Charlie Persip

Charles Lawrence Persip (July 26, 1929 – August 23, 2020), known as Charli Persip and formerly as Charlie Persip (he changed the spelling of his name to Charli in the late 1960s), was an American jazz drummer.

Born in Morristown, New Jersey, United States, and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Persip attended West Side High School, preferring it over Newark Arts High School because he wanted to join the former's football team.

He later studied drums with Al Germansky in Newark.

After playing with Tadd Dameron in 1953, he gained recognition as a jazz drummer as he toured and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie's big and small bands between 1953 and 1958.

Persip was also the drummer on the "Eternal Triangle" recording, Sonny Side Up (Verve, 1957), featuring Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt.

He then joined Harry "Sweets" Edison's quintet and later the Harry James Orchestra before forming his own group, the Jazz Statesmen, with Roland Alexander, Freddie Hubbard, and Ron Carter in 1960.

Around this time, Persip also recorded with other jazz musicians, including Lee Morgan, Melba Liston, Kenny Dorham, Zoot Sims, Red Garland, Gil Evans, Don Ellis, Eric Dolphy, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Gene Ammons and the singer Dinah Washington.

From 1960 to 1973 he toured as a drummer and conductor with Billy Eckstine.

Along with his performing activities, Persip earned a reputation as an educator.

From 1974, he was an instructor of drums and music for Jazzmobile, Inc. in New York City.

Persip led Supersound, his jazz big band that was started in the mid-1980s as Superband.

Supersound's first album was recorded on the Stash label, and was titled Charli Persip and Superband.

The group's second album, Superband II, and third album, No Dummies Allowed, were recorded on the Soul Note label.

Their fourth album was Intrinsic Evolution.

As of 2008, he was an associate professor at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in Manhattan.

Charli Persip died August 23, 2020, at Mount Sinai Morningside in New York City at the age of 91.

With Ernestine Anderson

With Bob Brookmeyer

With Cándido Camero

With Harry Edison

With Don Ellis

With Art Farmer

With Frank Foster

With Dizzy Gillespie

With Red Garland

With Benny Golson

With Quincy Jones

With Rahsaan Roland Kirk

With Hank Mobley

With Lee Morgan

With David "Fathead" Newman

With Joe Newman

With Cecil Payne

With Jerome Richardson

With George Russell

With Sonny Stitt

With Randy Weston

With George Williams

With others