Walter Booker

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Walter Booker

Walter Booker (* 17th December 1933 in Prairie View , Texas ; † 24. November 2006 in New York ) was an American jazz - bassist . His playing was characterized by voice-like insertions, glissandos and tremolo techniques.

Live and act

Walter Booker moved with his family to Washington, DC in the mid 1940s. In college he played the clarinet and alto saxophone in a band . He started playing bass in 1959 when he was in the US Army , where he served in the same unit as Elvis Presley . After his discharge from the Army, he played with Andrew White in Washington and the JFK Quintet during the early 1960s .

In 1964 Booker went to New York City where he worked in Donald Byrd's band. He then played with Ray Bryant , Betty Carter , Chick Corea , Stan Getz , Art Farmer , Milt Jackson , Thelonious Monk , Harold Vick and Sonny Rollins before joining the Cannonball Adderley Quintet in 1969 ; a connection that would last until Adderley's death in 1975.

In the following time he toured the United States with the trio of Shirley Horn , alongside Billy Hart . During this time, Booker built the Boogie Woogie Studio in New York , a mecca for musicians worldwide. From 1975 to 1981 he was an accompanist for Sarah Vaughan . In the 1980s he played with Nat Adderley , Nick Brignola , Arnett Cobb , Richie Cole , John Hicks , Billy Higgins , Clifford Jordan , Pharoah Sanders , Joe Thomas, and Phil Woods .

Booker was married to the pianist Bertha Hope and was a member of their trio, in which Jimmy Cobb also played. In addition to his own quintet, he formed the formation Elmollenium with Bertha Hope, which was dedicated to caring for the work of Elmo Hope , Bertha's ex-husband.

Booker died in Manhattan , New York City, aged 72 .

Discographic notes

  • Cannonball Adderley: Country Preacher ( Capitol , 1969), Inside Straight ( Fantasy , 1973), Phenix (Fantasy, 1975)
  • Nat Adderley: We Remember Cannon ( In + Out , 1989), On The Move ( Theresa , 1983), Blue Autumn ( Evidence , 1982), Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Evidence, 1997)
  • Kenny Barron, John Hicks Quartet: Rhythm-A-Ning ( Candid , 1990)
  • Donald Byrd: Blackjack ( Blue Note , 1967)
  • Roy Hargrove: Family ( Verve , 1995)
  • John Hicks: Inc. 1 ( IW , 1994)
  • Clifford Jordan: Repetition ( Soul Note , 1984)
  • Lee Morgan: The Procrastinator (Blue Note, 1969)
  • Archie Shepp: The Way Ahead ( Impulse , 1968)
  • Wayner Shorter: Super Nova (Blue Note, 1969)

literature

Web links / sources

personal data
SURNAME Booker, Walter
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz bassist
DATE OF BIRTH December 17, 1933
PLACE OF BIRTH Prairie View
DATE OF DEATH November 24, 2006
Place of death New York City