Warren Harding "Sonny" Sharrock (August 27, 1940 – May 25, 1994)
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 m ...
guitarist. He was married to singer
Linda Sharrock, with whom he recorded and performed.
One of only a few prominent guitarists who participated in the first wave of
free jazz
Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians duri ...
during the 1960s, Sharrock was known for his heavily chorded attack, highly amplified bursts of feedback, and use of aggressive sustain to achieve saxophone-like lines on guitar. His early work also features creative use of a
slide.
Biography
Early life and career
He was born in
Ossining, New York
Ossining may refer to:
*Ossining (town), New York, a town in Westchester County, New York state
*Ossining (village), New York, a village in the town of Ossining
* Ossining High School, a comprehensive public high school in Ossining village
* Ossin ...
, United States.
Sharrock began his musical career singing
doo wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
in his teen years.
He collaborated with
Pharoah Sanders
Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of " sheets of sound", ...
and Alexander Solla in the late 1960s, appearing first on Sanders's 1966 album, ''
Tauhid
Tawhid ( ar, , ', meaning "unification of God in Islam (Allāh)"; also romanized as ''Tawheed'', ''Tawhid'', ''Tauheed'' or ''Tevhid'') is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam. Tawhid is the religion's central and single mo ...
''.
He made several appearances with flautist
Herbie Mann,
and an uncredited appearance on
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
's ''
A Tribute to Jack Johnson
''Jack Johnson'' (also known as ''A Tribute to Jack Johnson'' on reissues) is a studio album and soundtrack by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was released on February 24, 1971, by Columbia Records.
The album w ...
''.
He wanted to play
tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...
from his youth after hearing
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music.
Born and raise ...
on Davis's ''
Kind of Blue
''Kind of Blue'' is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was recorded on March 2 and April 22, 1959, at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City, and released on August 17 of that year by Co ...
'' on the radio at age 19, but his
asthma
Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...
prevented this. Sharrock said repeatedly, however, that he still considered himself "a
horn player with a really fucked up axe."
Three albums under Sharrock's name were released from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s: ''
Black Woman''
(which has been described by one reviewer as bringing out the beauty in emotions rather than technical prowess), ''
Monkey-Pockie-Boo'', and an album co-credited to Sharrock and his wife Linda, ''Paradise'' (work by which Sharrock was embarrassed, having stated several times that he felt it was not good enough to be reissued).
Career revival
After the release of ''Paradise'', Sharrock was semi-retired for much of the 1970s and early 1980s. Undergoing a divorce from his wife and collaborator Linda in 1978, he worked as both a chauffeur and a caretaker for mentally challenged children. At producer
Bill Laswell
William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, ...
’s urging, Sharrock came out of retirement to appear on
Material
Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geolo ...
's 1981 album, ''
Memory Serves''. Starting in 1986, Sharrock was a member of the
punk/jazz band
Last Exit, with Laswell, saxophonist
Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann (born 6 March 1941) is a German saxophonist and clarinetist.
Biography Early life
Brötzmann was born in Remscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He studied painting in Wuppertal and was involved with the Fluxus move ...
and drummer
Ronald Shannon Jackson.
During the late 1980s, he performed extensively (and occasionally recorded) with the New York-based improvising band
Machine Gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles ...
, as well as leading his own band. Sharrock flourished with Laswell's help, noting in a 1991 interview that "the last five years have been pretty strange for me, because I went twelve years without making a record at all, and then in the last five years, I've made seven records under my own name. That's pretty strange."
Laswell produced most of Sharrock's later recordings, including the entirely solo ''
Guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...
'', the "metal-influenced" ''
Seize the Rainbow'', followed by one of his more universally accessible albums, ''
High Life''. Sonny was quoted as saying that this was his favorite band ever, with Abe Speller on percussion, Lance Carter on drums, Charles Baldwin on bass and David Snider on keyboards. This was followed by the well-received ''
Ask the Ages
''Ask the Ages'' is the final album recorded by jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock during his lifetime (though posthumous albums of earlier recorded material would follow). It was recorded with producer Bill Laswell and released in 1991; It featured ...
'', which featured John Coltrane's bandmates
Pharoah Sanders
Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of " sheets of sound", ...
and
Elvin Jones
Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era.
Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...
. "Who Does She Hope to Be?" is a lyrical piece harkening back to the Coltrane/Davis ''Kind of Blue'' sessions that had inspired him to play in the first place. One writer described ''Ask the Ages'' as "hands down, Sharrock's finest hour, and the ideal album to play for those who claim to hate jazz guitar." Sharrock is also known for the soundtrack to the
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
program ''
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American adult animated comedy talk show created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and hosted by a re-imagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. In contrast to the original ...
'' with his drummer
Lance Carter, one of the last projects he completed in the studio before his death.
The season 3 episode "Sharrock" carried a dedication to him at the end, and previously unheard music that he had recorded for the show featured throughout most of the episode. "Sharrock" premiered as the 23rd episode on March 1, 1996, on Cartoon Network.
Death
On May 25, 1994, Sharrock died of a heart attack in his hometown of
Ossining, New York
Ossining may refer to:
*Ossining (town), New York, a town in Westchester County, New York state
*Ossining (village), New York, a village in the town of Ossining
* Ossining High School, a comprehensive public high school in Ossining village
* Ossin ...
, on the verge of signing the first major label deal of his career.
He was 53.
Tributes
French guitarist
Noël Akchoté
Noël Akchoté (born 7 December 1968) is a French guitarist in free improvisation, classical, experimental, and free jazz.
Career
Starting on guitar at when he was eight years old,Philippe Carles, André Clergeat et Jean-Louis Comolli, ''Dict ...
's 2004 album ''
Sonny II'' features tracks written, performed and inspired by Sharrock.
In August 2010, S. Malcolm Street in Ossining was officially renamed "Sonny Sharrock Way". A sign was erected on Saturday, October 2, 2010.
Sharrock was also inducted into Ossining High School's Hall of Fame.
Discography
As leader
* 1969: ''
Black Woman'' (
Vortex
In fluid dynamics, a vortex ( : vortices or vortexes) is a region in a fluid in which the flow revolves around an axis line, which may be straight or curved. Vortices form in stirred fluids, and may be observed in smoke rings, whirlpools in ...
)
* 1970: ''
Monkey-Pockie-Boo'' (
BYG Actuel
BYG Records was a French record label known for the Actuel series specializing in free jazz. However, the label released a handful of non-jazz recordings by artists such as Musica Elettronica Viva, Freedom and Gong.
History
BYG Records was found ...
)
* 1975: ''Paradise'' (
Atco)
* 1982: ''Dance with Me, Montana'' (
Marge
Marge is a feminine given name, a shortened form of Marjorie, Margot or Margaret. Notable Marges include:
People
* Marge (cartoonist) (1904–1993), pen name of Marjorie Henderson Buell, American cartoonist
* Marge Anderson (1932–2013), Ojibwe ...
)
* 1986: ''
Guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...
'' (
Enemy)
* 1987: ''
Seize the Rainbow'' (Enemy)
* 1989: ''
Live in New York'' (Enemy)
* 1990: ''
Highlife'' (Enemy)
* 1991: ''
Faith Moves'' (CMP) duo with
Nicky Skopelitis
* 1991: ''
Ask the Ages
''Ask the Ages'' is the final album recorded by jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock during his lifetime (though posthumous albums of earlier recorded material would follow). It was recorded with producer Bill Laswell and released in 1991; It featured ...
'' (
Axiom
An axiom, postulate, or assumption is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. The word comes from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning 'that which is thought worthy or ...
)
* 1996: ''
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American adult animated comedy talk show created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and hosted by a re-imagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. In contrast to the original ...
'' (Cartoon Network)
* 1996: ''Into Another Light'' (Enemy) compilation
With
Last Exit
* ''
Köln
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 million ...
'' (ITM, 1990)
* ''
Last Exit'' (Enemy, 1986)
* ''
The Noise of Trouble'' (Enemy, 1986)
* ''
Cassette Recordings '87
''Cassette Recordings '87'', also issued with the title ''From the Board'', is the third live album by the free jazz group Last Exit. It was released in March 1987 by Enemy Records.
Reception
In a review for AllMusic, John Dougan wrote: "Still ...
'' (Enemy, 1987)
* ''
Iron Path'' (Venture, 1988)
* ''
Headfirst into the Flames: Live in Europe'' (MuWorks, 1993)
As sideman
With Ginger Baker
No Material (1989, recorded in 1987)
* ''Think About Brooklyn'' (Delabel DE 391 382, 1993)
With
Pheeroan akLaff
* ''Sonogram'' (Mu Works, 1989)
With
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers (born September 10, 1940) is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at ...
* ''
Daddy Bug'' (Atlantic, 1969)
With
Ginger Baker
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer. His work in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer", for a style that melded jazz and African rhythms and pi ...
* ''No Material'' (ITM, 1989)
With Brute Force
* ''Brute Force'' (Embryo, 1970)
With
Don Cherry
* ''
Eternal Rhythm'' (
MPS, 1968)
With
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
* ''
A Tribute to Jack Johnson
''Jack Johnson'' (also known as ''A Tribute to Jack Johnson'' on reissues) is a studio album and soundtrack by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was released on February 24, 1971, by Columbia Records.
The album w ...
'' (Columbia, 1970)
* ''
The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions'' (Columbia, 1970
003
With Green Line
* ''Green Line'' (Nivico, 1970) with
Steve Marcus
Steve Marcus (September 18, 1939 – September 25, 2005) was an American jazz saxophonist.
Biography
Marcus was born in The Bronx, New York, United States. He studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, between 1959 and 1961 ...
,
Miroslav Vitous and
Daniel Humair
Daniel Humair (born 23 May 1938 in Geneva, Switzerland) is a Swiss drummer, composer, and painter.
He is widely renowned and became a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1986 and Officier in 1992. He has played with many jazz pe ...
With
Byard Lancaster
Byard Lancaster (August 6, 1942 – August 23, 2012) was an avant-garde jazz saxophonist and flutist. Cook, Richard. (2005). ''Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia.'' New York: Penguin Books. Allen, Clifford. (2005). ''Byard Lancaster: From A Lo ...
* ''
It's Not Up to Us
''It's Not Up to Us'' is the debut album by saxophonist/flautist Byard Lancaster released in 1968 on the Vortex label, an Atlantic subsidiary.
Reception
The AllMusic review by Michael G. Nastos called it "A rare recording". On All About Jazz, ...
'' (Vortex, 1966
968
Year 968 ( CMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place Byzantine Empire
* Emperor Nikephoros II receives a Bulgarian embassy led by Prince Boris ( ...
With
Machine Gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles ...
* ''Machine Gun'' (Mu, 1988)
* ''Open Fire'' (Mu, 1989)
With
Herbie Mann
* ''
Windows Opened'' (Atlantic, 1968)
* ''
The Inspiration I Feel'' (Atlantic, 1968)
* ''
Memphis Underground'' (Atlantic, 1969)
* ''
Concerto Grosso in D Blues'' (Atlantic, 1969)
* ''
Live at the Whisky a Go Go'' (Atlantic, 1969)
* ''
Stone Flute'' (
Embryo
An embryo is an initial stage of development of a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male spe ...
, 1970)
* ''
Memphis Two-Step
''Memphis Two-Step'' is a 1971 album by jazz flutist Herbie Mann. It was released on Mann's Embryo Records label, and distributed by Cotillion Records
Cotillion Records was a subsidiary of Atlantic Records (from 1971 part of WEA) and was act ...
'' (Embro, 1970)
* ''
Herbie Mann '71'' (Embryo, 1971)
* ''
Hold On, I'm Comin''' (Atlantic, 1973)
With
Material
Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geolo ...
* ''
Memory Serves'' (Celluloid, 1981)
With
Pharoah Sanders
Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of " sheets of sound", ...
* ''
Tauhid
Tawhid ( ar, , ', meaning "unification of God in Islam (Allāh)"; also romanized as ''Tawheed'', ''Tawhid'', ''Tauheed'' or ''Tevhid'') is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam. Tawhid is the religion's central and single mo ...
'' (
Impulse!, 1966)
* ''
Izipho Zam (My Gifts)
''Izipho Zam (My Gifts)'' is the third album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1969 but not released on the Strata-East Records, Strata-East label until 1973. It features Sanders with a large ensemble.
Reception
In his review for ...
'' (
Strata-East, 1969
973
With
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles D ...
* ''
Super Nova'' (Blue Note, 1969)
With
The Stalin
were a Japanese punk rock band formed in June 1980, by leader and vocalist Michiro Endo.
After numerous member changes, he disbanded the group in February 1985. In May 1987 Michiro formed a group called Video Stalin, which mostly made vi ...
* ''
Fish Inn (1986 Mix)'' (Tokuma Onkou, 1986)
With
Marzette Watts
* ''
Marzette Watts and Company
''Marzette Watts and Company'', also known as ''Marzette and Company'', is the debut album by saxophonist and composer Marzette Watts. It was recorded in December 1966 in New York City, and was released by ESP-Disk in 1968. On the album, Watts is ...
'' (
ESP-Disk, 1966)
References
External links
Bill Laswell discography (includes profiles on Laswell-produced Sharrock projects)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharrock, Sonny
1940 births
1994 deaths
Free jazz guitarists
American jazz guitarists
African-American jazz guitarists
American male guitarists
BYG Actuel artists
Avant-garde jazz guitarists
People from Ossining, New York
Last Exit (free jazz band) members
Enemy Records artists
20th-century American guitarists
Jazz musicians from New York (state)
20th-century American male musicians
American male jazz musicians
Machine Gun (band) members
20th-century African-American musicians
Spiritual jazz musicians