Critic Alex Henderson writes, "Though he was never an innovator, Quebec had a big, breathy sound that was distinctive and easily recognizable, and he was quite consistent when it came to came to down-home blues, sexy ballads, and up-tempo aggression."
An accomplished dancer and pianist, he switched to tenor sax as his primary instrument in his early 20s, and quickly earned a reputation as a promising player. His recording career started in 1940, with the Barons of Rhythm.
Later on, he recorded or performed with Frankie Newton, Hot Lips Page, Roy Eldridge, Trummy Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins. Between 1944 and 1951, he worked intermittently with Cab Calloway. He recorded for Blue Note records in this era, and also served as a talent scout for the label (helping pianists Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell come to wider attention) and, due to his exceptional sight reading skills, was an uncredited impromptu arranger for many Blue Note sessions.
Due in part to struggles with drug addiction (but also due to the fading popularity of big band music), Quebec recorded only sporadically during the 1950s, though he still performed regularly. He kept abreast on new developments in jazz, and his later playing incorportated elements of hard bop and soul jazz.
In 1959 he began a what amounted to a comeback with a series of albums on the Blue Note label. Blue Note executive Alfred Lion was always fond of Quebec's music, but was unsure how audiences would respond to the saxophonist after a decade of low visibility. In the mid-to-late 1950s, Blue Note issued a series of Quebec singles for the juke box market; audinences responded well, leading to a number of warmly-received albums.
Quebec's comeback was cut short by his death from lung cancer.
Influenced by Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster but definitely his own person, Ike Quebec was one of the finest swing-oriented tenor saxman of the 1940s and '50s. Though he was never an innovator, Quebec had a big, breathy sound that was distinctive and easily recognizable, and he was quite consistent when it came to came to down-home blues, sexy ballads, and up-tempo aggression. Originally a pianist, Quebec switched to tenor in the early '40s and showed that he had made the right decision on excellent 78s for Blue Note and Savoy (including his hit "Blue Harlem"). As a sideman, he worked with Benny Carter, Kenny Clarke, Roy Eldridge, and Cab Calloway. In the late '40s, the saxman did a bit of freelancing behind the scenes as a Blue Note A&R man and brought Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell to the label. Drug problems kept Quebec from recording for most of the 1950s, but he made a triumphant comeback in the early '60s and was once again recording for Blue Note and doing freelance A&R for the company. Quebec was playing as authoritatively as ever well into 1962, giving no indication that he was suffering from lung cancer, which claimed his life at the age of 44 in 1963. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi
All The Way
Ike Quebec Lyrics
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It's no good unless he loves you, all the way
Happy to be near you
When you need someone to cheer you, all the way
Taller than the tallest tree is
That's how it's got to feel
Deeper than the deep blue see is
When somebody needs you
It's no good unless he needs you, all the way
Through the good or lean years
And for all the in between years, come what may
Who know where the road will lead us
Only a fool would say
But if you'll let me love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you, all the way
All the way
The lyrics of Ike Quebec's song "All The Way" are about the true nature of love and how it should be given and received completely. The first verse implies that mere love is not enough unless it is given wholeheartedly. The second verse describes how true love should be as tall as the tallest tree and as deep as the deepest sea. In the third verse, the lyrics suggest that when somebody needs another, it is not enough to merely want that person around; they must be there for them "all the way" through the good times and the tough times for all eternity. The fourth verse speaks of the uncertainty of the future and the unpredictability of life, but notes that if the other person lets them love them completely, they will do so without any reservations and will stick with them, "All the way". Overall, the lyrics of Ike Quebec's song teach us that love must be given entirely and unreservedly to be true love, which is what is worthy of being called love.
Line by Line Meaning
When somebody loves you
If somebody truly loves you
It's no good unless he loves you, all the way
Their love should be complete and without reservations
Happy to be near you
Being near you brings happiness
When you need someone to cheer you, all the way
They are willing to support you fully when you need it
Taller than the tallest tree is
Their love is monumental
That's how it's got to feel
That's how intense the love should be
Deeper than the deep blue see is
Their love is indescribably deep
That's how deep it goes, if its real
The intensity of love shows if it is genuine
When somebody needs you
If somebody truly needs you
It's no good unless he needs you, all the way
Their need for you should be complete and without reservations
Through the good or lean years
Through the easy and tough times
And for all the in between years, come what may
And for everything that happens in between, no matter what
Who know where the road will lead us
There's no telling where life may take us
Only a fool would say
It's foolish to try and predict
But if you'll let me love you
But, if you'll allow me to love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you, all the way
I will love you completely and without reservations
All the way
Complete and without holding back
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER HOOK, GILLIAN LESLEY GILBERT, STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS, BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind