Oscar Pettiford

Oscar Pettiford was (along with <a href="spotify:artist:1W8TbFzNS15VwsempfY12H">Charles Mingus</a>) the top bassist of the 1945-1960 period, and the successor to the late <a href="spotify:artist:7FMFfF4dipm9bWnd4FAKDL">Jimmy Blanton</a>. In addition, he was the first major jazz soloist on the cello. A bop pioneer, it would have been very interesting to hear what Pettiford would have done during the avant-garde '60s if he had not died unexpectedly in 1960. After starting on piano, Pettiford switched to bass when he was 14 and played in a family band. He played with <a href="spotify:artist:4SPws2VXOmZIiRTp75mzsb">Charlie Barnet</a>'s band in 1942 as one of two bassists (the other was <a href="spotify:artist:2PQwa4eR1ZH6YnmbcR0QCH">Chubby Jackson</a>) and then hit the big time in 1943, participating on <a href="spotify:artist:0JM134st8VY7Ld9T2wQiH0">Coleman Hawkins</a>' famous "The Man I Love" session; he also recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:2mY5u4CceAPrpBnse1WpFr">Earl Hines</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:34W7ZCX0LZeJd8q6boKGOk">Ben Webster</a> during this period. Pettiford co-led an early bop group with <a href="spotify:artist:5RzjqfPS0Bu4bUMkyNNDpn">Dizzy Gillespie</a> in 1944, and in 1945 went with <a href="spotify:artist:0JM134st8VY7Ld9T2wQiH0">Coleman Hawkins</a> to the West Coast, appearing on one song in the film The Crimson Canary with <a href="spotify:artist:0JM134st8VY7Ld9T2wQiH0">Hawkins</a> and Howard McGhee. Pettiford was part of Duke Ellington's orchestra during much of 1945-1948 (fulfilling his role as the next step beyond <a href="spotify:artist:7FMFfF4dipm9bWnd4FAKDL">Jimmy Blanton</a>), and worked with <a href="spotify:artist:2KSxJY1WxGGVYSmoM0N54P">Woody Herman</a> in 1949. Throughout the 1950s, he mostly worked as a leader (on bass and occasional cello), although he appeared on many records both as a sideman and a leader, including with <a href="spotify:artist:4PDpGtF16XpqvXxsrFwQnN">Thelonious Monk</a> in 1955-1956. After going to Europe in 1958, he settled in Copenhagen where he worked with local musicians, plus <a href="spotify:artist:0FMucZsEnCxs5pqBjHjIc8">Stan Getz</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:570vCzcespB48HIQyTbDO6">Bud Powell</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7xwlN7fhoOwNgDmRTwYZOa">Kenny Clarke</a>. Among Pettiford's better-known compositions are "Tricotism," "Laverne Walk," "Bohemia After Dark," and "Swingin' Till the Girls Come Home." ~ Scott Yanow