Harold Mabern
Harold Mabern ( born March 20, 1936 in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American jazz pianist.
Life
At age 16 he began to learn the piano as an autodidact, "I heard one day, a young lady sat down and began to play the same song. " "I come from the University of the Streets " as influences he cites Bill Lee, George Coleman., Phineas Newborn, Chris Anderson and Ahmad Jamal. "I never had a piano lesson. Most of the technology that I own, is of lasting games that I 've been practicing every day and tried to play it fast. " His technique combines many stylistic features of previous jazz eras.
The next Charles Thomas admired Phineas Newborn became his mentor in Memphis and he was guided by contemporary musicians from Memphis as George Coleman, Frank Strozier, Booker Little, Garnett Brown, Charles Lloyd, Louis Smith and Calvin Newborn. Influences came from Nat King Cole and John Coltrane.
He was educated at Manassas High School by Matthew Garrett. In 1964 in Chicago by Ahmad Jamal, Billy Wallace, Chris Anderson and Bill Lee, with whom he recorded his debut on bass album.
Work
In the late 1950s he played in Chicago with Walter Perkins ' MJT Plus 3, next Strozier. He also went there the soulful " crispness " ( funky ness ) of the Blues own. In Chicago he worked hard at the piano to develop the skills to a level that enabled him to master every application as a musician.
The next ten years he was busy companion of Harry Edison, Lionel Hampton, 1959, Terri Quaye, JJ Johnson, 1963-65, Joe Williams and 1965 with Wes Montgomery on tour in Europe, on which recordings he can be heard as a sideman, as well as on recordings with Lee Morgan and Art Farmer. He plays 1961/62 with Benny Golson 1963 with Miles Davis. Furthermore, with Sarah Vaughn, 1967, Dakota Staton, Irene Reid and Arthur Pryscock. In 1968 his own album " A Few Miles To Memphis ". In the late 1960s he played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard. In 1973/74 at the Walter Bolden Trio in New York, then with Tiny Grimes, George Coleman, Clark Terry and Joe Newman. In 1975, he guested on the Newport / New York Festival. In 1977 he formed with Chris White on bass and Warren Smith on drums, the rhythm section for the trumpeter Jimmy Owens, Bill Hardman and Ted Curson at Tribute To Clifford Brown concert. He toured in 1977 with Billy Harper by Japan and 1981 with George Coleman through Europe.
For his solo game is a good opportunity for broadcasting was to work with recordings at the Café des Copains in Toronto, Canada.
His stylistic range is large, it is a dynamic companion that dominates an earthy Blue game, interprets standards as Stride and virtuosic, with the accompaniment of the left he harmonized interesting and mimics the effects of a big band orchestration and after. He always emphasizes improvisation after he has preliminarily concocted pieces.
In 1960 he settled in New York and is there in the 1970s, a sought freelance musician. He taught there for two days per week at William Patterson College, made solo appearances on the radio with a mixed repertoire: pop songs, such as Stevie Wonder, jazz standards and bluesy pieces.
He was a member of 1970 Stanley Cowell's Piano Choir and 1993/94 the Contemporary Piano Ensemble by James Williams with Geoff Keezer, Donald Brown and Mulgrew Miller.
Discography (selection)
- A few Miles from Memphis ( Prestige, 1968 ), with Blue Mitchell, George Coleman
- Wailin ' ( Prestige, 1970)
- Joy Spring, ( Sackville, 1985)
- Straight Street (DIW, 1991), with Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette
- Mabern 's Grooveyard (DIW, 1996) with Christian McBride, Tony Reedus