Joe Benjamin
Joe Benjamin (as Joseph Rupert Benjamin; * November 4, 1919 in Atlantic City, † January 26, 1974 in Livingston ) was an American bass player of swing and modern jazz.
Life and work
"Joe" Benjamin initially began to study the violin, then moved on to the bass and played at the beginning of his professional career at Mercer Ellington in 1946 and Billy Taylor 1950. Starting in 1951, he was in big bands such as Artie Shaw, Fletcher Henderson, Sy Oliver and Duke Ellington ( Harlem Suite) busy. In 1952 he played with Dizzy Gillespie in Paris and was at its recordings for Disques Vogue involved (Cognac Blues ). 1953 to 1955 he was accompanist for Sarah Vaughan; he worked, among others, their legendary session with Clifford Brown and Herbie Mann with. In 1953 he worked in the trio of pianist Arnold Ross; with Ross Gillespie and Benjamin stayed again in October 1954 in Paris, where he played with Don Byas and Henri Renaud. In 1957 he played in Mal Waldron Trio; it accompanied the singers Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald at their appearances at the Newport Jazz Festival. Also in 1957 he went with Gerry Mulligan on tour in Europe, where he worked with Rolf Kühn; In 1957/58 he worked with Louis Armstrong, Buddy Tate and Rex Stewart. In 1958, he formed a duo with Ellis Larkins and played briefly in the Dave Brubeck Quartet. In March 1959 he accompanied Billie Holiday at her last recording session before her death.
In the early 1960s he was on LP recordings of Max Roach, ( Alone Together ), Roland Kirk / Jack McDuff ( Kirk 's Work, 1961), Jerome Richardson, Harry Sweets Edison, Barry Harris, Joe Williams, Clark Terry ( Mellow Moods 1961 ) and the Prestige Blues Swingers involved, were among the Vic Dickenson, Pee Wee Russell, and Buddy Tate. In 1964 he worked with Kenny Burrell Guitar Forms production. In 1968 he joined with Clark Terry's band in Newport.
Following in the footsteps of Aaron Bell, Benjamin was one of the last bassist who worked for Duke Ellington; he was at the large suites, such as the New Orleans Suite and the African- Eurasian Suite involved as well in the sessions from 1970 to 1972 that were released on Pablo as The Intimate Ellington and Up in Duke 's Workshop.