Mango Tree Musician: The Carlos Garnett Autobiography

by Carlos Garnett, Jaime J. Ortiz

Overview

Saxophonist Carlos Garnett, despite being blind in his later years, was an integral part of Miles Davis' nonet. His pivotal roles extended beyond live performances to studio work during the "On the Corner" era in 1972. Though he was born in a community of laborers who worked for the Panama Canal Company, his talent and work ethic led him to perform with some of the world's most notable musicians. Garnett's upbringing had influences from various cultures, including Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados, which informed his later musical fusions.

This autobiography traces Carlos Garnett's journey from his native, segregated town of Red Tank, now erased from modern maps. After establishing himself as a prominent musician in his homeland, Garnett left for Brooklyn, NY. There, he worked with Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Mingus, Andrew Hill, Mtume James, Norman Connors and of course, Miles Davis. Garnett's original albums for Muse Records showcased his musical fusions, highlighting his talents as a composer, arranger, and instrumentalist.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476690247
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	09/19/2024
Pages:	222
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.45(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

The late Carlos Garnett was a Panamanian-born jazz saxophonist, a gifted soloist, composer and bandleader. Jaime J. Ortiz is a Panamanian record collector, musician and writer. A big fan of Carlos Garnett since his teens, he produced Carlos' final live jazz performance, and they became close friends ever since. He then convinced Carlos to start documenting his life works and is now considered his official biographer.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface by Jaime J. Ortiz
Part 1. Panama Roots
Up from Paraíso
The Gay Crooners
Black Majesty
Isthmus Conquered
Up from Panama
The Baby Grand
Poughkeepsie Swinging
Leo Price Is Right
Guns of Freeport
Coughing Lungs
The Drug Dealer’s Girlfriend’s Sax
Willie Bobo and the Blue Coronet
Giggin’ with Freddie Hubbard
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Lifting My Voice with Andrew Hill
Messengers in Japan
Mingus Times
My African Queen
Roy Brooks
First Return to Panama
The Universal Black Force (UBF)
Miles Davis!
More with Norman Connors
Black Love
Journey to Enlightenment
Let This Melody Ring On
The Tony Silvester Era
Cosmos Nucleus: The Big Band Experiment
The Girl at the Warehouse
Mario Bauzá
The Kidney Stone
The New Love
Roland Alphonso at the Apache Restaurant
Downward Spiral
Part 2. Life After Life
The Miracle
The New York State Division for Youth
Black Eagles
A Note on ­Self-Defense
No Sax Carlos
Slow Cook Back
Resurgence
Fuego en Mi Alma
Much Change
Back to Van Gelder’s
Just Like Kenny G
Under Nubian Skies
The Trip to Jamaica
Jamaican Diabetes
“He Said” in Swahili
The Motherland via Ghana
Moon Shadow
Katy, Texas
Mighty Sparrow and Montego Joe
Back to Panama, Like Mother Wanted
Panama Jazz Festival
Who’s Got the Key?
Tearing Up the Festivals!
The Selecter
Oh No, Rubén
Ana, My Purum
Sonny Rollins, My Brother
“La Magnolia”
Sheila
If Joe Lovano Says So…
From Continent to Continent
A Panama Jazz Festival in My Name
Unlimited Creative Imagination
An Unforgettable Return to Japan
Shekinah’s Smile
“Derrame Leve” (Mild Stroke)
The Salvation Army
The Diggers Descendants
In the Latter Years…
Mr. G at the Anita Villalaz Theater
The Autobiography and the Pandemic
Let Us Go (To Higher Heights)
Index

Editorial Reviews

I always admired how Carlos Garnett would take famous jazz melodies like Maiden Voyage and Giant Steps and with his Panamanian/latin rhythms make them his own. I look forward to reading his bio and finding out his secrets!”—Ron Carter, Grammy award winning jazz double bassist

From the Publisher