Ed Blackwell
American drummer
- Avant-garde jazz
- free jazz
Musical artist
Edward Joseph Blackwell (October 10, 1929 – October 7, 1992)[1] was an American jazz drummer, best known known for his work with saxophonist Ornette Coleman.[2]
Biography
Blackwell was born in New Orleans on October 10, 1929. His career began there in the 1950s, where he played in a bebop quintet with pianist Ellis Marsalis and clarinetist Alvin Batiste and briefly toured with Ray Charles. The second line brass band music of New Orleans greatly influenced Blackwell's drumming style. He has also credited his inspiration for playing the drums to his time growing up trying to mimic and match the sounds of his older sisters tap dancing. He would use pots and pans, and old trash cans until he finally received his first drum.
Blackwell first came to national attention as a member of Ornette Coleman's quartet around 1960, when he took over for Billy Higgins during Coleman's residency at the Five Spot Café in Manhattan.[3] Blackwell became a pioneering free jazz drummer, fusing New Orleans and African rhythms with bebop. Blackwell later toured and recorded extensively with fellow Coleman veterans Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Dewey Redman, both individually and as the quartet Old and New Dreams.[3]
In 1973, Blackwell became an artist in residence at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.[1]
In 1981, Blackwell performed at the Woodstock Jazz Festival, held in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Creative Music Studio, alongside Mark Helias,, Carlos Ward, and Graham Haynes.
Death
After years spent battling kidney disease, Blackwell died on October 7, 1992, in Middletown.[1] He was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame the following year.
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)
With Old and New Dreams
- Old and New Dreams (Black Saint, 1976)
- Old and New Dreams (ECM, 1979)
- Playing (ECM, 1980)
- A Tribute to Blackwell (Black Saint, 1987)
As sideman
| With Ray Anderson
With Bill Barron
With Karl Berger
With Jane Ira Bloom
With David Bond
With Charles Brackeen
With Anthony Braxton
With Marion Brown
With Ornette Coleman
With Steve Coleman With Alice Coltrane
With Don Cherry
With Jayne Cortez
| With Stanley Cowell
With Anthony Davis
With Eric Dolphy
With Dewey Redman
With Charlie Haden
With Albert Heath
With Clifford Jordan
With Joe Lovano
With Jemeel Moondoc
With David Murray
With Art Neville With Yoko Ono With Hilton Ruiz
With Archie Shepp
With Bob Stewart
With Mal Waldron
With Wadada Leo Smith
|
References
- ^ a b c Wilmer, Val (1992-10-12). "Obituary: Ed Blackwell". The Independent. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
- ^ "Ed Blackwell | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
- ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 49/50. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
External links
- Ed Blackwell discography
- v
- t
- e
Ed Blackwell
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
- El Corazón (with Don Cherry, 1982)
- Red and Black in Willisau (with Dewey Redman, 1980)
- The Montreal Tapes: with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell (with Charlie Haden and Don Cherry, 1989)
- What It Is? Ed Blackwell Project Vol. 1 (1992)
- What It Be Like? Ed Blackwell Project Vol. 2 (1992)
- Walls–Bridges (1992)
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