Edward Joseph Blackwell (October 10, 1929 – October 7, 1992) 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 ...

drummer born in

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

, known for his extensive, influential work with Ornette Coleman.

Biography

Blackwell's early career began in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

in the 1950s. He played in a bebop quintet that included pianist Ellis Marsalis and clarinetist Alvin Batiste. There was also a brief stint touring with

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

. The second line parade music of New Orleans greatly influenced Blackwell's drumming style and could be heard in his playing throughout his career. Blackwell first came to national attention as the drummer with Ornette Coleman's quartet around 1960, when he took over for

Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, ...

in the quartet's stand at the

Five Spot 5 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 5, five or number 5 may also refer to: * AD 5, the fifth year of the AD era * 5 BC, the fifth year before the AD era Literature * ''5'' (visual novel), a 2008 visual novel by Ram * ''5'' (comics), an awa ...

in New York City. He is known as one of the great innovators of the

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 ...

of the 1960s, fusing New Orleans and African rhythms with bebop. In the 1970s and 1980s, Blackwell toured and recorded extensively with fellow Ornette Quartet veterans

Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...

Charlie Haden Charles Edward Haden (August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014) was an American jazz double bass player, bandleader, composer and educator whose career spanned more than 50 years. In the late 1950s, he was an original member of the ground-breaking ...

, and

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 ...

in the quartet,

Old and New Dreams Old and New Dreams was an American jazz group that was active from 1976 to 1987. The group was composed of tenor saxophone player Dewey Redman (doubling on musette), bassist Charlie Haden, trumpeter Don Cherry and drummer Ed Blackwell. All of t ...

. In the late 1970s Blackwell became an Artist-in-Residence at

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a private liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church and with the support of prominent residents of Middletown, the col ...

in Middletown, Connecticut. Blackwell was a beloved figure on the Wesleyan Campus until he died. In 1981, he performed at the

Woodstock Jazz Festival The Woodstock Jazz Festival was held in 1981 in Woodstock, New York. It was a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Creative Music Studio, founded in 1971 by Karl Berger and Ornette Coleman.Creative Music Studio The Creative Music Studio (CMS) was a premier study center for contemporary creative music during the 1970s and 1980s, based in Woodstock, New York. Founded in 1971 by Karl Berger, Ingrid Sertso, and Ornette Coleman, it brought together leading i ...

. "The Ed Blackwell Project" members were Mark Helias, bass,

Carlos Ward Carlos Ward (born May 1, 1940 in Ancón, Panama) is a funk and jazz alto saxophonist and flautist. He is best known as a member of the Funk and disco band BT Express as well as a jazz sideman. Biography Ward was raised in Panama City, and at a ...

, alto sax/flute, and

Graham Haynes Graham Haynes (born September 16, 1960 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American cornetist, trumpeter and composer. The son of jazz drummer Roy Haynes, Graham is known for his work in nu jazz, fusing jazz with elements of hip hop and electronic music ...

(son of drummer

Roy Haynes Roy Owen Haynes (born March 13, 1925) is an American jazz drummer. He is among the most recorded drummers in jazz. In a career lasting over 80 years, he has played swing, bebop, jazz fusion, avant-garde jazz and is considered a pioneer of jaz ...

), cornet.

Death

After years of kidney problems, Blackwell died in 1992. The following year he was inducted into the ''

Down Beat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

'' Jazz Hall of Fame.

Discography

As leader

*1993: '' What It Is? Ed Blackwell Project Vol. 1'' ( Enja) *1994: '' What It Be Like? Ed Blackwell Project Vol. 2'' (Enja) *1996: '' Walls–Bridges'' (

Black Saint Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History Black S ...

) With

* ''

'' (Black Saint, 1976) * ''

'' (ECM, 1979) * ''

Playing Play is a range of Motivation#Incentive theories: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, intrinsically motivated activities done for recreational pleasure and enjoyment. Play is commonly associated with children and juvenile-level activities, but m ...

'' (ECM, 1980) * '' A Tribute to Blackwell'' (Black Saint, 1987)

As sideman

With Ray Anderson *''Every One Of Us'' (

Gramavision Gramavision Records is an American record label founded in 1979. Since 1994 it has been a subsidiary of Rykodisc. The label's music is largely jazz, blues and folk oriented but has touched on many other styles and genres. In 1979, Jonathan F.P. ...

) With Bill Barron *'' Jazz Caper'' (Muse, 1978

982 Year 982 ( CMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Emperor Otto II (the Red) assembles an imperial expeditionary force at Tar ...

With

Karl Berger Karl Hans Berger (born March 30, 1935 in Heidelberg, Germany) is a German jazz pianist, composer, and educator. Career Berger played piano in Germany when he was ten and worked in his teens at a club in Heidelberg. He learned modern jazz from v ...

*''Karl Berger'' (

ESP Disk ESP-Disk is a New York-based record company and label founded in 1963 by lawyer Bernard Stollman. History Though it originally existed to release Esperanto-based music, beginning with its second release (Albert Ayler's '' Spiritual Unity''), ESP ...

) *''Tune In'' (

Milestone A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway line, canal or boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks; or they can give their position on the route relative to so ...

) *''Just Play 1976'' (Quark) *''Transit'' w/

Dave Holland David “Dave” Holland (born 1 October 1946) is an English jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States for over 40 years. His extensive discography r ...

(

) *''Crystal Fire'' (Quark) With

Jane Ira Bloom Jane Ira Bloom (born January 12, 1955) is an American jazz soprano saxophonist and composer. Early years Bloom was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Joel and Evelyn Bloom. She began as a pianist and drummer, later switching to the alto saxopho ...

*'' Mighty Lights'' (Enja) With David Bond *''The Key of Life'' (Vineyard) With

Charles Brackeen Charles Brackeen (born March 13, 1940 in Eufaula, Oklahoma, United States; died November 5, 2021, Carson, California) was an American jazz saxophonist who primarily played tenor saxophone, but also played soprano saxophone. He was previously ma ...

*''

Rhythm X Rhythm X, Inc. is a non-profit music education organization that operates a competitive indoor percussion ensemble and wind ensemble, as well as an online school for marching music called The X Academy. The company was founded in 2002 by Craig D ...

'' (Strata-East, 1973) With

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Ch ...

*'' Six Compositions: Quartet'' (

Antilles The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...

, 1982) With

Marion Brown Marion Brown (September 8, 1931 – October 18, 2010) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, writer, visual artist, and ethnomusicologist. He was a member of the avant-garde jazz scene in New York City during the 1960s, playing alongsi ...

*''

Vista Vista usually refers to a distant view. Vista may also refer to: Software *Windows Vista, the line of Microsoft Windows client operating systems released in 2006 and 2007 * VistA, (Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture) ...

'' (Impulse!, 1975) *''Awofofora'' (Disco Mate) With Ornette Coleman *'' This Is Our Music'' (Atlantic, 1960) *'' Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation'' (Atlantic, 1960) *'' Ornette!'' (Atlantic, 1961) *'' Ornette on Tenor'' (Atlantic, 1961) *''The Complete Science Fiction Sessions'' *'' Beauty Is a Rare Thing'' (

Rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

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 ...

) *'' The Art of the Improvisers'' (

) *''

Twins Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...

'' (

) *'' To Whom Who Keeps a Record'' (

) *''Live in Milano 1968'' (Jazz Up) *''The Unprecedented Music Of Ornette Coleman'' (Lotus Passport) *'' Friends and Neighbors: Live at Prince Street'' (Flying Dutchman) *''

Broken Shadows ''Broken Shadows'' is an album by the American jazz saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman recorded in 1971, at the same sessions that produced ''Science Fiction'', but not released on the Columbia label until 1982.Science Fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

'' (Columbia, 1971) *'' Live in Paris 1971'' (Jazz Row) *'' The Belgrade Concert'' (Jazz Door) *''European Concert'' (Unique Jazz) *''Paris Concert'' (Trio) *''

Skies of America ''Skies of America'' is the 17th album by jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman, released on Columbia Records in 1972. It consists of one long composition by Coleman taking up both sides of the album, played by the London Symphony Orchestra and conduct ...

'' ( Columbia) *''Stating The Case'' (Jazz Anthology) With Steve Coleman *'' Rhythm in Mind'' ( RCA/Novus) With

Alice Coltrane Alice Coltrane (' McLeod; August 27, 1937January 12, 2007), also known by her adopted Sanskrit name Turiyasangitananda, was an American jazz musician and composer, and in her later years a swamini. An accomplished pianist and one of the few har ...

*''

Carnegie Hall '71 ''Carnegie Hall '71'' is a live album by Alice Coltrane. It was recorded at Carnegie Hall in New York City on February 21, 1971, and was released in 2018 by the Hi Hat label. On the album, Coltrane appears on piano and harp, and is joined by saxop ...

'' (Hi Hat, 2018) With

*''

Complete Communion ''Complete Communion'' is a 1966 album by American jazz composer Don Cherry, his debut as a bandleader and his first release on Blue Note Records. Each side of the original LP were suites, side-long compositions working with several themes. Criti ...

'' (

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

) *'' The Avant-Garde'' (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 ...

as co-leader) *'' Symphony for Improvisers'' (

) *'' Where is Brooklyn?'' (

) *'' El Corazón'' ( ECM, 1982) * ''Mu'' First Part ( BYG Actuel, 1969) * ''Mu'' Second Part ( BYG Actuel, 1970) *''Broken Shadows'' (Moon) *'' Relativity Suite'' (JCOA) *''Tamma with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell'' (Odin) *'' Multikuti'' (A&M, 1990) *''

Live at the Bracknell Jazz Festival, 1986 ''Live at the Bracknell Jazz Festival, 1986'' is a live album by trumpeter Don Cherry. It was recorded in July 1986 at the Bracknell Jazz Festival in Bracknell, England, and was released on CD in 2002 by BBC Worldwide as part of their Jazz Legends ...

'' (BBC, 2002) With

Jayne Cortez Jayne Cortez (May 10, 1934 – December 28, 2012) was an African-American poet, activist, small press publisher and spoken-word performance artist whose voice is celebrated for its political, surrealistic and dynamic innovations in lyricism and ...

*''Everywhere Drums'' (Bola Press) With Stanley Cowell *'' Regeneration'' (Strata East, 1976) With Anthony Davis *'' Song for the Old World'' (India Navigation, 1978) With Eric Dolphy *'' At the Five Spot'', Vols 1 & 2 *''Memorial Album'' (

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 ...

) *'' Here and There'' (

) *'' Dash One'' (

) With

*'' Tarik'' (BYG Actuel, 1969) *'' Red and Black in Willisau'' (

, 1980) *'' The Struggle Continues'' ( ECM) With

*'' The Montreal Tapes: with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell'' (Verve, 1989

994 Year 994 ( CMXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * September 15 – Battle of the Orontes: Fatimid forces, under Turkish gener ...

With Albert Heath *''Kawaida'' (O'Be) With

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 ...

*''

Lee Morgan Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the key hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan came to prominence in his late teens, recording on John Coltrane's '' Blue Train'' (1 ...

w/ Clifford Jordan Quintet-Live in Baltimore 1968'' (Fresh Sound) *''

In the World ''In the World'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Clifford Jordan which was recorded in 1969 and released on the Strata-East label in 1972. The album was rereleased on CD as part of ''The Complete Clifford Jordan Strata-East Sessions'' by Mosaic ...

'' (Strata-East, 1969

972 Year 972 ( CMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – Emperor John I Tzimiskes divides the Bulgarian territories, recent ...

With

Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarin ...

*'' From the Soul'' (

) *'' Sounds of Joy'' (Enja) With Jemeel Moondoc *'' Judy's Bounce'' ( Soul Note, 1982) With David Murray *'' Morning Song'' (

) *'' Ming's Samba'' (

Portrait A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this r ...

) *'' Death of a Sideman'' (DIW) With

Art Neville Arthur Lanon Neville Jr. (December 17, 1937 – July 22, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and keyboardist from New Orleans. Neville was a staple of the New Orleans music scene for over five decades. He was the founder of the funk band ...

*''What's Going On"'' ( Specialty) *''That Old Time Rock 'N' Roll"'' ( Specialty) With

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

*''

Plastic Ono Band The Plastic Ono Band was a rock band formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 for their collaborative and solo projects based on their 1968 Fluxus conceptual art project of the same name. Lennon and Ono began a personal and artistic relati ...

'' (

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...

) With

Hilton Ruiz Hilton Ruiz (May 29, 1952 – June 6, 2006) was an American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player. He was of Puerto Rican descent. Biography Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of ...

*''Cross Currents'' (Stash) 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 ...

*''Further Fire Music'' ( Impulse!) *'' On This Night'' ( GRP/ Impulse!) *'' The Magic of Ju-Ju'' ( Impulse!) With Bob Stewart *'' Goin' Home'' (JMT, 1989) With Mal Waldron *'' Breaking New Ground'' (Baybridge 1983) *''

Mal Waldron Plays Eric Satie ''Mal Waldron Plays Eric Satie'' is an album by American jazz pianist Mal Waldron playing compositions by Erik Satie recorded in 1983 and released by the Japanese Baybridge label.

'' (Baybridge, 1983) *'' You and the Night and the Music'' (Paddle Wheel, 1983) *''

The Git Go - Live at the Village Vanguard ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (Soul Note, 1986) *''

The Seagulls of Kristiansund ''The Seagulls of Kristiansund'' is a live album by jazz pianist Mal Waldron recorded at the Village Vanguard and released on the Italian Soul Note label in 1987.

'' (Soul Note, 1986) With

Wadada Leo Smith Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (born December 18, 1941) is an American trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the fields of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation. He was one of three finalists for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for ''Ten Free ...

*'' The Blue Mountain's Sun Drummer'' (Kabell, 2010)

References

External links

Ed Blackwell discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackwell, Ed 1929 births 1992 deaths Free jazz drummers Jazz musicians from New Orleans African-American drummers American jazz drummers Wesleyan University faculty Enja Records artists Black Saint/Soul Note artists Avant-garde jazz drummers 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Old and New Dreams members 20th-century African-American musicians