Jimmy Garrison

Jimmy Garrison (March 3, 1934 – April 7, 1976) was an American jazz double bassist born in Miami, Florida. He was best known through his long association with John Coltrane from 1961–1967.

He formally joined Coltrane's quartet in 1962, replacing Reggie Workman. The long trio blues "Chasin' the Trane" is probably his first recorded performance with Coltrane and Elvin Jones. Garrison appeared on many classic Coltrane recordings, including A Love Supreme. In concert with Coltrane, Garrison would often play unaccompanied improvised solos, sometimes as the prelude to a song before the other musicians joined in.

Garrison also had a long association with Ornette Coleman, first recording with him on Ornette on Tenor and Art of the Improvisers. He and drummer Elvin Jones have been credited with eliciting more forceful playing than usual from Coleman on the albums New York is Now and Love Call.

Outside of the Coltrane and Coleman ensembles, Jimmy Garrison performed with jazz artists such as Kenny Dorham, Philly Joe Jones, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz, Jackie McLean, Pharoah Sanders, and Tony Scott, among others. After Coltrane's death, Garrison worked with Hampton Hawes, Archie Shepp, and groups led by Elvin Jones.

Personal life

Jimmy Garrison's three children also work in the arts. Joy Garrison, Garrison's first daughter, sang alongside Barney Kessel, Cameron Brown, Tony Scott and many others. Matthew Garrison is also a bass guitar player. He has performed and recorded with Joe Zawinul, Chaka Khan, The Saturday Night Live Band, John McLaughlin, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, Steve Coleman, Whitney Houston, Pino Daniele, John Scofield, Paul Simon, Tito Puente and many others. Garrison's 4th daughter MaiaClaire Garrison is a dancer and choreographer who worked as a child acrobat with Big Apple Circus in New York.

Discography

As leader

• 1963: Illumination! (Impulse! Records) - co-leader with Elvin Jones

As sideman

With Ornette Coleman

• Ornette on Tenor (Atlantic, 1961)
• The Art of the Improvisers (Atlantic, 1961)
• New York Is Now! (Blue Note, 1968)
• Love Call (Blue Note, 1968)

With John Coltrane

• Ballads (1962)
• Coltrane (1962)
• Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (1962)
• John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1962)
• Live at Birdland (1963)
• Crescent (1964)
• A Love Supreme (1964)
• Ascension (1965)
• First Meditations (1965)
• The John Coltrane Quartet Plays (1965)
• Kulu Sé Mama (1965)
• Live at the Half Note: One Down, One Up ([1965)
• Live in Seattle (1965)
• The Major Works of John Coltrane (1965)
• Meditations (1965)
• Transition (1965)
• Sun Ship (1965)
• Live in Japan (4 discs) (1966)
• Live at the Village Vanguard Again! ( 1966)
• Expression (1967)
• The Olatunji Concert: The Last Live Recording (1967)
• Stellar Regions (1967)

With Kenny Dorham

• Jazz Contemporary (Time, 1960)
• Show Boat (Time, 1960)

With Curtis Fuller

• Blues-ette (Savoy, 1959)
• Imagination (Savoy, 1959)
• Images of Curtis Fuller (Savoy, 1960)
• The Magnificent Trombone of Curtis Fuller (Epic, 1961)

With Elvin Jones

• Puttin' It Together (Blue Note, 1968)
• The Ultimate (Blue Note, 1968)

With Philly Joe Jones

• Blues for Dracula (Riverside, 1958)
• Drums Around the World (Riverside, 1959)
• Showcase (Riverside, 1959)

With Lee Konitz

• Live at the Half Note (Verve, 1959)

With Rolf Kühn and Joachim Kühn

• Impressions of New York (Impulse!, 1967)

With Jackie McLean

• Swing, Swang, Swingin' (Blue Note, 1959)

With Sonny Rollins

• East Broadway Run Down (Impulse! 1966)

With Archie Shepp

• Attica Blues'

References

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