Reggie Workman

Reggie Workman has long been one of the most technically gifted of all bassists, a brilliant player whose versatile style fits into both hard bop and very avant-garde settings. He played piano, tuba, and euphonium early on but settled on bass in the mid-'50s. After working regularly with <a href="spotify:artist:60pVDktf5EH4d3IxkHozpa">Gigi Gryce</a> (1958), <a href="spotify:artist:35iymrFS4VnsKn35ebHKX9">Red Garland</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1tGINpEJVUsQXssRC28ugo">Roy Haynes</a>, he was a member of <a href="spotify:artist:2hGh5VOeeqimQFxqXvfCUf">the John Coltrane Quartet</a> for much of 1961, participating in several important recordings and even appearing with <a href="spotify:artist:2hGh5VOeeqimQFxqXvfCUf">Coltrane</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6rxxu32JCGDpKKMPHxnSJp">Eric Dolphy</a> on a half-hour West German television show that is currently available on video (The Coltrane Legacy). After <a href="spotify:artist:5EwMPIB049C7NXsU4yG2xu">Jimmy Garrison</a> took his place with <a href="spotify:artist:2hGh5VOeeqimQFxqXvfCUf">Coltrane</a>, Workman became a member of <a href="spotify:artist:6QQuESLtKhAOcLW2TeWC2t">Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers</a> (1962-1964) and was in the groups of <a href="spotify:artist:33XkS6h90eeK7e6OJHw0mq">Yusef Lateef</a> (1964-65), <a href="spotify:artist:6ycoXr0Ayd89vFUT6BOiWo">Herbie Mann</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4PDpGtF16XpqvXxsrFwQnN">Thelonious Monk</a> (1967). He recorded frequently in the 1960s (including many Blue Note dates and <a href="spotify:artist:7C2DSqaNkh0w77O5Jz1FKh">Archie Shepp</a>'s classic Four for Trane).

Since that time, Workman has been both an educator (serving on the faculty of music schools including the University of Michigan) and a working musician, and has played with numerous legendary jazz musicians including <a href="spotify:artist:6jrlNnS5B830kpi40j3S6g">Max Roach</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4L9xEztn5PKQIO5WnI5W3u">Art Farmer</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4cP0bprQSFtZdI9QEKKZA3">Mal Waldron</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:00SOiqZ0YGY2JhjSPxZMZg">David Murray</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0DNuWm5ZBKuCIXLNmrzuk5">Sam Rivers</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4ORSNkNYSzva169PBZCzvy">Andrew Hill</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:0DNuWm5ZBKuCIXLNmrzuk5">Rivers</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4ORSNkNYSzva169PBZCzvy">Hill</a> joined Workman for the 1993 session, Summit Conference). In the 1980s, Workman began leading his own group, the Reggie Workman Ensemble. He also began a collaboration with pianist <a href="spotify:artist:0w4mLSXg39n1UuyK7eNLTD">Marilyn Crispell</a> that lasted into the next decade (the two acclaimed musicians reunited for a festival performance in 2000). During the '90s, Workman was not only active with his own ensemble, but also in <a href="spotify:artist:53psjKXqjEs7i8Xgw1xxNq">Trio Three</a>, with <a href="spotify:artist:47hexMV8ZbDWZ9MSwSWD50">Andrew Cyrille</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3y58dknRdBENZ8oVErWu9B">Oliver Lake</a>, and Reggie Workman's Grooveship and Extravaganza.

In recognition of Reggie Workman's international performances and recordings spanning over 40 years, he was named a Living Legend by the African-American Historical and Cultural Museum in his hometown of Philadelphia; he is also a recipient of the Eubie Blake Award. ~ Scott Yanow & Joslyn Layne, Rovi