From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
American jazz double bass player
Musical artist
Rodney Whitaker (born February 22, 1968) is an American jazz
double bass player and educator.
Biography
Born in
Detroit , Whitaker attended
Wayne State University , and studied with Robert Gladstone, principal bass with the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra , and trumpeter
Marcus Belgrave .
[1]
He achieved recognition performing with
Terence Blanchard 's Quintet and then with
Roy Hargrove .
[2] His own first album Children of the Light was released in 1996.
[3]
His score for the film China , directed by Jeff Wray, was released on
PBS in 2002.
In 2006, Whitaker was nominated for the
Juno Award Traditional Jazz Album of the Year for Let Me Tell You About My Day , his album in collaboration with
Phil Dwyer and Alan Jones.
[1] He has also been working with the pianist
Junko Onishi .
[4]
Whitaker is professor of jazz
double bass and director of jazz studies at
Michigan State University 's College of Music.
[1] He has presented master classes at such institutions as
Duke University ,
Howard University ,
University of Iowa ,
University of Michigan ,
the New School (NY),
Lincoln Center , and the
Detroit International Jazz Festival , and at the conferences of the
International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) . He has also worked with
Detroit Symphony Orchestra to develop a jazz education department, and conducts their Civic Jazz Orchestra, as well as being on the faculties of University of Michigan and
Juilliard School .
[5]
Discography
As leader
Outrospection: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2021)
Cranbrook Christmas Jazz (Origin Records, 2021)
Common Ground: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2019) with Terrell Stafford, Tim Warfield, Bruce Barth, Dana Hall, Rockelle Fortin
All Too Soon: The Music of Duke Ellington (Origin Records, 2019)
When We Find Ourselves Alone (Mack Avenue, 2014)
Children of the Light (
DIW , 1995) with Nicholas Payton, Wallace Roney
Hidden Kingdom (DIW, 1997) with Carter, Ron Blake,
Gerald Cleaver
The Brooklyn Session: Ballads and Blues (
Criss Cross , 1998) with Wycliffe Gordon, Stefon Harris
Yesterday Today and Tomorrow (Sirocco Jazz, 1999) with Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon,
Dianne Reeves
Get Ready (
Mack Avenue , 2007) with Carl Allen
Work to Do (Mack Avenue, 2008) with Carl Allen
When We Find Ourselves Alone (Mack Avenue, 2014)
Common Ground: The Music of Gregg Hill (
Origin Records , 2019)
All Too Soon: The Music of Duke Ellington (Origin Records, 2019)
Cranbrook Christmas Jazz (Origin Records, 2021) with The Christ Church Cranbrook Choir
Outrospection: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2021)
Oasis: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2022)
Collaborations
Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival – 2013 (Mack Avenue, 2014)
As sideman
Mora , Francisco Mora, AACE, 1986
Wait Broke the Wagon Down , Wendell Harrison, Wenha, 1986
Terence Blanchard , Terence Blanchard/Branford Marsalis, Columbia, 1991
Don't You Know I Care , Antonio Hart, RCA/Novus, 1991
The Old & the New , Shawn "Thunder" Wallace, MiJaWa, 1991
Simply Stated , Terence Blanchard, Columbia, 1992
Of Kindred Souls w/ 4 Originals, Roy Hargrove, RCA/Novus, 1992
A Portrait of You , Donald Walden, Jazz Works, 1992
Vibe , Roy Hargrove, RCA/Novus, 1992
It's All Right to Swing , Eric Reed/Wynton Marsalis, Mo Jazz, 1993
Crusin' ,
Junko Onishi , EMI, 1993
Jmukai Quintet , Mukai, EMI, 1993
True Blue , Mark Whitfield, Verve/Polygram, 1994
Monk's Modern Music , Rick Roe, Unknown, 1994
With the Tenors of Our Time , Roy Hargrove, Verve/Polygram, 1994
Approaching Standards , Roy Hargrove, BMG/Novus, 1994
Roy Hargrove & Friends , Roy Hargrove, Verve/Polygram, 1995
The Swing & I , Eric Reed, Mo Jazz, 1995
Chicago, New York, Paris , Johnny Griffin, Verve/Polygram, 1995
Family , Roy Hargrove, Verve, 1995
Piano Quintet Suite , Junko Onishi, Blue Note, 1995
My Generation , Teodross Avery, Impulse, 1995
Collage , Keith Saxton, Kevin Hole, 1996
Pursuance–The Music of John Coltrane , Kenny Garrett, Warner Bros., 1996
Kevin, Mahogany , Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros., 1996
A Grand Encounter , Dianne Reeves, Blue Note, 1996
The Change Over , Rick Roe, Unknown, 1996
Wholly Cat's , Russell Malone, 1996
Live @ The Kerry Town Concert Hall , Phil Lasley, 1996
Kamau ,
Charles Sullivan , 1995
Penn's Landing , Clarence Penn, Criss Cross, 1996
Tenor Time ,
Joe Lovano , Blue Note, 1997
Jackie Mac's Bag, Milan Simich, Hip Bop, 1997
Collected Roy Hargrove, Roy Hargrove, Verve, 1998
Collected Antonio Hart, Antonio Hart, Novus/BMG, 1998
Foresight , Foresight, N2K, 1998
Introducing Orin Evans , Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1998
Dennis Jeter , Dennis Jeter, Jeter Productions, 1998
Francisco Mora , Francisco Mora, Community, 1998
Captain Black , Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1998
Focusing the Vision , Vincent York, Vincent York, 1998
Andrew Speight Quartet , Andrew Speight, ABC/EMI, 1998
A Mingus & a Monk Among Us , Donald Walden, Jazz Works, 1998
Bluestone , Joh Yamada, Alfa, 1999
Slidin' Home , Wycliffe Gordon, Nagel/Heyer, 1999
Live from Swing City , Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Sony, 1999
Big Train , Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 1999
Marciac Suite , Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 1999
Reflections in Change ,
Craig Handy , Sirocco Music, 1999
Grown Fold Bizness , Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1999
To Those We Love So Dearly , Victor Goines, Rosemary Joseph, 1999
Title Unknown–Soon To Be Released , Alex Graham, 1999
Double Duke , Joe Temperely, Naxos, 1999
The Search , Wycliffe Gordon, Nagel/Heyer, 1999
Live @ Blue Note , Jaz Sawyer & Irvin Mayfield, Half Note, 2000
Uptown Lowdown "A Salute to D" , Nagel/Heyer/All Stars, Nagel/Heyer, 2000
Watch What You're Doin' , Herlin Riley, Criss Cross, 2000
Sweet Release , Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 2000
Reflections & Change , Craig Handy, Sirocco Jazz, 2000
Flow , Craig Handy, Sirocco Jazz, 2000
A Portrait of Kevin Mahogany , Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros., 2000
Hymn for Roscoe Mitchell , Stephen Rush Quartet, 2000
Olive Tree , Walter Blanding, Criss Cross, 2000
Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow , Rodney Whitaker, Sirrocco Jazz, 2001
Play Penn , Clarence Penn Quintet, Criss Cross, 2001
Introducing Peter Baits , Peter Baits, Criss Cross, 2001
Introducing Milt Grayson , Milt Grayson, 2001
All Rise , Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 2001
Penns Landing , Clarence Penn–Criss Cross, 2003
Dameronia –Donald Walden & The Detroit Jazz Orchestra–Jazz Works, 2003
Louis Armstrong's Jazz Curriculum CD Series–LCJO–Warner Bros., 2003
Introducing: Peter Baits – Peter Baits, Criss Cross, 2003
We Got It – Matt Ray – Label Unknown, 2003
E–Bop – Eric Reed – Savant, 2003
Joyride – Wycliffe Gordon – Nagel/Heyer, 2003
Flow – Craig Handy – Sirrocco Jazz, 2003
Third Floor – Professors of Jazz @ MSU – MSU Jazz, 2003
Freewheelin' – Jazz Compilation – Arkadia, 2003
Hip Bop Essence – All Star – Hip Bop, 2003
Soul Trinity –Volume One – Frederick Sanders – FreSan, 2003
Winter Moon –Rodney Whitaker–Sirocco Jazz Ltd., 2004
Let Me Tell You About My Day – 2004 Alan Jones, 2004
Unforgivable Blackness –DVD–Wynton Marsalis/Ken Burns, 2004
Sphere –Rick Roe–Unknown Records, 2005
The Good Life –Alex Graham–Origin, 2005
Here –Eric Reed–Max Jazz, 2006
Shades of Green –Ron DiSalvio w/Jimmy Cobb–Label N/A, 2006
World Trade Music –Francisco Catlett–Mora–Label N/A, 2006
Get Ready –Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker–Mack Avenue, 2007
Work to Do –Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker–Mack Avenue, 2008
Maureen Choi Quartet –Maureen Choi Music, 2010
References
External links
International National Artists