Gene Barge, a well -known saxophone and producer known as “Daddy G”, dies at the age of 98

New York (AP) – Gene “Daddy G” Barge, admired and lasting saxophone player, songwriter and producer who worked on the hits of Natalie Cole, the supervised recording of Muddy Waters, appeared from Rolling Stone to three “, died. He was 98 years old.

According to his daughter, Gina Barge died during sleep on Sunday at home in Chicago.

Barge’s career covered most of the era after World War II. There was jazz combinations in College in the 1940s, supported by Little Richard and James Brown, when they started, he played a long, sweet solo on the standard “CC Rider” from the 1950s. “And other favorite parties from the 1960s. Later He recorded with such blues such as Waters, Buddy Guy and Willie Dixon, the award -winning single Cole Grammy “Sophistated Lady”, visited Stones in the early 1980s, and even played on the album of the public enemy “New Whirl Odor”, for what was recognized as “legendary Barge Gene”.

Often quoted as the precursor of Clarence Clemons from the e -street team, he had a rare status among saxophonists – so known since he was appointed by name at two hits from the early 1960s – “Quarter to the third” and Uptemo DO -WO -wop number “Bristol Stomp “, In which Dovells sing:” It started in Bristol in Dee Jay Hop/Sholler and whistling never wanted to stop/pony and we shook, and we swayed with Daddy G. “

In the seventies and later he was successful as an actor of characters in thrillers and stories about crime, his films, including “Port The Law”, “The Package” and “The Fugitive”. Barge was also a consultant of the document by Martin Scorsese “The Blues”.

When the musician was at the age of 80, Chuck d a public enemy called him “the most -flying octogenarian I know.”

The oldest of the eight children, James Gene Barge, was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, and dreamed of professional football before playing clarinet with his marching team at high school, inspired him to try music. He took the tenor saxophone shortly after the end of a two -year stay in aviation and just before enrolling in West Virginia State College: his father, welder in the Navy yard in Norfolk, received one of the Visiting British World War II World War II.

“The saxophone was an instrument that is coming, which had a sound closest to the human voice,” said Barge in Virginia living in 2007. “It was this influence. It was a distinguished instrument in the band, so it was the one you wanted to play. “

In the 1950s, Barge attacked local jazz and rhythmic and blues groups and led a gene team. The release of his instrumental “country”, a small hit in 1955, helped to introduce a larger commercial breakthrough.

The singer Rhythm and Blues Chuck Willis invited him to join his concert band and took him to a recording session for Atlantic Records in New York. Willis recorded the corrugated “CC Rider”, which at the top of the R&B charts in 1957 and was covered by Elvis Presley, The Grateful Dead and many others. The saxophone studio did not work, so the barge entered.

“They took 27 shots and were not satisfied. So Chuck said, “Look, why you just don’t let genes run up to feel,” said Virginia Living. “So I ran one and they said:” Stay, that’s all, you have. Let’s cut it. … and two or three shots later, old, we cut the song. “

A few years later, Barge was even more successful. He returned to Norfolk, working with the owner of the LEGRAND Frank Guida label and creating Church Street Five, named in honor of the main city road. Musicians from Church Street would cut off the instrumental “Night with Daddy G”, which was the basis of “quarter to the third” and led to a professional nickname Barge.

“Daddy G” originally referred to the local preacher, the bishop of “Daddy” Grace, one of whom was near Legrand, and the place for local shows was included in the members of the Church Street Five. “A Night with Daddy G” is a dance song led by the hot tenor saxophone Barge and under the influence of Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans. Bonds, colleague artist Legrand and childhood friend Barge’s, loved this song. But he thought he needed a text by writing in his memory “by US Bondarz”, that he lacked a “catchy phrase that makes you anticipate the whole melody.”

“Players configured and started playing” Night with Daddy G “, Bonds wrote about a studio session,” And I started singing some nonsense and it occurred to me that maybe I would add a few words. “

“Quarter to the third”, hit No. 1 in 1961, became a rock standard and containing part of Bruce Springsteen’s concerts. Currently known to many as “Daddy G”, Barge cooperated with other hits with Bondami, including “School is out” and “Road Lady Twist” and works with a wide range of artists over the next decades.

In Chicago in Chess Records he played in such hits as “Rescue Me” Fontella Bass and produced, among others, Waters and Little Milton albums. From Stax Records, Memphis, Tennessee, he organized the favorites of the Gospel “Lord Don’t move The Mountain”, by Inez Andrews and the beautiful Baptist church of Zion “It three three three three”.

The combination of Chicago Barge has helped to work with Natalie Cole, daughter of Nat “King” by Cole. He made friends with the team producing writing Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancey and helped, among others, produce and arrange the albums “Natalie” and “unpredictable”. In Podcastie in 2023, with his daughter, Barge reminded the deceased singer as “one of the most talented” performers with whom he worked, and the most intelligent, “very competent” about the music industry because of her father.

Barge’s own album, “Dance with Daddy G”, was released in 1965. He recently released the self -sufficient “Olio”, which included scenes from Bluesman Buddy Guy and the star Soul Otis Clay, and was on stage as a member of a member of the membership of Chicago Rhythm and Blues Kings.

“I’m sitting here, looking at my horn now, feeling guilty because I didn’t have enough time for training today – I’m angry because I didn’t write a song or introduction to the song. I have things to do. I don’t look back – said Barge in Virginia Living. “My philosophy is that you have to go forward, stay contemporary, read, keep up with young people. Because this is the future. “