Vernel Fournier

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Vernell Fournier in New York NY playing with Tommy Flanagan and George Mraz. July 7, 1983

Vernel Anthony Fournier (July 30, 1928 – November 4, 2000)[1] and, from 1975, known as Amir Rushdan, was an American jazz drummer probably best known for his work with Ahmad Jamal from 1956 to 1962.

Biography[]

Fournier was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, into a Creole family. He left college to join a big band led by King Kolax. After Kolax downsized to a quintet, Fournier moved to Chicago in 1948,[2] where he played with such musicians as Buster Bennett, Paul Bascomb and Teddy Wilson. As house drummer at the Bee Hive club on Chicago's South Side in 1953-55, he accompanied many visiting soloists, including Lester Young, Ben Webster, Sonny Stitt, J.J. Johnson, Earl Washington and Stan Getz.[1]

From 1953 to 1956, Fournier also worked many recording sessions with , Red Holloway, Lefty Bates, and others. He joined Ahmad Jamal’s trio in 1957, along with bass player Israel Crosby, and remained with the group until 1962, appearing on a series of recordings for the Chess label. The best known of these, At the Pershing: But Not for Me (1958), became one of the best selling jazz records of all time,[1] remaining on the Billboard jazz charts for over two years.[1]

After leaving the Jamal trio, Fournier joined George Shearing for two years before rejoining Jamal briefly in 1965-66. He then took a long-running gig with a trio at a restaurant owned by Elijah Muhammad.

He converted to Islam in 1975, and took the Muslim name of Amir Rushdan.[3]

He worked with Nancy Wilson, Clifford Jordan, Billy Eckstine and Joe Williams, John Lewis and Barry Harris. Fournier was also a teacher of drumming, working at Barry Harris’s Jazz Cultural Theater, the New School, and the Mannes College of Music.

A stroke in 1994 left him unable to use his legs and confined him to a wheelchair. Although he was unable to play drums professionally, after his stroke, he continued his teaching activities. He died from a cerebral hemorrhage in Jackson, Mississippi, in 2000.

Discography[]

With Lorez Alexandria

With Gary Burton

With Billy Eckstine and Benny Carter

With Ahmad Jamal

With Etta Jones

With Sam Jones

With Clifford Jordan

With Houston Person

  • Very PERSONal (Muse, 1980)

With Jimmy Reed

With George Shearing

With Frank Strozier

  • Cloudy and Cool (Vee Jay, 1960) - with Billy Wallace and Bill Lee

Drum method[]

  • Vernel Fournier - Drum Techniques: Intermediate - Advanced Exercises and Etudes

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Vernel Fournier: 1928-2000". Jazzhouse.org. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  2. ^ "King Kolax Discography". Campber.people.clemson.edu. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  3. ^ Ben Ratliff, "Vernel Fournier, 72, Jazz Drummer Revered for Precision and Understatement", The New York Times, November 10, 2000.

External links[]

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