Dave Pike

Dave Pike
Born	23 March 1938 (1938-03-23) Detroit, Michigan United States
Genres	Brazilian jazz, Latin jazz, world music
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Drums, vibraphone, marimba
Labels	Atlantic Records, MPS/Saba
Associated acts	Herbie Mann

David Samuel Pike (born March 23, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan) is a jazz vibraphone player. He learned drums at the age of eight and is self-taught on vibes. He has also played marimba, particularly with Herbie Mann. Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, and Cal Tjader were early inspirations for him.

Pike made his recording debut with the Paul Bley Quartet in 1958. He began putting an amplifier on his vibes when working with flautist Herbie Mann in the early 1960s.. There are several other works he did inspired by Brazilian jazz, Latin jazz, or world music.

By the late 1960s, Pike's music became more exploratory, contributing a unique voice and new contexts that pushed the envelope in times remembered for their exploratory nature. "Doors of Perception", released in 1970 for the Atlantic Records subsidiary Vortex Records and produced by former boss Herbie Mann, explored ballads, modal territory, musique concrète, with free and lyrical improvisation, and included musicians like alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, bassist Chuck Israels (of Bill Evans and Ornette Coleman fame) and pianist Don Friedman whose artistry was up to the task of finding new spaces in the jazz idiom.

Pike's move to Europe and tenure at MPS/Saba records produced some of the most original jazz of the period. With the collaboration of Volker Kriegel (guitar), J. A. Rettenbacher (acoustic and electric bass), and Peter Baumeister (drums), he formed the Dave Pike Set. The group recorded six records from 1969-1972 that ran the gamut from funky grooves to free, textural territory. The group, though short-lived, created a unique identity and textural palette. Kriegel's compositional and instrumental (playing acoustic, classical, and electric guitar as well as sitar) contributions to the group helped set the Dave Pike Set's sound apart, organically incorporating influences from jazz, soul jazz, psychedelia, avant-garde music, and world (Indian, Brazilian, Latin and Middle Eastern sounds) music.

Discography

• 'Solemn Meditation (The Paul Bley Quartet Featuring Dave Pike, Vibes) -- 1958 (GNP Crescendo)
• It's Time for Dave Pike 1961 (Riverside Records)
• Pike's Peak' 1961 (Portrait)
• Bossa Nova Carnival 1962 (New Jazz)
• Limbo Carnival 1962 (New Jazz)
• Manhattan Latin 1964 (Decca)
• Jazz For The Jet Set 1966 (Atlantic SD-1457)
• Noisy Silence - Gentle Noise 1969 (MPS Records)
• Four Reasons 1969 (MPS Records)
• Live at the Philharmonie 1969 (MPS Records)
• Infra Red 1970 (MPS Records)
• Album 1971 (MPS Records)
• Salamão 1972 (MPS Records)
• Masterpieces 1969 - 1972 (MPS Records) (compilation)
• Doors of Perception" 1970 (Vortex)
• On a Gentle Note' 1977 (Muse Records)
• Pike's Groove' 1986 (Criss Cross)
• Bop Head' 1998 (Ubiquity)
• Peligroso' 2000 (Cubop): Dedicated to Cal Tjader and Milt Jackson

External links

• BBC Radio 2
• Dave Pike fan site