Duck Baker

Last updated
Duck Baker
Birth nameRichard Royall Baker IV
Born (1949-07-30) July 30, 1949 (age 74)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Genres Jazz, blues, ragtime, Celtic, swing, dixieland
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active1972–present
Labels Kicking Mule, Acoustic Music, Day Job, Shanachie, Avant
Website www.duckbaker.com

Richard Royall "Duck" Baker IV (born July 30, 1949) is an American acoustic fingerstyle guitarist who plays in a variety of styles: jazz, blues, gospel, ragtime, folk, and Irish and Scottish music. He has written many instruction books for guitar.

Contents

Musical career

His reputation rests on his work as a solo fingerstyle guitarist in multiple genres: Irish and Scottish music, American folk music, ragtime, gospel, and blues. [1] [2] He was born Richard Royall Baker IV on July 30, 1949, in Washington, D.C., [1] [3] and grew up in Virginia. As a teenager he played in rock bands before becoming interested in acoustic blues and jazz. [4] He listened to the Jazz Crusaders, Jimmy Smith, and Miles Davis, but Misterioso by Thelonious Monk got his attention most at the age of 16. He learned about ragtime from his teacher, stride pianist Buck Evans. [3]

In the early 1970s, he moved to San Francisco and performed a wide range of material, which can be heard on his debut album, There's Something for Everyone in America , on Kicking Mule Records. [2] In addition to developing his solo style, he immersed himself in the local swing jazz and avant-garde jazz scene. He was in a swing guitar duet with Thom Keats and a bluegrass band. From the late 1970s to the middle 1980s, he lived in Europe, spending time among free jazz musicians in London. During these years, he played with Eugene Chadbourne, John Zorn, [3] Henry Kaiser, Woody Mann, and Jim Nichols. [1] He toured throughout the world and released an album of Scottish and Irish music before returning to America in 1987. [3]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Eugene Chadbourne

With others

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Kennedy, Gary (2002). Kernfeld, Barry (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries. p. 112. ISBN   1-56159-284-6.
  2. 1 2 "Authors : Mel Bay". Melbay.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Yanow, Scott (2013). The Great Jazz Guitarists. San Francisco: Backbeat. p. 13. ISBN   978-1-61713-023-6.
  4. Atkinson, David (September 2006). "Blues in London: Interview with Duck Baker, blues musician". Blues in London. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2016.