Donald Garrett
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Donald Rafael Garrett (February 28, 1932, El Dorado, ArkansasAugust 14, 1989,
Champaign, Illinois Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metro ...
) 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 ...
multi-instrumentalist who played double-bass, clarinet, and flute.


Biography

Garrett, who preferred to be called Rafael, was raised in Chicago, where, along with musicians like
John Gilmore John Gilmore may refer to: * John Gilmore (activist) (born 1955), co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Cygnus Solutions * John Gilmore (musician) (1931–1995), American jazz saxophonist * John Gilmore (representative) (1780–1845 ...
and
Clifford Jordan Clifford Laconia Jordan (September 2, 1931 – March 27, 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after ...
, he attended
DuSable High School Jean Baptiste Point DuSable High School is a public four-year high school campus located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. DuSable is owned by the Chicago Public Schools district. The school ...
, studying music with "Captain"
Walter Dyett Walter Henri Dyett (also known as Captain Walter Henri Dyett; January 11, 1901 – November 17, 1969) was an American violinist and music educator in the Chicago Public Schools system. He served as music director and assistant music director ...
. He initially started playing clarinet and saxophone, but later began studying bass after meeting
Wilbur Ware Wilbur Bernard Ware (September 8, 1923 – September 9, 1979) was an American jazz double bassist.Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 674. Oxford University Press He was a regular bassist for t ...
. Around 1951, he met
Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...
, who credited Garrett with being a major influence on the direction that music in Chicago would take. In 1955, Garrett met
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 ...
while the latter was touring 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 musi ...
. Garrett later told an interviewer that he and Coltrane had "been friends since 1955, and whenever he is in town, he comes over to my house, and we go over ideas." (One idea that originated with Garrett, and that Coltrane liked, was that of using two bass players. Coltrane frequently employed two bassists in the early 1960s.) Garrett also introduced Coltrane and Abrams at around this time. Garrett worked as a bassist with Ira Sullivan from 1960-1962, recording ''
Bird Lives! ''Bird Lives!'' is an album by trumpeter Red Rodney featuring performances of tunes by, or associated with, Charlie Parker which was recorded in 1973 and released on the Muse label.
'', and also played with
Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. '' Grove Music Online''. '' Oxford Music Online''. Retrieved February 1, 2009-. "The yea ...
, recording '' Introducing Roland Kirk'', and Eddie Harris, recording ''
Jazz for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" ''Jazz for "Breakfast at Tiffany's"'' is the third album by American jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris recorded in 1961, featuring a jazz interpretation of Henry Mancini's score for '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', and released on the Vee-Jay label.Calla ...
'' and ''
A Study in Jazz ''A Study in Jazz'' is the fourth album by American jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris, and the first to feature his compositions predominantly, recorded in 1962 and released on the Vee-Jay label.Callahan, M. & Edwards, DVee-Jay Album Discography, Part ...
''. During this time, Garrett also performed with the Ira Sullivan-
Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. '' Grove Music Online''. '' Oxford Music Online''. Retrieved February 1, 2009-. "The yea ...
Quintet, which featured Abrams on piano, as well as in a trio with Abrams and drummer Steve McCall. In 1961, he played as a second bassist with Coltrane's group alongside
Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey. Career Early in his career, Workman wo ...
while the group was performing in Chicago. That same year, he was one of the co-founders, with Abrams, of the ''Experimental Band'', a forerunner of the AACM. In 1964, Garrett moved to San Francisco, where he taught, organized concerts, and began making instruments. In September 1965, he reunited with his friend
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 ...
, whose quartet was playing at the
Jazz Workshop The Jazz Workshop was a jazz music nightclub in San Francisco, located in North Beach at 473 Broadway Street. Numerous live recordings were made there, during its heyday in the 1960s. As of 2016, the space is occupied by a bar and music venue cal ...
. Garrett and saxophonist Pharoah Sanders were both invited to sit in, and then joined the band, accompanying it to
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, where the group performed at The Penthouse and recorded '' Live in Seattle'' followed by '' Om''. The group then traveled to Los Angeles, where they recorded the tracks "Kulu Sé Mama (Juno Sé Mama)", first issued on the album '' Kulu Sé Mama'', and "Selflessness", first issued on the album '' Selflessness: Featuring My Favorite Things''. The following year, Garrett recorded with
Dewey Redman Walter Dewey Redman (May 17, 1931 – September 2, 2006) was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader and with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. Redman mainly played tenor saxophone, though he occasionally also played al ...
('' Look for the Black Star'') and
Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...
(''
Archie Shepp Live in San Francisco ''Archie Shepp Live in San Francisco'' is a live album by Archie Shepp released on Impulse! Records in 1966. The album contains a performance recorded by Shepp, trombonist Roswell Rudd, bassists Donald Garrett and Lewis Worrell and drummer Beave ...
'' and ''Three for a Quarter One for a Dime''). He also played with Andrew Hill, Sam Rivers, and
Leon Thomas Amos Leon Thomas Jr. (October 4, 1937 – May 8, 1999), known professionally as Leon Thomas, was an American jazz and blues vocalist, born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and known for his bellowing glottal-stop style of free jazz singing in the ...
while in California. In the early 1970s, he went to Paris, where he performed with Frank Wright and
Jean-Luc Ponty Jean-Luc Ponty (born 29 September 1942) is a French jazz violinist and composer. Early life Ponty was born into a family of classical musicians in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano. At sixteen, he was admitt ...
. In the late 1970s, he met cellist Zusaan , whom he would later marry, and together they formed the ''Sea Ensemble''. The group recorded three albums and toured widely, visiting countries in Asia, North Africa, and Europe. During this time, Garrett played a number of non-Western instruments, including
bamboo flute The bamboo flute, especially the bone flute, is one of the oldest musical instruments known. Examples of Paleolithic bone flutes have survived for more than 40,000 years, to be discovered by archaeologists. While the oldest flutes currently kn ...
s that he made. In the 1980s Garrett also recorded with
Joseph Jarman Joseph Jarman (September 14, 1937 – January 9, 2019) was an American jazz musician, composer, poet, and Shinshu Buddhist priest. He was one of the first members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and a member of the ...
('' Earth Passage – Density'') and Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio (''Sacred Love''). He died on August 14, 1989 in
Champaign, Illinois Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metro ...
. Over the years, in various album credits, books and articles, Garrett has been represented as having played bass clarinet. However, the authors of ''The John Coltrane Reference'', who occasionally present updates to the book on their website (http://wildmusic-jazz.com/jcr_index.htm), provided an update dated 2008 which states that Dutch musician Cornelis Hazevoet sent the following information via an email to author Yasuhiro Fujioka: "Over the years, in liners, books and lists, Don Garrett has been attributed with playing bass clarinet. This is wrong. The man only played bass and clarinet (the small and straight horn, that is)... In 1975, Garrett played in my band and I've specifically asked him about it (because I already felt something was wrong with it). He most specifically and pertinently told me that he never played bass clarinet in his entire life, only the small, straight horn (which he played in my band too)... Perhaps, the error originated from the fact that Garrett was listed somewhere as playing 'bass, clarinet', which subsequently evolved into 'bass clarinet'. Whatever is the case, Garrett did not play bass clarinet on any Coltrane record nor anywhere else."


Discography

With
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 ...
* '' Kulu Sé Mama'' (1967) * '' Om'' (1968) * '' Selflessness: Featuring My Favorite Things'' (1969) * '' Live in Seattle'' (1971) * '' The Major Works of John Coltrane'' (1992) * '' A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle'' (2021) With Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio * ''Sacred Love'' (1985) With Kali Fasteau * ''Memoirs Of A Dream'' (2000) With
Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gi ...
* ''Jive Fernando'' (1981) With Eddie Harris * ''
Jazz for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" ''Jazz for "Breakfast at Tiffany's"'' is the third album by American jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris recorded in 1961, featuring a jazz interpretation of Henry Mancini's score for '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', and released on the Vee-Jay label.Calla ...
'' (1961) * ''
A Study in Jazz ''A Study in Jazz'' is the fourth album by American jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris, and the first to feature his compositions predominantly, recorded in 1962 and released on the Vee-Jay label.Callahan, M. & Edwards, DVee-Jay Album Discography, Part ...
'' (1962) With
Joseph Jarman Joseph Jarman (September 14, 1937 – January 9, 2019) was an American jazz musician, composer, poet, and Shinshu Buddhist priest. He was one of the first members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and a member of the ...
* '' Earth Passage – Density'' (1981) With The Jazz Doctors ( Billy Bang,
Frank Lowe Frank Lowe (June 24, 1943 – September 19, 2003) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and composer. Biography Born and brought up in Memphis, Tennessee, Lowe took up the tenor saxophone at the age of 12. As an adult he moved to San Fra ...
, Dennis Charles) * ''Intensive Care'' (1983) With
Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. '' Grove Music Online''. '' Oxford Music Online''. Retrieved February 1, 2009-. "The yea ...
* '' Introducing Roland Kirk'' (1960) With
Dewey Redman Walter Dewey Redman (May 17, 1931 – September 2, 2006) was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader and with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. Redman mainly played tenor saxophone, though he occasionally also played al ...
* '' Look for the Black Star'' (1966) With The Sea Ensemble * ''We Move Together'' (1974) * ''After Nature'' (1977) * ''Manzara'' (1977) With Paul Serrano * ''Blues Holiday'' (1961) With
Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...
* ''
Archie Shepp Live in San Francisco ''Archie Shepp Live in San Francisco'' is a live album by Archie Shepp released on Impulse! Records in 1966. The album contains a performance recorded by Shepp, trombonist Roswell Rudd, bassists Donald Garrett and Lewis Worrell and drummer Beave ...
'' (1966) * ''Three for a Quarter One for a Dime'' (1966) * ''Live At The Festival'' (one track) (1994) With Ira Sullivan * ''
Bird Lives! ''Bird Lives!'' is an album by trumpeter Red Rodney featuring performances of tunes by, or associated with, Charlie Parker which was recorded in 1973 and released on the Muse label.
'' (1963)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garrett, Donald
1932 births 1989 deaths American jazz double-bassists Male double-bassists American jazz clarinetists American jazz flautists Jazz musicians from Arkansas 20th-century double-bassists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians 20th-century flautists