Rufus Reid

Last updated
Rufus Reid
Born (1944-02-10) February 10, 1944 (age 80)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Origin Chicago, Illinois
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Bass
Years active1976–present
Labels Motéma, Sunnyside, Atlantic, Soul Note, Evidence, Concord
Website www.rufusreid.com

Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer. [1]

Contents

Biography

Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation from Sacramento High School, he entered the United States Air Force as a trumpet player. During that period, he began to be seriously interested in the double bass.

After fulfilling his duties in the military, Rufus had decided he wanted to pursue a career as a professional bassist. He moved to Seattle, Washington, where he studied bass with James Harnett of the Seattle Symphony. He continued his education at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied with Warren Benfield and principal bassist, Joseph Guastefeste, both of the Chicago Symphony. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Music Degree as a Performance Major on the Double Bass.

Rufus Reid's major professional career began in Chicago and continues since 1976 in New York City. Playing with hundreds of the world's greatest musicians, he is famously the bassist that saxophonist Dexter Gordon chose when he returned to the states from his decade-long exile in Denmark. His colleagues include Thad Jones, Nancy Wilson, Eddie Harris, and Bob Berg.

Reid directed the Jazz Studies program at William Paterson University from 1979 to 1999. [2] After retiring from that position, he spent five years attending the weekly BMI Jazz Composer's Workshop in New York City. [3] Reid has also served on the faculty of the biannual Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass, which moved to Montclair State University in 2024.

Reid has been a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey. [4] [1]

Reid's double bass is a Josef Rieger circa 1805.

Discography

As leader

As TanaReid

With Akira Tana

As sideman

With Kenny Barron

With Jane Ira Bloom

With Kenny Burrell

With Donald Byrd

With George Cables

With Art Farmer

With Ricky Ford

With Frank Foster and Frank Wess

With Stan Getz

With Dexter Gordon

With Eddie Harris

With Andrew Hill

With J. J. Johnson

  • Quintergy (1988)
  • Standards (1988)
  • Let's Hang Out (1992)
  • The Brass Orchestra (1996)
  • Heroes (1998)

With Lee Konitz

With Rob Schneiderman

With The Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra

With others

Books

Contributions to education

Awards and honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Wess</span> American saxophonist, flutist, composer and arranger (1922–2013)

Frank Wellington Wess was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. In addition to his extensive solo work, Wess is remembered for his time in Count Basie's band from the early 1950s into the 1960s. Critic Scott Yanow described him as one of the premier proteges of Lester Young, and a leading jazz flutist of his era—using the latter instrument to bring new colors to Basie's music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecil McBee</span> American jazz bassist

Cecil McBee is an American jazz bassist. He has recorded as a leader only a handful of times since the 1970s, but has contributed as a sideman to a number of classic jazz albums.

Larry Ridley is an American jazz bassist and music educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Heath</span> American drummer (1935–2024)

Albert "Tootie" Heath was an American jazz hard bop drummer, the brother of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the double-bassist Percy Heath. With Stanley Cowell, the Heaths formed the Heath Brothers jazz band in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim McNeely</span> American jazz pianist, composer, conductor, and educator

Jim McNeely is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger and faculty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Barron</span> American jazz pianist (born 1943)

Kenny Barron is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charnett Moffett</span> American jazz bassist (1967–2022)

Charnett Moffett was an American jazz bassist. A consummate and versatile bassist, and composer, he was an apparent child prodigy. Moffett began playing bass in the family band, touring the Far East in 1975 at the age of eight. In the mid-1980s, he played with Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis.

Marvin "Smitty" Smith is an American jazz drummer and composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Werner</span> American jazz pianist and composer

Kenny Werner is an American jazz pianist, composer, and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Leonhart</span> American double bassist and singer-songwriter

Jay Leonhart is an American double bassist, singer, and songwriter who has worked in jazz and popular music. He has performed with Judy Garland, Bucky Pizzarelli, Carly Simon, Frank Sinatra, and Sting. Leonhart is noted for his clever songwriting, often laced with dry humor. His compositions have been recorded by Blossom Dearie, Lee Konitz, and Gary Burton. His poetry is published both in, and outside of, the venue of song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Drummond</span> American jazz musician

Ray Drummond is an American jazz bassist and teacher. He also has an MBA from Stanford University, hence his linkage to the Stanford Jazz Workshop. He can be heard on hundreds of albums and co-leads The Drummonds with Renee Rosnes and Billy Drummond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirk Lightsey</span> American jazz musician

Kirkland "Kirk" Lightsey is an American jazz pianist. He was born 15 February 1937

Major "Mule" Holley Jr. was an American jazz upright bassist.

Michael Moore is an American jazz bassist.

Victor Lewis is an American jazz drummer, composer, and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Williams (musician)</span> American jazz musician

James Williams was an American jazz pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duduka Da Fonseca</span> Musical artist

Duduka Da Fonseca, born Eduardo Moreira Da Fonseca is a Brazilian jazz drummer who is a founding member of Trio da Paz with Romero Lubambo and Nilson Matta. He leads the Duduka da Fonseca Trio, with David Feldman and Guto Wirtti. Duduka is a resident of New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Riley</span> American drummer (1933–2017)

Benjamin Alexander Riley Jr. was an American jazz drummer known for his work with Thelonious Monk, as well as Alice Coltrane, Stan Getz, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ahmad Jamal, and as a member of the group Sphere. During the 1970s and 1980s he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet.

Akira Tana is an American jazz drummer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Schneiderman (mathematician)</span> American jazz pianist and mathematician

Robert Roland "Rob" Schneiderman is an American jazz pianist who also works as a professor of mathematics at Lehman College of the City University of New York, where he specializes in geometric topology.

References

  1. 1 2 Beckerman, Jim. "Ben-Hur flavors his jazz with Middle Eastern spice", The Record (Bergen County) , July 17, 2005, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 23, 2006. Accessed November 29, 2017. "Luckily, pianist John Hicks, drummer Leroy Williams, percussionist Steve Kroon and celebrated Teaneck bassist Rufus Reid were happy to go where Ben-Hur led."
  2. Liner notes for The Gait Keeper.
  3. https://www.newvelle-records.com/products/nv012lp-rufus-reid-terrestrial-dance#liner-notes-top
  4. "2005 Living Legacy Award Winner: Rufus Reid", Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, backed up by the Internet Archive as of August 20, 2008. Accessed November 29, 2017. "Rufus Reid was born in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Sacramento, California and currently resides in Teaneck, New Jersey."
  5. "William Paterson University Senate Minutes". Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  6. The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Archived 2008-06-11 at the Wayback Machine