Al McKibbon

Alfred " Al " McKibbon ( born January 1, 1919 in Chicago, Illinois; † 29 July 2005) was an American jazz bassist.

McKibbon grew up in Detroit and played in local bands until he with Lucky Millinder went on tour in 1943 and 1944. He then joined the combo of Tab Smith, worked in 1946 at the drummer JC Heard Island and then with Coleman Hawkins. Before the concert at Carnegie Hall in 1947, he replaced Ray Brown in the band of Dizzy Gillespie. He then worked with Miles Davis, for example, during the recording of Birth of the Cool. In 1950 he worked for Count Basie and Earl Hines. Between 1951 and 1958 he was employed by George Shearing, then at Cal Tjader. He was also involved in 1951 shooting with Thelonious Monk and Herbie Nichols 1955. In the 1960s he worked in Los Angeles as gutbeschäftigter studio musician and concert accompanist of singers such as Sammy Davis. With Monk and the Giants of Jazz, he was 1970-1971 on tour.

McKibbon was among musicians as an outstanding bass player and was active until 2004. In 1999, at the age of 80 years, he was able to present his first album under his own name, Tumbao Para Los Congueros Tu Vida ( Blue Lady Records), which was nominated for a Grammy for " Best Latin Jazz Performance." McKibbons second album, Black Orchid ( Nine Yards Music), was released in 2004. He also wrote the afterword to Raul Fernandez ' monograph on Latin Jazz.