Todd Coolman

Last updated

Todd Coolman (born July 14, 1954) is a jazz bassist and a retired tenured Professor of Music at the Jazz Studies Program in the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College in Westchester County, New York. [1] He is also the former Artistic Director of the Skidmore Jazz Institute. [2]

Contents

Coolman playing the bass behind James Moody JamesMoody.jpg
Coolman playing the bass behind James Moody

Coolman grew up in Gary, Indiana. [3] In 1978 he moved to New York City. He has since then performed with Horace Silver, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, Slide Hampton, Stan Getz, Tommy Flanagan, and countless others. He is probably best known for his 26-year association with the James Moody Quartet. Coolman has recorded with numerous jazz musicians in many contexts and has also released four recordings under his own leadership: Tomorrows (1990), Lexicon (1995), Perfect Strangers (2008) and Collectables (2016). In 1999, Coolman won the Grammy Award for Best Album Notes for Miles Davis Quintet 1965-1968. In 2011 an album on which he played, James Moody's Moody 4B , won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group.

He has written two method books related to jazz bass playing: The Bass Tradition and The Bottom Line.

In 1997, Coolman received a Ph.D. in Music and the Performing Arts from New York University. [1]

He lives in Denville, New Jersey. [3] [1]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With James Moody
With Michael Dease [4]
With Hal Galper Trio
With David "Fathead" Newman
With Rob Schneiderman
With Gerald Wilson
With others

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lionel Hampton</span> American jazz musician (1908–2002)

Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, and bandleader. He worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, and Quincy Jones. In 1992, he was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and he was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Etta Jones</span> American jazz singer (1928–2001)

Etta Jones was an American jazz singer. Her best-known recordings are "Don't Go to Strangers" and "Save Your Love for Me". She worked with Buddy Johnson, Oliver Nelson, Earl Hines, Barney Bigard, Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Milt Jackson, Cedar Walton, and Houston Person.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddy DeFranco</span> Italian-American jazz clarinetist (1923–2014)

Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Gibbs</span> American jazz vibraphonist and band leader (born 1924)

Terry Gibbs is an American jazz vibraphonist and band leader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Napoleon</span> American jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger

Randy Napoleon is an American jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger who tours nationally and internationally. He has also toured with the Freddy Cole Quartet, Benny Green, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra led by John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, and Jeff Hamilton, Rene Marie, and with Michael Bublé.

John Campbell is an American jazz pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monk Montgomery</span> American jazz bassist (1921–1982)

William Howard "Monk" Montgomery was an American jazz bassist. He was a pioneer of the electric bass guitar and possibly the first to be recorded playing the instrument when he participated in a 1953 session released on The Art Farmer Septet. He was the brother of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery and vibraphonist Buddy Montgomery.

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

James Moody was an American jazz saxophone and flute player and very occasional vocalist, playing predominantly in the bebop and hard bop styles. The annual James Moody Jazz Festival is held in Newark, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Washington (musician)</span> American jazz drummer

Kenny Washington is an American jazz drummer and music writer born in Staten Island, New York. His brother is bassist Reggie Washington.

Steve Allee is an American jazz musician and composer.

Leon Lee Dorsey is an American jazz bassist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator known for his well-received debut for Landmark Records. He teaches at the Berklee School of Music in Boston.

Ralph Bowen is a Canadian jazz saxophonist.

Harry Pickens is an American jazz pianist. He began his career with the Johnny Griffin quartet and Chico Freeman quintet, later performing with Blue Note Records group Out of the Blue before releasing several albums as leader.

Michael Patrick Dease is an American jazz tenor and bass trombonist, composer and producer. He also plays saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn, bass and piano.

<i>Moody 4B</i> 2010 studio album by James Moody

Moody 4B is an instrumental album released by jazz musician James Moody. The album was released in 2010 on IPO Recordings, Moody's fifth release on the label, and was produced by Michael Patterson, Bill Sorin was executive producer. It won the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Lee (bassist)</span> American bassist

John Lee is an American bassist, Grammy winning record producer and audio engineer.

The Christian McBride Big Band is a 17-piece big band whose debut album The Good Feeling received the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duffy Jackson</span> American jazz drummer (1953–2021)

Duff Clark "Duffy" Jackson was an American jazz drummer.

Joseph Anthony Magnarelli is an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linda May Han Oh</span> Australian jazz bassist and composer (born 1984)

Linda May Han Oh is an Australian jazz bassist and composer. She is currently Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music and is also part of the Institute for Jazz and Gender Justice.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Staudter, Thomas (5 February 2006). "The Professor Who Teaches By Doing". The New York Times . Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  2. Jewell, Marcella (2 July 2012). "Five Questions for Todd Coolman". saratogian.com. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  3. 1 2 Stewart, Zan (5 March 2009). "Bassist Todd Coolman bases his life on sharing his music". nj.com. New Jersey. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  4. "Posi-Tone Records - Michael Dease - Bonafide". www.posi-tone.com. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
  5. "Todd Coolman | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 April 2017.