William Thomas "Keter" Betts (July 22, 1928 – August 6, 2005) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

double bassist.

Early life and education

Born in

Port Chester, New York Port Chester is a administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the largest part of the town of Rye (town), New York, Rye in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County by populat ...

, he was nicknamed "Keter", a short form of the word mosquito. He graduated from

Port Chester High School Port Chester High School is a public high school in Port Chester, New York. It is the senior high school of the Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District and its principal is Mitchell Combs. The school is ranked #134 in the state and #1481 in t ...

in 1946, where he played drums, tympani, tuba, glockenspiel, and bass fiddle.

Career

Many better-known musicians, such as

Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, ...

Nat Adderley Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was the younger brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, whom he supported and played with for many years. Adderley's composition " ...

Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of ...

Charlie Byrd Charlie Lee Byrd (September 16, 1925 – December 2, 1999) was an American jazz guitarist. Byrd was best known for his association with Brazilian music, especially bossa nova. In 1962, he collaborated with Stan Getz on the album '' Jazz Samba' ...

and others, recognizing Betts's talent, invited him to perform with them professionally. He was a member of Earl Bostic's R&B band from April 1949 to August 1951. Accompanied Dinah Washington/December 1951 to October 1956. He later became a member of the Charlie Byrd Trio in 1957. In 1962, he was instrumental in introducing the

bossa nova Bossa nova () is a style of samba developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is mainly characterized by a "different beat" that altered the harmonies with the introduction of unconventional chords and an innovativ ...

style to American audiences via their ''

Jazz Samba ''Jazz Samba'' is a bossa nova album by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd released by Verve Records in 1962. ''Jazz Samba'' signaled the beginning of the bossa nova craze in America. Stan Getz was the featured soloist and the tracks were arranged by C ...

'' recording. He worked with Bobby Timmons and recorded an album in 1964 before joining

as an accompanist in October of that year. He toured with Fitzgerald as a bassist for many years after. He left Fitzgerald's band and worked with Roberta Flack, Joe Williams, Johnny Hartman, Kenny Burrell, Herbie Mann, Billy Eckstine, and Chris Connor. He rejoined Fitzgerald in December 1971 and remained with her until her retirement.

Personal life

A widowed father of five children, Betts resided in the

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, area for more than a half century. He died of a heart attack at his home in

Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially unincorporated, in practice it is an edge city, with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 censu ...

, in August 2005.

Selected discography

As Leader * ''Bass, Buddies & Blues'' (Keter Betts Music, 1998) * ''Bass, Buddies, Blues & Beauty Too'' (Keter Betts Music, 1999) * ''Live at the East Coast Jazz Festival'' (Keter Betts Music, 2000) With

Clifford Brown Clifford Benjamin Brown (October 30, 1930 – June 26, 1956) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. He died at the age of 25 in a car accident, leaving behind four years' worth of recordings. His compositions "Sandu", "Joy Spring", an ...

* ''

Jam Session A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without exte ...

'' (

EmArcy EmArcy Records is a jazz record label founded in 1954 by the American Mercury Records. The name is a phonetic spelling of "MRC", the initials for Mercury Record Company. During the 1950s and 1960s, musicians such as Max Roach, Clifford Brown ...

, 1954) with

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...

and

Clark Terry Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator. He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948–51), Duke ...

With

* ''Blues for Night People'' (1957) * ''

Byrd's Word! ''Byrd's Word!'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd with tracks recorded in 1958 and released on the Riverside label in 1962. The album was first released on the Washington Records Offbeat imprint as ''Jazz at the Showboat''

'' (

Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...

, 1958) * ''

Byrd in the Wind ''Byrd in the Wind'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1959 and released on the Riverside label in 1963. The album was first released on the Washington Records Offbeat imprint as ''Byrd in the Wind: ...

'' (Riverside, 1959) * '' Mr. Guitar'' (Riverside, 1960) * ''

The Guitar Artistry of Charlie Byrd ''The Guitar Artistry of Charlie Byrd'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1960 and released on the Riverside label in 1963. The album was first released on the Washington Records Offbeat imprint as ...

'' (Riverside, 1960) * ''

Charlie Byrd at the Village Vanguard ''Charlie Byrd at the Village Vanguard'' is a live album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded at the Village Vanguard in 1961 and released on the Riverside label in 1963. The album was first released on the Washing ...

'' (Riverside, 1961) * ''

Blues Sonata ''Blues Sonata'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1961 and released on the Riverside label in 1963. The album was first released on the Washington Records Offbeat imprint but only received limited ...

'' (Riverside, 1961) * ''

'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

, 1962) with

* ''

Latin Impressions ''Latin Impressions'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1962 and released on the Riverside label.Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros ''Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1962 and released on the Riverside Records, Riverside label.Once More! Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova ''Once More! Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1963 and released on the Riverside label.Byrd at the Gate ''Byrd at the Gate'' is an album by jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd, recorded at The Village Gate in 1963 and released on the Riverside Records, Riverside label.

'' (Riverside, 1963) * ''

Byrd Song ''Byrd Song'' (subtitled ''Charlie Byrd with Voices'') is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1964 and released on the Riverside label.Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

* ''

Ella in Hamburg ''Ella in Hamburg'' is a 1965 (see 1965 in music) live album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, recorded in Hamburg, Germany. Ella is accompanied by a trio led by the pianist Tommy Flanagan. This was Ella's last live solo album to be re ...

'' (Verve, live, 1965) * ''

Ella Loves Cole ''Ella Loves Cole'' is a 1972 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald, arranged by Nelson Riddle, of songs written by Cole Porter. This was Fitzgerald's first album of songs dedicated to a single composer since 1964's ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the John ...

'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

, 1972) * ''

Ella in London ''Ella in London'' is a 1974 live album by Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by a quartet led by the pianist Tommy Flanagan. It is significant as Fitzgerald's only live album recorded in England, although a decade earlier she had recorded four songs f ...

'' (

Pablo Pablo is a Spanish form of the name Paul. People * Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer *Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer *Pablo Armero, Colombian footballer * Pablo Bartholomew, Indian photojournalist *Pablo Brandán, Argentine footballer * Pablo Bren ...

, live, 1974) * ''

Montreux '75 ''Montreux '75'' is a 1975 live album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by a trio led by the pianist Tommy Flanagan. It is one of four albums that Ella recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and it was Ella's first appeara ...

'' (Pablo, live, 1975) * ''

Montreux '77 (Ella Fitzgerald album) ''Montreux '77'' is a 1977 live album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by a trio led by the pianist Tommy Flanagan. This is one of four albums that Ella recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival, being Ella's second Montreux a ...

'' (Pablo, live, 1977) * ''

Digital III at Montreux ''Digital III at Montreux'' is a 1979 live album featuring a compilation of performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, and Ray Brown, recorded at the 1979 Montreux Jazz Festival. It was produced and ha ...

'' (Pablo, live, 1979) * ''

A Perfect Match (Ella Fitzgerald album) ''A Perfect Match'' is a 1979 (see 1979 in music) live album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, and featuring Count Basie himself on the last track. It is the last of four albums Fitzgerald rec ...

'' (Pablo, 1979) * '' Jazz at the Philharmonic – Yoyogi National Stadium, Tokyo 1983: Return to Happiness'' (Pablo, live, 1983) With

Tommy Flanagan Thomas Lee Flanagan (March 16, 1930 – November 16, 2001) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He grew up in Detroit, initially influenced by such pianists as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, and Nat King Cole, and then by bebop musicians. ...

*''

The Tommy Flanagan Tokyo Recital ''The Tommy Flanagan Tokyo Recital'' is an album by jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan. It is a trio album, recorded in 1975, with bassist Keter Betts and drummer Bobby Durham. Background and recording This album was recorded on February 15, 1975, aft ...

'' (Pablo, 1975) *'' Straight Ahead'' (Pablo, 1976) with

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened in "Jaws"): it is either said that ...

*''

Something Borrowed, Something Blue ''Something Borrowed, Something Blue'' is an album by pianist Tommy Flanagan recorded in 1978 for the Galaxy label.Galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. ...

, 1978) With

Etta Jones Etta Jones (November 25, 1928 – October 16, 2001) 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 A ...

*'' The Melody Lingers On'' (HighNote, 1997) With Sam Jones *''

The Soul Society ''The Soul Society'' is the debut album by bassist and cellist Sam Jones featuring performances recorded in early 1960 and originally released on the Riverside label.

'' (Riverside, 1960) *'' The Chant'' (Riverside, 1961) With

Junior Mance Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. (October 10, 1928 – January 17, 2021), known as Junior Mance, was an American jazz pianist and composer. Biography Early life (1928–1947) Mance was born in Evanston, Illinois. When he was five years old, Mance st ...

*''

Blue Mance ''Blue Mance'' is an album by the jazz pianist Junior Mance, recorded in 1994 and released on the Chiaroscuro label the following year.Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro ( , ; ), in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achi ...

, 1994) *''The Floating Jazz Festival Trio'' (Chiaroscuro, 1995) *''The FJF Trio with Joe Temperley'' (Chiaroscuro, 1996) *''The Floating Jazz Festival Trio'' (Chiaroscuro, 1997) *''The Floating Jazz Festival Trio'' (Chiaroscuro, 1998) *''A Chiaroscuro Christmas'' (Chiaroscuro) With

Helen Merrill Helen Merrill (born Jelena Ana Milcetic; July 21, 1930) is an American jazz vocalist. Her first album, the eponymous 1954 recording '' Helen Merrill'' (with Clifford Brown), was an immediate success and associated her with the first generation ...

*''

The Artistry of Helen Merrill ''The Artistry of Helen Merrill'' is an album released by American vocalist Helen Merrill in 1965 on the Mainstream Records, Mainstream label.Edwards, D., Callahan, Eyries, P., Watts, R. & Neely, TDiscography of the Mainstream Label (Preview) acc ...

'' (

Mainstream Mainstream may refer to: Film * ''Mainstream'' (film), a 2020 American film Literature * ''Mainstream'' (fanzine), a science fiction fanzine * Mainstream Publishing, a Scottish publisher * ''Mainstream'', a 1943 book by Hamilton Basso Mu ...

, 1965) With

Bobby Timmons Robert Henry Timmons (December 19, 1935 – March 1, 1974) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He was a sideman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers for two periods (July 1958 to September 1959; February 1960 to June 1961), between which he w ...

*''

Chun-King ''Chun-King'' is an album by American jazz pianist Bobby Timmons recorded in 1964 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label.

'' (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

, 1964) *''

Workin' Out! ''Workin' Out!'' is an album by American jazz pianist Bobby Timmons recorded in 1964 and released in 1965 on the Prestige label.

'' (Prestige, 1964) With

Louie Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...

*''Salute'' (Chiaroscuro, 1994) With

Johnny Frigo Johnny Frigo (December 27, 1916 – July 4, 2007) was an American jazz violinist, bassist and songwriter. He appeared in the 1940s as a violinist before working as a bassist. He returned to the violin in the 1980s and enjoyed a comeback, recordin ...

Herb Ellis Mitchell Herbert Ellis (August 4, 1921 – March 28, 2010), known professionally as Herb Ellis, was an American jazz guitarist. During the 1950s, he was in a trio with pianist Oscar Peterson. Biography Born in Farmersville, Texas, and raised ...

and Lou Carter *''The Soft Winds, Then and Now'' (Chiaroscuro, 1996) With

Jay McShann James Columbus "Jay" McShann (January 12, 1916 – December 7, 2006) was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader. He led bands in Kansas City, Missouri, that included Charlie Parker, Bernard Anderson (trumpeter), Bernard A ...

*''Hootie'' (Chiaroscuro, 1997) With

Red Holloway James Wesley "Red" Holloway (May 31, 1927 – February 25, 2012) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Born in Helena, Arkansas,Daniel E. Slotnik"Red Holloway, Swinger of the Sax, Dies at 84" ''The New York Times'', February 28, 2012 ...

O. C. Smith Ocie Lee Smith (June 21, 1932 – November 23, 2001), known professionally as O. C. Smith, was an American singer. His recording of " Little Green Apples" went to number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1968 and sold over one million rec ...

and

Phil Upchurch Philip Upchurch (born July 19, 1941) is an American jazz and blues guitarist and bassist. Career Upchurch started his career working with the Kool Gents, the Dells, and the Spaniels, before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush, and ...

*''Standing Room Only'' (Chiaroscuro, 1998) With

Waymon Reed Waymon Reed (January 10, 1940, Fayetteville, North Carolina - November 25, 1983, Nashville, Tennessee) was an American jazz trumpeter. While he was principally a bebop soloist, he also worked in rhythm and blues ( R&B). He never had any children, a ...

* ''

46th and 8th ''46th and 8th'' is the sole album led by trumpeter Waymon Reed recorded in 1977 and released on the Artists House label in 1979.Artists House, 1977

979 Year 979 ( CMLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 24 – Second Battle of Pankaleia: An Ibero-Byzantine expeditionary ...

With C. I. Williams *''

When Alto Was King ''When Alto Was King'' is the final album recorded by American saxophonist Charles Williams (musician), C. I. Williams released in 1997 on the Mapleshade Records, Mapleshade label a quarter century after his previous album. Reception AllMusic aw ...

'' ( Mapleshade, 1997)

References

External links

Keter Betts's oral history video excerpts
at The National Visionary Leadership Project * behind Tommy Flanagan. {{DEFAULTSORT:Betts, Keter 1928 births 2005 deaths American jazz double-bassists Male double-bassists Bossa nova musicians People from Port Chester, New York 20th-century American musicians Jazz musicians from New York (state) 20th-century double-bassists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Statesmen of Jazz members Mapleshade Records artists