View my "Jazz Bass Players Family Tree"
Jimmy Blanton (1918-1942) -- Discovered in 1939
by Duke Ellington who immediately put him in his orchestra. Blanton stabilized
the band's rhythm and enhanced its swing. Helped songs like Ko-Ko and Concerto
for Cootie become famous because of their important bass parts. Blanton took
part in the informal jam sessions at Minton's Playhouse in New York which contributed
to the birth of the bop style. Unfortunately, Jimmy Blanton's career was cut
short as he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and died in 1942. In his short career,
Blanton revolutionized jazz bass playing. He influenced many bassists including
Oscar Pettiford, Ray Brown, and Charles Mingus. He was well known for his dexterity
and range, accurate intonation, and his excellent sense of swing. He is also
considered the first true bass soloist. (117)
Wellman Braud (1891-1966) -- Began on various string instruments and
drums. Started playing bass in 1917 . Joined Duke Ellington in 1927 until 1935
where he provided a strong rhythmic foundation which was important to its success.
He wrote the Double Check Stomp which was recorded by the group in 1930. In
1937, he formed his own trio, then opened a pool hall in 1940. During this time
he continued to record with greats as Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, Bunk
Johnson and others. Braud claimed to have developed the concept of the walking
bass, though he is criticized for "overplaying" (slapping the strings
too hard) on some early recordings. (146)
Pete Briggs (1904 - ) -- Tuba and double bass player. Played in Louis
Armstrong's Stompers. Recorded with Armstrong's Hot Seven. Also played with
Edgar Hayes and Jelly Roll Morton. (151)
Ray Brown (1926- ) -- Began in the music scene in 1945 in New York. Recorded
in the early bop years with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, But Powell and
others. He then toured as musical director for Ella Fitzgerald, who was his
wife at the time. The also performed with Milt Jackson's Quartet and began a
life long affiliation with Oscar Peterson's trio which brought him his fame.
Just like Oscar Pettiford, he took up the cello and also developed a hybrid
bass/cello instrument which was a forerunner of the piccolo bass. He then settled
on the West Coast, and did some freelance recording. In 1972, he recorded with
Duke Ellington, an album tributed to Jimmy Blanton. Ray Brown was one of the
leading bassists in the bop style, along with Charles Mingus and Oscar Pettiford.
He is noted for his precision, beautiful tone, and his solos. (159)
Steve Brown (1890-1965) -- Played tuba, then bass. Played with brother,
Tom Brown, and moved to Chicago in 1915. There he joined the New Orleans Rhythm
Kings (with Bix Beiderbecke), with whom he recorded in 1922. He also played
in the Original Memphis Melody Boys, the Midway Dance Orchestra, and Jean Goldkette's
Orchestra. (160)
Red Callender (1916- ) -- Double bass and tuba player. First recorded
with Louis Armstrong in 1936, then with smaller groups in Hollywood. Played
in Lester and Lee Young's band, until he formed his own trio. Also played with
Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray and Dexter Gordon. In the 1950's he became mostly
involved with commercial recording work and his jazz performances almost ceased.
He did play with Art Tatum, which resulted in some great recordings. He has
continued to perform regularly throughout the 1980's (even on the tuba). Callender
is also very skilled arranger and composer. (181)
Bob Carter (1922- ) -- From 1945 he played bop and swing with Tony Scott,
Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Hank Jones, Ben Webster, Stuff
Smith, Max Roach, and Charlie Shavers. He toured with Charlie Ventura and Benny
Goodman. He also recorded with Buddy DeFranco, Joe Mooney, Marian McPartland,
and Johnny Smith. An important recording of his is "Three, Four, &
Five" with Lou Stein. He began composing while playing with Bob Alexander
and then wrote and arranged for Red Norvo. (191)
Ron Carter (1937- ) -- Began on cello at age 10, the changed to bass
in 1954. Received a BM from Eastman in 1959 and a MM from Manhattan School of
Music in 1961. His interest in jazz came on slowly. He began with Chico Hamilton
in New York and then made his first recordings with Dolphy and Don Ellis. He
also worked in Thelonious Monk's quartet and toured with Bobby Timmon's trio
and with Cannonball Adderley. His most important association is with Miles Davis's
quintet. With the help of Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams, he was an essential
part of Mile's rhythm section. At the time he was the most sought-after bass
players. He has recorded more than 1000 albums. Later in his career he has recorded
and performed with various jazz artists such as Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner,
and Al Foster. He also lead his own band from 1972, where he added another bass
player and soloed on the double bass and the piccolo bass. Carter's technique
is flawless. His improvisations in the bop and modal jazz styles are unsurpassed.
(192)
Paul Chambers (1935-1969) -- Took up double bass in 1949 then soon worked
with Kenny Burrell and others. Went on tour with Paul Quinichette which lead
him to New York in 1955 and was accepted by some top bop musicians. In 1955,
he became a member of the Miles Quintet where he stayed for eight years (which
was Miles's longest serving sideman). He also played in Miles' sextets with
Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane. Chambers was conservative and played
in the traditional walking bass style. He formed a trio with Wynton Kelly and
Jimmy Cobb which was short lived in 1963, then became ill and died in 1969.
(200)
Stanley Clarke (1951- ) -- Electric Bassist. Originally trained on accordion,
then violin, then cello, then the bass. Moved to New York in 1970 and played
double bass and electric bass with Pharoah Sanders and played and recorded with
Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Art Blakey, Gil Evans, Mel Lewis, Horace Silver, Joe
Henderson, and Chick Corea. Was a founding member of Corea’s group Return
to Forever. He also lead his own groups playing rock and jazz. Clarke was influenced
by Mingus, Chambers, and Ron Carter as well as rock legends Jimi Hendrix and
James Brown. He is known for his rapid, precise lines and his slap technique.
(219)
“Pops” Foster (1892-1969) -- First played cello, then switched
to double bass. Played with many bands in New Orleans from around 1906. Played
with Fate Marable’s group, and also played tuba, on Mississippi riverboats
from 1918-21) and also played with Kid Ory’s band in California. Also spent
time in St. Louis, then moved to New York in 1929 to perform with Luis Russell.
Foster played under the leadership of Louis Armstrong from 1935-1940. After
that he kept playing with small ensembles. Pops Foster was known as the Father
of the Jazz Bass, since he was the main person who established the string bass
as the primary bass function instrument instead of the tuba. (402)
Jimmy Garrison (1934-1976) -- In New York he worked for several bop leaders
including Philly Joe Jones, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, and Lenni Tristano.
He then joined some avant-garde quartets such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane.
Garrison was an ideal accompanist for Coltrane. (420)
Eddie Gomez (1944- ) -- Puerto Rican bass player. Studied at Julliard.
In the early 60’s he played with many people, most notably Bill Evans.
With the Bill Evans trio he made many recordings and played some incredible
solos. He left the trio in 1977 and worked with some other ensembles. Gomez
is noted for being an outstanding accompanist for small groups. (437)
Barry Guy (1947- ) -- English bass player and composer. Became associated
with a group of avante-garde musicians in London and was a member of the Spontaneous
Music Ensemble. He formed the group Amalgam which performed music that was a
mix of jazz, rock, folk and improv. He also played with Howard Riley’s
trio for ten years. In the early 70’s he formed the London Jazz Composers
Orchestra. He is known for experimenting with electronic modification and amplification
to create new timbers. (464)
Charlie Haden (1937- ) -- Traveled to New York with Ornette Coleman and
recorded with him in 1966. He is principally known as a sideman, but won some
attention with his own album “Liberation Music Orchestra” which consisted
of freedom songs. Haden has a large, warm tone, and is known for his subtle
improvisations. He kept his solos simple and traditional. (468)
Milt Hinton (1910- ) Nicknamed “The Judge”. Worked with Boyd
Atkins, Tiny Parham and Jabbo Smith in the early 1930’s. Also played with
Eddie South, Erskine Tate, Zutty Singleton and Fate Marable. Was a member of
Cab Calloway’s Band from 1936-1951 where his big tone and drive became
an important part of the rhythm section. After leaving Calloway, he worked as
a freelance and became very sought-after. He then played with Count Basie, Louis
Armstrong’s All-Stars, and did lots of recording. In the 70’s he dabbled
into jazz photography. Milt could play in many styles of music and is most known
for his harmonic experiments in the 40’s while playing with Dizzy Gillespie.
(527)
Dave Holland (1946- ) -- English bass player. Went to school and played
in London then moved to the US and started with Miles Davis. He also played
in Chick Corea’s free jazz group for a year. From there he played with
Anthony Braxton, Stan Getz, and John Abercrombie. He also has performed and
recorded as an unaccompanied bass and cello player. In 1987, he joined the faculty
of the New England Conservatory of Music. Holland is known for his lightning
speed, rhythmic precision, perfect intonation, clear tone, and thoughtful ideas.
He has been compared to Scott LaFaro and Gary Peacock. (534)
Bill Johnson (1874-1974) Double bass and tuba player. Started as guitarist,
but by 1900 played bass in New Orleans. Also played tuba with brass bands. Went
on tour in 1908 across the southwest to L.A. and was one of the first New Orleans
jazz men to take the music to the West Coast. Johnson worked with King Oliver
in 1922 in Chicago and continued to play throughout the 30’s with Bunk
Johnson. Johnson retired in the 50’s. (615)
John Kirby (1908-1952) -- Played tuba and double bass with Fletcher Henderson
(1930-33), 1935-6) and Chick Webb (1933-5). Had strong pulse and walking bass
lines. Formed own group at the Onyx Club, then formed sextet with Charlie Shavers,
Russel Procope, Buster Bailey, Billy Kyle, and O’Neill Spencer. From 1938-1942
they were the leading small jazz ensemble in the swing style. (653)
Scott LaFaro (1936-1961) -- Studied at Ithaca Conservatory and Syracuse.
Traveled to L.A. with Buddy Morrow’s band and began his career as a jazz
musician with Chet Baker’s group. He accompanied Sonny Rollins and Harold
Land in San Francisco. Then he moved to New York and toured with Benny Goodman
and joined the Bill Evans trio. He also led his own trio and worked shortly
with Stan Getz. His career was cut short by a tragic automobile accident. Scott
is known for setting a new standard of jazz bass players by varying accompaniments
by mixing traditional time keeping bass lines with far-ranging countermelodies
in free rhythm. (671)
John Lindsay (1894-1950) -- Double bass player and trombonist. First
professional performances were on trombone. Worked in New Orleans with John
Robichaux in the early 20’s and recorded with A.J. Piron in New York in
1923. He then played on the riverboat Capital with Dewey Jackson. In 1925, he
moved to Chicago and continued to play on trombone, but began concentrating
on the bass. He played bass with Louis Armstrong’s big band and recorded
with Jimmie Noone, Punch Miller, the Harlem Hamfats, and Johnny Dodds. Lindsay
was influenced by Bob Ysaguirre, Pops Foster, Henry Kimball, and Bill Johnson.
He is most known for his recordings with Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers
in 1926, where he uses pizzicato and slapping. (711)
Billy Marrero -- Played in Manuel Perez’s Imperial Orch. (1905-08)
and led Superior Orch. (1910-13). (752)
Red Mitchell (1927- ) -- Played with Jackie Paris, Mundell Lowe, Chubby
Jackson, Charlie Ventrua, Woody Herman, and Red Norvo. In Europe, he recorded
with Billie Holiday, Jimmy Raney, and Gerry Mulligan. While in L.A. he performed
with Hampton Hawes, and Ornette Coleman. He was also the principal bass player
at MGM studios. In the late 60’s and 70’s he performed with many different
players in Europe. Mitchell is known for his phrasing and voice-like articulations.
He is also noted for tuning his bass in fifths (CGDA, lie a cello) to open his
sound, and expand his range. This also helped his extreme use of piano-like
use of double stops. (782)
Charles Mingus (1922-1979) -- Started on trombone and cello, then took
up bass and studied with Red Callender. Also studied composition with Lloyd
Reese. In the 40’s he played with Kid Ory in Barney Bigard’s ensemble,
and Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton’s big bands. He gained his first
attention in Red Norvo’s trio, then moved to New York and worked with Billy
Taylor, Duke Ellington, Stan Getz, Art Tatum and Bud Powell. A famous performance
was with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. In the 50’s his composing
became very important. In the 60’s his compositions became more complex,
notably “The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady” and “Meditations
on Integration”. During mid 60’s, his short lived recording labels
put him in great financial trouble, and from 1966-1969 he rarely performed.
He also had some psychological problems. In late 1969 he reappeared. Mingus’s
bass technique was incredible and he developed a new “conversational”
technique and a “pianistic” approach that combined the bass line,
inner harmonies, and improvised countermelodies. (778)
Monk Montgomery (1921-1982) -- Began on bass at age 30, then changed
to bass guitar to tour with Lionel Hampton’s big band in 1951-1953. He
became the first jazz musician to specialize and record on the bass guitar.
He played with his brothers’ quintet, and then moved to San Francisco where
he and Buddy formed the Mastersounds. Monk also played with Cal Tjader and Red
Norvo. In 1970, he moved to Las Vegas and founded the L.V. Jazz Society and
promoted jazz as a disc jockey. (792)
Al Morgan (1908-1974) -- Played with his brother, Isaiah. Joined Lee
Collins on a tour of Florida, then worked in New Orleans with saxophonist, David
Jones. Played with Fate Marable on the riverboats (following Pops Foster, whose
style he emulated). Played with Billy Banks’s Rhythmakers in 1932, then
joined Cab Calloway’s big band. Predecessor of Milt Hinton. Played on the
west coast in 1957 where his lighter style fit in well with smaller ensembles.
(800)
Walter Page (1900-1957) -- Played with Bennie Moten’s band in early
20’s then founded his own band in 1925, called the Blue Devils. This group
included Hot Lips Page, Buster Smith, Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing, Lester Young,
and several other leading figures, making this Southwest style group one of
the most influential jazz bands in the Oklahoma City area. His affiliation with
Basie in this group and also later established Page as the leading jazz bass
player of the late 1930’s and a creator of the walking bass style. (950)
Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987) -- Electric bass guitarist. Grew up in Ft.
Lauderdale. Received the attention of many musicians as a teenager. Instead
of using a regular bass, he used a fretless bass and still played with exquisite
intonation. He was admired for his imaginative fusion of styles in his solos.
From 1980-1983, he toured with his own group, Word of Mouth. In 1983, he recorded
an album with drummer, Brian Melvin. He died due to injuries inflicted in a
bar fight. (962)
Gary Peacock (1935- ) -- Played piano and drums from age 13. Began the bass
around 1956. He played with Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Hans Koller, Attila Zoller
and Tony Scott. From 1962-63, he was in the Bill Evans Trio. He toured with
Miles Davis in 1964, and toured Europe with Albert Ayler and Don Cherry. These
performances established him as one of the most accomplished double bass players
in jazz. (966)
Oscar Pettiford (1922-1960) -- Double bass player, cellist, and band
leader. In 1943, he was the bass player in Charlie Barnet’s band. He also
performed with Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie. From 1944, he played in numerous
small bop ensembles and various big bands like those of Duke Ellington and Woody
Herman. In the mid-1950’s, he formed his own band, but the band suffered
from instability of personnel due to Pettiford’s temper. He was the first
bass player to adapt and elaborate upon the innovations of Jimmy Blanton, within
a bop context. Later, from about 1950, he transferred his solo style to cello.
It is said that Ray Brown and Charles Mingus were influenced by Oscar Pettiford.
He is known for establishing the bass as a jazz solo instrument equal in importance
to the winds. (974)
Barre Phillips (1934- ) -- Began playing at age 13 in school orchestras,
then in Dixieland and bop groups. In 1962, he played with Ornette Coleman, Don
Heckman, and Don Ellis. He also played with Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, and
Peter Nero. In 1968, he recorded a solo album, called Journal Violone, which
was the first record to consist entirely of improvised music for unaccompanied
bass. He continues to perform in Europe. (976)
Tommy Potter (1918-1988) -- Took up bass in 1940. Best known for his
work with Charlie Parker’s quintet. After Oscar Pettiford, Potter was one
of the most respected bass players of the bop era. He recorded with Fats Navarro,
Wardell Gray, and Bud Powell. During the 1950’s and 60’s, he worked
with musicians such as Stan Getz, Earl Hines, Artie Shaw, and Harry Edison.
(994)
Curley Russell (1917-1986) -- Gained professional experience in the big
bands of Don Redman and Benny Carter. In 1954, Russell joined Dizzy Gillespie
and Charlie Parker. For the rest of the 1940’s and 50’s, Curley worked
as a freelance musician and played with Coleman Hawkins, Miles Davis, Bud Powell,
and Thelonious Monk. By the late-1950’s, Russell had drifted away from
jazz and was mainly playing
R & B. (1071)
Slam Stewart (1914-1987) -- Studied at the Boston Conservatory. In 1938,
he put together a duo with Slim Gaillard. Later, he worked as a freelance musician
and played with Red Norvo, Benny Goodman, Art Tatum, Roy Eldridge, Beryl Booker,
and Rose Murphy. He is best known for his use of “bow humming,” where
he bows and hums the melody simultaneously. (1161)
Bill Taylor (1906-1986) -- Double bass and tuba player. In New York,
he worked with Elmer Snowden, Charlie Johnson, and Duke Ellington. He performed
and recorded with Fats Waller and Fletcher Henderson. He also recorded with
many members of Ellington’s band. (1189)
Eberhard Weber (1940- ) -- Started on cello but took up double bass in
1956. He experimented with five- and six-string basses. His most famous piece
is Colours of Chloe. (1274)
Bob Ysaguirre (1897-1982) -- Tuba and bass player. Learned tuba in a
military band then moved to New Orleans where he played with Amos White. Recorded
with A.J. Piron’s orchestra, and Elmer Snowden’s Plantation Orchestra.
Also performed with Don Redman on tuba and bass. (1320)
BIBLIOGRAPHY: The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, ed. Barry Kernfeld,
St. Martin’s Press, New York
HERE IS A "JAZZ BASS FAMILY
TREE" WHICH I MADE:
(It is rather large, so you may need to expand your window)