Jimmy Garrison


James Emory Garrison was an American jazz double bassist. He is best remembered for his association with John Coltrane from 1961 to 1967.

Career

Garrison was born in Miami, Florida, and moved when he was 10 to Philadelphia, where he learned to play bass during his senior year of high school. Garrison came of age in the 1950s Philadelphia jazz scene, which included fellow bassists Reggie Workman and Henry Grimes, pianist McCoy Tyner and trumpeter Lee Morgan. Garrison was in a short-lived trio started by Bill Evans, with Kenny Dennis on drums, in the 1950s. Between 1957 and 1962, Garrison played and recorded with trumpeter Kenny Dorham; clarinetist Tony Scott; drummer Philly Joe Jones; and saxophonists Bill Barron, Lee Konitz, and Jackie McLean, as well as Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Lennie Tristano, and Pharoah Sanders, among others. In 1961, Garrison recorded with Ornette Coleman, appearing on Coleman's albums Ornette on Tenor and The Art of the Improvisers. He also worked with Walter Bishop, Jr. and Cal Massey during the early years of his career.
He formally joined Coltrane's quartet in 1962, replacing Workman. The long trio blues "Chasin' the Trane" is one of his first recorded performances with Coltrane and Elvin Jones. Garrison performed on many Coltrane recordings, including A Love Supreme. After John Coltrane's death, Garrison worked and recorded with Alice Coltrane, Hampton Hawes, Archie Shepp, Clifford Thornton and groups led by Elvin Jones.
Garrison also worked with Ornette Coleman during the 1960s, first recording with him in 1961 on Ornette on Tenor. He and Elvin Jones recorded with Coleman in 1968, and have been credited with eliciting more forceful playing than usual from Coleman on the albums New York Is Now! and Love Call.
In 1971 and 1972, Garrison taught as a Visiting Artist at Wesleyan University and Bennington College.

Personal life

Garrison had four daughters and a son. With his first wife Robbie he had three daughters, Robin, Lori and Italy based jazz vocalist Joy Garrison. With his second wife, dancer and choreographer Roberta Escamilla Garrison, he had Maia Claire, and jazz bassist Matt Garrison.
Jimmy Garrison died of lung cancer on April 7, 1976.

Music and playing style

Garrison was known for his inventive and melodic basslines, often using broken time and avoiding straight quarter notes as in a traditional walking bassline, to suggest the time and pulse rather than to outright play it. He was also known for his frequent use of double stops, and for strumming the strings of the bass with his thumb. Garrison would often play unaccompanied improvised solos, sometimes as song introductions prior to the other musicians joining in, and occasionally used a bow. Garrison had a uniquely heavy and powerful gut string tone.

Discography

As leader

  • 1963: Illumination! with Elvin Jones

    As sideman

With Lorez Alexandria
  • For Swingers Only
With Bill Barron
With Walter Bishop Jr.
  • Speak Low
With Benny Carter
  • Further Definitions
With Ornette Coleman
  • Ornette on Tenor
  • New York Is Now!
  • Love Call
  • The Art of the Improvisers
With Alice Coltrane
With John Coltrane
With Ted Curson
  • Plenty of Horn
With Nathan Davis
  • Rules of Freedom
With Bill Dixon
  • Intents and Purposes
With Kenny Dorham
  • Jazz Contemporary
  • Show Boat
With Curtis Fuller
  • Blues-ette
  • Imagination
  • Images of Curtis Fuller
  • The Magnificent Trombone of Curtis Fuller
With Beaver Harris
  • From Ragtime to No Time
With Elvin Jones
  • Puttin' It Together
  • The Ultimate
With Philly Joe Jones
With Lee Konitz
  • Live at the Half Note
With Rolf Kühn and Joachim Kühn
  • Impressions of New York
With Cal Massey
  • Blues to Coltrane
With Jackie McLean
  • Swing, Swang, Swingin
With J. R. Monterose
  • Straight Ahead
With Robert Pozar
  • Good Golly Miss Nancy
With Sonny Rollins
With Tony Scott
  • Golden Moments
  • I'll Remember
With Archie Shepp
  • Life at the Donaueschingen Music Festival
  • Attica Blues
  • The Cry of My People
  • There's a Trumpet in My Soul
With Clifford Thornton
  • Freedom & Unity
With McCoy Tyner'
  • Today and Tomorrow
  • ''McCoy Tyner Plays Ellington''