 1977, Moers Music

Tracks : Dar el Sudan, Bajou Scetches, Point of No Return, Sacred Sheetless, Hymn for the Old Year

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

The CD release of this album has a different cover design.

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Steppin' With The, World Saxophone Quartet, 1979, Black Saint 0027

Tracks : Steppin', Ra-Ta-Ta, Dream Scheme, P.O. in Cairo, Hearts, R&B

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

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W.S.Q., World Saxophone Quartet, 1980, Black Saint 0046

Tracks : Sundance, Plainsong, Connections, W.S.Q., Pillars Latino, Suite Music: The Key/Ballad for Eddie Jefferson/Pam-Maw/Hattie Wall, Sound Light, Fast Life

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

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Revue, World Saxophone Quartet, 1982, Black Saint 0056

Tracks : Revue, Affairs of the Heart, Slide, Little Samba, I Heard That, Hymn for the Old Year, Ming, David's Tune, Quinn Chapel A.M. E Church

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

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Live in Zurich, World Saxophone Quartet, 1984, Black Saint 0077

Tracks : Hattie Wall, Funny Paper, Touchic, My First Winter, Bordertown, Steppin', Stick, Hattie Wall

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

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Live at Brooklyn Academy of Music, World Saxophone Quartet, 1987, Black Saint 0096

Tracks : One/Waltz/Time, Great Peace, Kinda' Up, Paper Works, Open Air (For Tommy), Georgia Blue

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

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Plays Duke Ellington, World Saxophone Quartet, 1987, Nonesuch

Tracks : Take the A Train, Lush Life, Prelude to a Kiss, Sophisticated Lady, I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart, Come Sunday, In a Sentimental Mood, Take the A Train

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

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Dances and Ballads, World Saxophone Quartet, 1987, Nonesuch

Tracks : Sweet D, For Lester, Belly Up, Cool Red, Hattie Wall, Adjacent, West African Snap, Full, Deep and Mellow, Dance Until Dawn (For Little Anthony), Fast Life

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

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Rhythm & Blues, World Saxophone Quartet, 1989, Elektra Musician 60864

Tracks : For the Love of Money, Let's Get It On, I Heard That, Loopology, (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay, Messin' With the Kid, Try a Little Tenderness, Nemesis, Night Train

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, David Murray

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Moving Right Along, World Saxophone Quartet, 1989, Black Saint 0127

Tracks : Antithesis, Baba 2, N.T., Astral Travels, Land Of Mystery, Moving On, Amazing Grace Part I, Giant Steps, Urban, Sharrod, M.I.L.D., Lightning And Thunder, Amazing Grace Part II

Musicians : David Murray, James Spaulding, Eric Person, Oliver Lake, Hamiet Bluiett

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Metamorphosis, World Saxophone Quartet, 1991, Nonesuch

Tracks : Holy Men, Lullaby, Metamorphosis, Su Mama Ah Zumu, Africa, Ballad For The Blackman, Masai Warrior's Dance, Love Like Sisters, Lo Chi Lo, Feed The People

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Arthur Blythe, Oliver Lake, David Murray, Melvin Gibbs, Chief Bey, Mor Thiam, Mar Gueye

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Breath of Life, World Saxophone Quartet with Fontella Bass, 1994, Nonesuch

Tracks : Jest a Little, Cairo Blues, Suffering with the Blues, You Don't Know Me, Picasso, Song for Camille, Breath of Life, Deb

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Arthur Blythe, Oliver Lake, David Murray, Fontella Bass, Amina Claudine Myers, Donald Smith, Fred Hopkins, Tarik Shah, Ronnie Burrage, Gene Lake

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Four Now, World Saxophone Quartet, 1996, Justin Time

Tracks : Dou Dou N'Daiye Rose, Dakar Darkness, Suga, Colors, For Now, What a Dream, Sangara

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, John Purcell, Chief Bey, Mor Thiam, Mar Gueye

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Takin It 2 the Next Level, World Saxophone Quartet, 1996, Justin Time

Tracks : Wiring, Soft Landing, Rio, The Peace Before, Blues for a Warrior Spirit, The Desegregation of Our Children, When the Monarchs Come to Town, Endless Flight, Ballad After Us, Australopithecus

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, John Purcell, Donald Blackman, Calvin Jones, Ronnie Burrage

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Selim Sivad: The Music of Miles Davis, World Saxophone Quartet featuring Jack DeJohnette, 1998, Justin Time

Tracks : Seven Steps To Heaven, Selim, Freddie Freeloader, The Road To Nefertiti, Tutu, Blue in Green, All Blues

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, John Purcell, Jack DeJohnette, Chief Bey, Okyerema Asante, Titos Sompa

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M'Bizo, World Saxophone Quartet, 1999, Justin Time

Tracks : Snanapo, M'Bizo Suite: Africa-Europe-Asia, M'Bizo Suite: Sizelapha, M'Bizo Suite: M'Bizo, Matsidiso

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, John Purcell, Mario Canonge, D.D. Jackson, Jimane Nelson, Jaribu Shahid, James Lewis, Ronnie Burrage, Mabeleng Moholo

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Requiem for Julius, World Saxophone Quartet, 2000, Justin Time

Tracks : Ebony, Free and Independent Thought, All Praise, Requiem for Julius, Le Sport Suite, Hurricane Floyd, Potato Vamp, Tone Poem, Blues

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, John Purcell

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25th Anniversary: The New Chapter, World Saxophone Quartet, 2001, Justin Time

Tracks : Suki Suki Now, Netdown, Bit's N' Pieces, Goin' Home, Over a Cloud (Sobre Una Nube), Stock, The New Chapter

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, John Purcell

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Steppenwolf, World Saxophone Quartet, 2002, Justin Time

Tracks : Intro, The Crossing, Intro, Li'l Poki, Intro, Sunrise (Brazilian Sunshine), Giant Steps, Intro, Color for Duke, Intro, Toré, What If, Hattie Wall (Theme Song)

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, John Purcell

Recorded live at the Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago in March 1999.

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Experience, World Saxophone Quartet, 2004, Justin Time

Tracks : Freedom, If 6 Was 9, Hey Joe, Machine Gun, Little Wing, Foxy Lady, Hear My Train a Comin', The Wind Cries Mary

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, Bruce Williams / Craig Harris, Billy Bang, Matthew Garrison, Gene Lake

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Political Blues, World Saxophone Quartet, 2006, Justin Time

Tracks : Political Blues, Hal's Blues, Mannish Boy, Let's Have Some Fun, Amazin' Disgrace, Bluocracy, Part 1, Bluocracy, Part 2, Bluocracy, Part 3, Blue Diamond, Harlem, Spy on Me Blues

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, David Murray, Jaleel Shaw / Jeremy Pelt, Craig Harris, Bruce Williams, James Blood Ulmer, Herve Samb, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Lee Pearson, Carolyn Amba Hawthorne

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Yes We Can, World Saxophone Quartet, 2010, Jazzwerkstatt

Tracks : Hattie Wall, The River Niger, Yes We Can, The God Of Pain, The Angel Of Pain, The Guessing Game, Long March To Freedom, Hattie Wall (Reprise)

Musicians : Hamiet Bluiett, James Carter, Kidd Jordan, David Murray

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The Complete Remastered Recordings On Black Saint & Soul Note, World Saxophone Quartet, 2012, Black Saint/Soul Note

Tracks : C, Steppin', Ra-Ta-Ta, Dream Scheme, P.O. In Cairo, Hearts, R&B, Sundance, Plain Song, Connections, W.S.Q., Pillars Latino, Suite Music: The Key / Ballad For Eddie Jefferson / Pam-Maw / Hattie Wall, Sound Light, Fast Life, Revue, Affairs Of The Heart, Slide, Little Samba, I Heard That, Hymn For The Old Year, Ming, David's Tune, Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, Hattie Wall, Funny Paper, Touchic, My First Winter, Bordertown, Steppin', Stick, Hattie Wall, One/Waltz/Time, Great Peace, Kind'a Up, Paper Works, Open Air (For Tommy), Georgia Blue, Antithesis, N.T., Astral Travels, Land Of Mistery, Moving On, Amazing Grace Part I, Giant Steps, Urban, Sharrod, M.I.L.D., Lighting And Thunder, Amazing Grace Part II

This 6 CD set combines the albums Steppin' With, W.S.Q., Revue, Live In Zurich, Live At Brooklyn Academy Of Music, and Moving Right Along. Julius Hemphill plays on the first 5 CDs.

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Last updated June 2015