Rufus Reid Explained
Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer.
Biography
Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation from Sacramento High School, he entered the United States Air Force as a trumpet player. During that period, he began to be seriously interested in the double bass.
After fulfilling his duties in the military, Rufus had decided he wanted to pursue a career as a professional bassist. He moved to Seattle, Washington, where he studied bass with James Harnett of the Seattle Symphony. He continued his education at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied with Warren Benfield and principal bassist, Joseph Guastefeste, both of the Chicago Symphony. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Music Degree as a Performance Major on the Double Bass.
Rufus Reid's major professional career began in Chicago and continues since 1976 in New York City. Playing with hundreds of the world's greatest musicians, he is famously the bassist that saxophonist Dexter Gordon chose when he returned to the states from his decade-long exile in Denmark. His colleagues include Thad Jones, Nancy Wilson, Eddie Harris, and Bob Berg.
Reid directed the Jazz Studies program at William Paterson University from 1979 to 1999.[1] After retiring from that position, he spent five years attending the weekly BMI Jazz Composer's Workshop in New York City.[2] Reid has also served on the faculty of the biannual Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass, which moved to Montclair State University in 2024.
Reid has been a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey.[3] [4]
Reid's double bass is a Josef Rieger circa 1805.
Discography
As leader
- Perpetual Stroll (Theresa, 1980)
- Mirth Song, with Harold Danko (Sunnyside, 1982)
- Too Marvelous for Words, with Joe Carter (Empathy, 1982)
- Seven Minds (Sunnyside, 1984)
- Corridor To The Limits (Sunnyside, 1989)
- Song for Luis, with Ron Jackson (Mastermix, 1996)
- Double Bass Delights, with Michael Moore (Double-Time, 1996)
- Intimacy of the Bass, with Michael Moore (Double-Time, 1999)
- Alone Together, with Peter Ind (Wave, 2000)
- The Gait Keeper (Sunnyside, 2003)
- Live at the Kennedy Center (Motéma, 2007)
- Out Front (Motéma, 2009)
- Hues of a Different Blue (Motéma, 2011)
- Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project (Motéma, 2014)
- Terrestrial Dance, Rufus Reid Trio with the Sirius Quartet (Newvelle Records, 2017 - Vinyl only)
- Always in the Moment, with Sullivan Fortner (Newvelle, 2020)
- Celebration, Rufus Reid Trio with the Sirius Quartet (Sunnyside, 2022)
- It's the Nights I Like, with Sullivan Fortner (Sunnyside, 2024)
As TanaReid
With Akira Tana
- Yours and Mine (Concord Jazz, 1991)
- Passing Thoughts (Concord Jazz, 1992)
- Blue Motion (Paddle Wheel, 1993)
- Rumour with Charles Licata Rumour (Charles Publishing, 1995)
- Looking Forward (Evidence, 1995)
- Back to Front (Evidence, 1998)
As sideman
With Kenny Barron
With Jane Ira Bloom
With Kenny Burrell
With Donald Byrd
With George Cables
With Art Farmer
With Ricky Ford
With Frank Foster and Frank Wess
With Stan Getz
With Dexter Gordon
With Eddie Harris
With Andrew Hill
With J. J. Johnson
- Quintergy (1988)
- Standards (1988)
- Let's Hang Out (1992)
- The Brass Orchestra (1996)
- Heroes (1998)
With Lee Konitz
With Rob Schneiderman
With The Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra
With others
- Roni Ben-Hur, Fortuna (2008)
- Jack DeJohnette, Album Album (ECM, 1984)
- Dan Faulk, Focusing In (Criss Cross Jazz, 1992)
- Benny Golson, Benny Golson Quartet (LRC Ltd. 1990)
- Barry Harris, For the Moment (Uptown, 1985)
- Jimmy Heath, New Picture (Landmark, 1985)
- Bobby Hutcherson, Cruisin' the 'Bird (Landmark, 1988)
- The Jazztet, Nostalgia (Baystate, 1983)
- Etta Jones, My Mother's Eyes (Muse, 1977)
- Frank Kimbrough, (Sunnyside, 2018)
- Kirk Lightsey, From Kirk to Nat (Criss Cross Jazz, 1991)
- Maulawi, Maulawi (Strata)
- Billy Mitchell, De Lawd's Blues (Xanadu, 1980)
- Tete Montoliu, A Spanish Treasure (Concord Jazz, 1991)
- Ralph Moore, Round Trip (Reservoir, 1985 [1987])
- Joe Newman and Joe Wilder, Hangin' Out (Concord Jazz, 1984)
- Claudio Roditi, Claudio! (Uptown, 1985)
- Michel Sardaby, Going Places (Sound Hills, 1989)
- Jack Sheldon, Playing for Change (Uptown, 1986 [1997])
- John Stubblefield, Confessin' (Soul Note, 1984)
- Jon Irabagon, The Observer (2009)
- Geoff Keezer, Waiting In The Wings (Sunnyside, 1989)
Books
- The Evolving Bassist (1974) (2nd edition:)
Contributions to education
Awards and honors
External links
Notes and References
- Liner notes for The Gait Keeper.
- https://www.newvelle-records.com/products/nv012lp-rufus-reid-terrestrial-dance#liner-notes-top
- https://web.archive.org/web/20080820080111/http://www.midatlanticarts.org/funding/artists_programs/living_legacy/reid.html "2005 Living Legacy Award Winner: Rufus Reid"
- Beckerman, Jim. "Ben-Hur flavors his jazz with Middle Eastern spice", The Record (Bergen County), July 17, 2005, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 23, 2006. Accessed November 29, 2017. "Luckily, pianist John Hicks, drummer Leroy Williams, percussionist Steve Kroon and celebrated Teaneck bassist Rufus Reid were happy to go where Ben-Hur led."
- Web site: William Paterson University Senate Minutes . 2008-08-16 . 2006-09-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060901140250/http://www.wpunj.edu/senate/010424.htm . dead .
- http://www.gf.org/newfellow-fields.html The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
