top of page

When Adderley formed this group, including Cannonball's brother Nat Adderley (1931-2000) on cornet, and the superlative pianist Bobby Timmons (1935-1974). Timmons, then 23-years old, was already working with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, who enjoyed tremendous success with the pianist's composition "Moanin'" and the album built around that tune. The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco marked Adderley and Timmons' first of only two collaborative recordings. Their second and final album together, Them Dirty Blues, was recorded on February 1, 1960 (that album introduced the tune "Work Song", a composition by Nat Adderley which would become one of Cannonball's greatest hits).