Cecil McBee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cecil McBee | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 19, 1935 |
| Origin | Tulsa, OK, United States |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations | Musician |
| Instruments | Double bass |
| Associated acts | Dinah Washington, Paul Winter, Miles Davis, Andrew Hill, Sam Rivers, Jackie McLean, Wayne Shorter, Charles Lloyd, Yusef Lateef, Keith Jarrett, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Alice Coltrane |
Cecil McBee (born May 19, 1935) is an American post bop jazz bassist, described by the Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (Second Edition, ed. Colin Larkin, 1995) as "a full-toned bassist who creates rich, singing phrases in a wide range of contemporary jazz contexts." Allmusic called him "One of post-bop's most advanced and versatile bassists".[1]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
McBee was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on 19 May 1935. He studied clarinet at school, but switched to bass at the age of 17, and began playing in local nightclubs. After gaining a music degree from Ohio Central State University, he spent two years in the army, during which time he conducted the band at Fort Knox. In 1959 he played with Dinah Washington, and in 1962 he moved to Detroit, where he worked with Paul Winter's folk-rock ensemble from 1963-1964. His jazz career began in earnest in the mid-1960s, after he moved to New York, when he began playing and recording with a number of significant musicians including Miles Davis, Andrew Hill, Sam Rivers, Jackie McLean (1964), Wayne Shorter (1965-66), Charles Lloyd (1966), Yusef Lateef (1967-69), Keith Jarrett, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw (1986), and Alice Coltrane (1969-1972).
He established his own group in 1975, and has made a number of recordings under his own name, but is best known for his work as a sideman; he continues to be in high demand, and has gone on to work with many jazz musicians.
McBee was a member of the group Almanac, with Bennie Maupin (flute, tenor saxophone), Mike Nock (piano) and Eddie Marshall (drums). The group released one album in 1977.
He teaches at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts.
[edit] Grammy awards
Pharoah Sanders/David Murray/McCoy Tyner/Cecil McBee/Roy Haynes, Blues for Coltrane: A Tribute to John Coltrane (MCA, 1987) Winner, Best instrumental performance, individual or group, Grammy Awards, 1988.
[edit] Discography
[edit] As leader
- Mutima (Strata-East Records, 1975)
- Music from the Source (Enja Records, 1977)
- Compassion (Enja, 1977)
- Alternate Spaces (India Navigation, 1979)
- Flying Out (India Navigation, 1982)
- Compassion (Enja, 1983)
- Unpsoken (Palmetto, 1997)
[edit] As sideman
- Paul Winter, Jazz Meets the Folk-Song (1963)
- Jackie McLean, Action (Blue Note Records, 1964)
- Grachan Moncur III Some Other Stuff ( 1964 )
- Andrew Hill, Compulsion! (Blue Note Records, 1965)
- Wayne Shorter, Et Cetera (Blue Note Records, 1965)
- Charles Lloyd, Forest Flower: Live in Monterey (Atlantic Records, 1966)
- Charles Lloyd, Dream Weaver (Atlantic Records, 1966)
- Mike Nock, Almanac (Improvising Artists, 1967)
- Yusef Lateef, The Blue Yusef Lateef (1968)
- Leon Thomas, Spirits Known and Unknown (1969)
- Wayne Shorter, Odyssey of Iska (Blue Note Records, 1970)
- Pharoah Sanders, Thembi (Impulse Records, 1970) Includes a five-minute McBee bass solo, 'Love'.
- Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidanda (Impulse Records, 1970)
- Sam Rivers, Hues (1970)
- Pharoah Sanders, Black Unity (Impulse Records, 1971)
- Pharoah Sanders, Live at the East (1972) McBee performs on these two records a part of a two-bass team with Stanley Clarke and Calvin Hall respectively.
- Pharoah Sanders, Love In Us All (Impulse Records, 1973)
- Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), African Space Program (Enja, 1973)
- Lonnie Liston Smith, Expansions (1974)
- Joanne Brackeen, Snooze (Choice, 1975)
- Chico Freeman, Chico (1977)
- Archie Shepp, Lady Bird (Denon, 1978)
- Johnny Griffin, Birds and Ballads (1978)
- McCoy Tyner, Quartets 4 X 4 (Milestone, 1980)
- Art Pepper (with strings), Winter Moon (Original Jazz Classics, 1980)
- Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw, Double Take (Blue Note, 1986).
- Muhal Richard Abrams, Roots of Blue (RPR, 1986). Duet album with McBee.
- McCoy Tyner,, Blues for Coltrane (1987).
- The Leaders Trio, Heaven Dance (Sunnyside, 1988).With pianist Kirk Lightsey and drummer Don Moye.
- Horace Tapscott, The Dark Tree, Vol. 1 & 2 (hatOLOGY, 1989)
- John Hicks with Cecil McBee and Elvin Jones, Power Trio (Novus, 1990)
- Dave Liebman, The Seasons (Soul Note, 1992)
- Elvin Jones, Jazz Machine (Trio, 1997)
- Dave Liebman Ensemble Jazz, John Coltrane's 'Meditations' (Arkadia Jazz, 1998)
- Raphe Malik/Cecil McBee/Cody Moffett, Storyline (Boxholder, 1999)
- Saxophone Summit (Michael Brecker/Joe Lovano/Dave Liebman), Gathering of Spirits (Telarc, 2004)
