Andy Simpkins

Andrew H. "Andy" Simpkins ( born April 29, 1932 in Richmond ( Indiana), † June 2, 1999 in Culver City ) was an American jazz musician ( bass, composition), who with his bass lines, the stylistic model of John Heard and Niels -Henning Ørsted Pedersen.

Life and work

Simpkins received his first musical instruction by his parents: His mother was a church musician, his father an amateur saxophonist. As a student, he received from the age of ten clarinets, from the age of fourteen, and piano lessons. It was only during his music studies at the Wilberforce University, he moved to bass. During his military service 1953-1955 he served in the Army as a musician. From 1957 he was a member of the band The Three Sounds Gene Harris and Bill Dowdy. He also worked as a companion of Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and Ben Webster, and has participated in recordings by Nat Adderley and Lou Donaldson. Between 1968 and 1976 he behörte to a trio of George Shearing; of 1979 he accompanied Sarah Vaughan in various accompanying formations. He also presented his own groups with films like Happying (1977 ), Summer Strut (1983 ), Calamba (1989 ) or Comin 'At Ya ( 1992). He has also performed with Chick Corea (1983 ), with Lorez Alexandria ( 1991), with Oscar Peterson, with Anita O'Day, Gerald Wiggins or with Stéphane Grappelli. He was also involved in recording of Monty Alexander, Joe Pass, Bobby Lyle, Stanley Turrentine, Carmen McRae and Zoot Sims.

Lexigraphic entries

• Carlo Bohländer: Reclams jazz leader. Stuttgart 1970
• Martin Kunzler, Jazz Encyclopedia Vol 2 Reinbek 2002; ISBN 3-499-16513-9