Rifftides reader David Peterkofsky inquired about modern-day jazz marimba players. In the course of searching, I ran across a 1940s soundie with marimbists galore. This has little to do with jazz, but it’s an opportunity to see a bass player who makes Chubby Jackson seem catatonic.
As for Mr. Peterkofsky’s question, Bobby Hutcherson, Stefon Harris, Dave Samuels, Cal Tjader, Mike Mainieri, Emil Richards and Gary Burton have all used marimba as well as vibes. If readers have leads to other current marimba soloists, please use the comment link below to let us know.
The nonagenarian pianist presented de Barros with every biographer’s hope, unrestricted access to his subject’s personal papers and nearly unrestricted access to her private thoughts. He made the most of it, turning exhaustive research and hundreds of hours of interviews into a true story with the sweep of a novel. From the early discovery of McPartland’s musical gift through her wartime service, her ecstatic and stormy marriage to Jimmy McPartland, her growth as a pianist, her deep affair with Joe Morello, and the radio show that made her a national figure, she has had a fascinating life. It makes a splendid read.
Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band had three fewer musicians than most big jazz outfits. Its size permitted precision, flexibility and subtlety, yet the band had the power of sprung steel. In this concert from a half century ago, the CJB is as fresh as yesterday. Arrangements by Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn and Johnny Mandel set standards to which big band writers still aspire. Bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis inspired Mulligan, Brookmeyer, Conte Candoli, Gene Quill and Zoot Sims to some of the best soloing of their careers. This beautifully produced issue of the complete concert is a basic repertoire item.
If I may, Joe Locke has recorded from time to time on marimba, particularly his recording with Tim Garland and Geoffrey Keezer in the Storms/ Nocturnes trio ( Storms/Nocturnes and Rising Tide, both on Sirocco) and his duets with fellow mallet player Christos Rafalides, “Van Gogh by Numbers” on Joe’s Wire Walker Music label.
Other recrdings that feature Joe on marimba are his duest with Frank Kimbrough (“The Willow on Omnitone), Joe’s “Four Walls of Freedom” , “State of Soul”(Sirocco) and his recording for Japan as the New Sound Quartet (Eighty-Eights) with Geoffrey Keezer.
In addition when you consider his sideman appearances that feature the marimba ( Dianne Reeves, Eddie Henderson, Brad Meldahl, Wayne Escoffery and many others), Joe has really been featured on the instrument quite often.
There’s also Dave Pike, a vibist who also plays the marimba on his “Jazz for the Jet Set” album. Calling that album “jazz” is really a bit of a stretch — it’s more along the lines of lounge music or soul-jazz, really. Interesting side note: Herbie Hancock plays organ (!) on that album.
A british group, the Jim Hart/Roger Beaujolais Quartet feature one of the co-leaders (Beaujolais) playing marimba. I’ve got a good BBC radio broadcast of them.
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