Don Pullen

Don Pullen developed a surprisingly accessible way of performing avant-garde jazz. Although he could be quite free harmonically, with dense, dissonant chords, Pullen also utilized catchy rhythms, so even his freest flights generally had a handle for listeners to hang on to. The combination of freedom and rhythm gave him his own unique musical personality.

Pullen, who came from a musical family, studied with <a href="spotify:artist:0odGsDIsc4dJTZWyeCfBnT">Muhal Richard Abrams</a> (with whom he played in the Experimental Band) and, in 1964, made his recording debut with <a href="spotify:artist:4WffHtWve3PVaWYJAP0O5D">Giuseppi Logan</a>. In the 1960s, he recorded free duets with <a href="spotify:artist:21onGb3BOI7oP9wwNetyyu">Milford Graves</a>, led his own bands, and played organ with R&B groups, backing <a href="spotify:artist:7yJXicqUOMPY5Iofua29C0">Big Maybelle</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4EYVgfZJ8wKXWmIvCx3gOY">Ruth Brown</a>, among others. Although he worked with <a href="spotify:artist:7G1GBhoKtEPnP86X2PvEYO">Nina Simone</a> (1970-1971) and <a href="spotify:artist:6ykfXAed2KOLOMI3R0TZdz">Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers</a> (1974), Pullen became famous as the pianist with <a href="spotify:artist:1W8TbFzNS15VwsempfY12H">Charles Mingus</a>' last great group (1973-1975). From 1979-1988, he co-led a notable inside/outside quartet with tenor saxophonist <a href="spotify:artist:4KH14ROZ1HNvhTS7L6LxGj">George Adams</a> that was in some ways an extension of <a href="spotify:artist:1W8TbFzNS15VwsempfY12H">Mingus</a>' band. In later years, Pullen led his African-Brazilian Connection and recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:5DHf2YUKRha33AnBFDXcqg">Kip Hanrahan</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:78xUyw6FkVZrRAtziFdtdu">Roots</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:14RXohtx6NiBGFTW8IdmAK">John Scofield</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:00SOiqZ0YGY2JhjSPxZMZg">David Murray</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:76RVMB4iAPdPJvuTFPkHQ1">Mingus Dynasty</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5e09vxGJza9YFmRVvCiFKB">Jane Bunnett</a>, among others. His last project found the always searching pianist seeking to fuse jazz with traditional Native American music. Although his life was too short, Don Pullen fortunately did make a fair amount of recordings as a leader, including for Sackville (1974), Horo, Black Saint, Atlantic (his funky "Big Alice" became a near-standard), and Blue Note. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi