“Tanganyika Strut” is the last of the three Savoy 1958 straight-ahead, hard bop recordings made by Wilbur Harden with John Coltrane. Harden was one of the first trumpeters to regularly double on flugelhorn. This album would be his last as a leader.
 
Wilbur Harden is a mystery man in jazz history, for he appeared on some important recording sessions - most notably with John Coltrane in 1958 on “Stardust”, “Standard Coltrane” and “Bahia” - and then, after 1960, pretty well disappeared.
 
After playing R&B with Roy Brown and Ivory Joe Hunter, Harden emerged in 1957, recording with Yusef Lateef, and led four record dates for Savoy in 1958; three were with Coltrane – “Mainstream 1958”, “Jazz Way Out” and “Tanganyika Strut” - and one, “The King and I”, in a quartet with Tommy Flanagan.

In late 1958 Harden fell seriously ill, spending four whole years under medical care. His last recording session took place in 1960 with Curtis Fuller's group, following a brief release from the hospital. After that, he quit playing and died in 1969 in New York.



Wilbur Harden with John Coltrane

Tanganyika Strut

[Savoy MG 12136]

1958


  CD / 1991 / Remastered / 320Kbps


Tracklist: 

Tanganyika Strut

B.J.	

Anedac

Once In A While


Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ on May 13, 1958 and June 24, 1958 [#1]


Personnel:

Wilbur Harden – trumpet, flugelhorn

John Coltrane – tenor saxophone

Curtis Fuller – trombone

Tommy Flanagan – piano (#1)

Howard Williams – piano (#2–4)

Ali Jackson – bass

Art Taylor – drums


Wilbur Harden with John Coltrane
Tanganyika Strut
[Savoy MG 12136]
1958