Clifford Jarvis


Clifford Osbourne Jarvis was an American hard bop and free jazz drummer, who in the 1980s moved to London, England, where he spent the remainder of his career.

Biography

Clifford Jarvis, the son of Malcom “Shorty” Jarvis was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, where he studied at Berklee College of Music in the 1950s.
Moving to New York City, he established himself in jazz between 1959 and 1966, by recording with bebop and hard-bop musicians including Randy Weston, Yusef Lateef, Freddie Hubbard, Barry Harris, Jackie McLean, John Patton, Chet Baker, Kenny Drew, Walter Davis, and Elmo Hope, and playing with Grant Green and Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
He worked and recorded with musicians associated with free jazz, including Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Simmons, Alice Coltrane, and Archie Shepp.
During the 1980s, Jarvis moved to England, where he played with younger musicians including Courtney Pine. He also worked as a music educator at Chats Palace Arts Centre in London and Pyramid Arts Development in Dalston. Jarvis continued teaching until his death in 1999.

Discography

As sideman

With Chet BakerChet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner and Loewe
With Alice ColtraneCarnegie Hall '71 The Carnegie Hall Concert
With Kenny Drew
With Curtis FullerImages of Curtis Fuller
With Barry Harris
With Elmo Hope
With Freddie HubbardOpen Sesame Hub-Tones Blue Spirits
With Jackie McLean
With Archie Shepp
With Sonny Simmons
With Jukka Syrenius Band
  • Memories of tomorrow"
With Sun RaWhen Sun Comes Out Nothing Is
With John Patton
With Randy WestonLive at the Five Spot
With Harry Beckett