Rodney Whitaker

Rodney Whitaker

Whittaker performing at the 2009 Detroit Jazz Festival
Background information
Origin Detroit, Michigan
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician, Instructor, Bandleader
Instruments Double bass, Bass guitar
Labels Alma Records, Mack Avenue Records
Associated acts Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Website http://www.rodneywhitaker.com/

Rodney Whitaker (born February 22, 1968) is an American jazz double bass player and educator.

Biography

Born in Detroit, Whitaker attended Wayne State University, and studied with Robert Gladstone, principal bass with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and trumpeter Marcus Belgrave.[1]

He achieved recognition performing with Terence Blanchard's Quintet and then with Roy Hargrove.[2] His own first album Children of the Light was released in 1996[3]

His score for the film China, directed by Jeff Wray, was released on PBS in 2002.

In 2006, Whitaker was nominated for the Juno Award Traditional Jazz Album of the Year for Let Me Tell You About My Day, his album in collaboration with Phil Dwyer and Alan Jones.[1] He has also been working with the pianist Junko Onishi.[4]

Whitaker is professor of jazz double bass and director of jazz studies at Michigan State University's College of Music.[1] He has presented master classes at such institutions as Duke University, Howard University, University of Iowa, University of Michigan, the New School (NY), Lincoln Center, and the Detroit International Jazz Festival, and at the conferences of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE). He has also worked with Detroit Symphony Orchestra to develop a jazz education department, and conducts their Civic Jazz Orchestra, as well as being on the faculties of University of Michigan and Juilliard School.[5]

Discography

As leader

Collaborations

As sideman


1986
Mora, Francisco Mora, AACE
Wait Broke The Wagon Down, Wendell Harrison, Wenha

1990
Terence Blanchard, Terence Blanchard/Branford Marsalis, Sony/CBS

1991
Simply Stated, Terence Blanchard, Sony/CBS
Don’t You Know I Care, Antonio Hart, RCA/Novus
The Old & The New, Shawn “Thunder” Wallace, MiJaWa

1992
Of Kindred Souls/ w/ 4 Originals, Roy Hargrove, RCA/Novus
A Portrait of You, Donald Walden, Jazz Works
Vibe, Roy Hargrove, RCA/Novus

1993
It’s All Right To Swing, Eric Reed/Wynton Marsalis, Mo Jazz
Crusin’, Junko Onishi, EMI
Jmukai Quintet, Mukai, EMI

1994
True Blue, Mark Whitfield, Verve/Polygram
Monk’s Modern Music, Rick Roe, Unknown
With The Tenors of Our Time, Roy Hargrove, Verve/Polygram
Approaching Standards, Roy Hargrove, BMG/Novus

1995
Roy Hargrove & Friends, Roy Hargrove, Verve/Polygram
The Swing & I, Eric Reed, Mo Jazz
Chicago, New York, Paris, Johnny Griffin, Verve/Polygram
Family, Roy Hargrove, Verve
Piano Quintet Suite, Junko Onishi, Blue Note
My Generation, Teodross Avery, Impulse

1996
Collage, Keith Saxton, Kevin Hole
Pursuance-The Music of John Coltrane, Kenny Garrett, Warner Bros.
Kevin, Mahogany, Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros.
A Grand Encounter, Dianne Reeves, Blue Note
The Change Over, Rick Roe, Unknown
Wholly Cat’s, Russell Malone
Live @ The Kerry Town Concert Hall, Phil Lasley
Kamal, Kamal Sullivan, Arabques
Penn’s Landing, Clarence Penn, Criss Cross

1997
Tenor Time, Joe Lovano, Blue Note
Jackie Mac’s Bag, Milan Simich, Hip Bop

1998
Collected Roy Hargrove, Roy Hargrove, Verve
Collected Antonio Hart, Antonio Hart, Novus/BMG
Foresight, Foresight, N2K
Introducing Orin Evans, Orin Evans, Criss Cross
Dennis Jeter, Dennis Jeter, Jeter Productions
Francisco Mora, Francisco Mora, Community
Captain Black, Orin Evans, Criss Cross
Focusing The Vision, Vincent York, Vincent York
Andrew Speight Quartet, Andrew Speight, ABC/EMI
A Mingus & A Monk Among Us, Donald Walden, Jazz Works

1999
Bluestone, Joh Yamada, Alfa
Slidin’ Home, Wycliffe Gordon, Nagel/Heyer
Live From Swing City, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Sony
Big Train, Wynton Marsalis, Sony
Marciac Suite, Wynton Marsalis, Sony
Grown Fold Bizness, Orin Evans, Criss Cross
To Those We Love So Dearly, Victor Goines, Rosemary Joseph
Title Unknown-Soon To Be Released, Alex Graham
Double Duke, Joe Temperely, Naxos
The Search, Wycliffe Gordon, Nagel/Heyer
With Arkadia Jazz All Stars

2000
Live @ Blue Note, Jaz Sawyer & Irvin Mayfield, Half Note
Uptown Lowdown “A Salute to D”, Nagel/Heyer/All Stars, Nagel/Heyer
Watch What You’re Doin’, Herlin Riley, Criss Cross
Sweet Release, Wynton Marsalis, Sony
Reflections & Change, Craig Handy, Sirocco Jazz
Flow, Craig Handy, Sirocco Jazz
A Portrait of Kevin Mahogany, Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros.
Hymn for Roscoe Mitchell, Stephen Rush Quartet
Olive Tree, Walter Blanding, Criss Cross

2001
Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, Rodney Whitaker, Sirrocco Jazz
Play Penn, Clarence Penn Quintet, Criss Cross
Introducing Peter Baits, Peter Baits, Criss Cross
Introducing Milt Grayson, Milt Grayson
All Rise, Wynton Marsalis, Sony

2003
All Rise-Wynton Marsalis-Sony
Penns Landing-Clarence Penn-Criss Cross
Dameronia-Donald Walden & The Detroit Jazz Orchestra-Jazz Works
Louis Armstrong's Jazz Curriculum CD Series-LCJO-Warner Bros.
Introducing: Peter Baits - Peter Baits, Criss Cross
We Got It - Matt Ray - Label Unknown
E-Bop - Eric Reed - SAVANT
Joyride - Wycliffe Gordon - NAGEL/HEYER
Flow - Craig Handy - Sirrocco Jazz
Third Floor - Professors of Jazz @ MSU - MSU Jazz
Freewheelin' - Jazz Compilation - Arkadia
Hip Bop Essence - All Star - Hip Bop
Soul Trinity-Volume One - Frederick Sanders – FreSan

2004
Winter Moon-Rodney Whitaker-Sirocco Jazz Ltd.
Let Me Tell You About My Day – 2004 Alan Jones
Unforgivable Blackness-DVD-Wynton Marsalis/Ken Burns

2005
Sphere-Rick Roe-Unknown Records
The Good Life-Alex Graham-Origin (Arts) Records

2006
Here-Eric Reed-Max Jazz
Shades of Green-Ron DiSalvio w/Jimmy Cobb-Label N/A
World Trade Music-Francisco Catlett-Mora-Label N/A

2007
Get Ready-Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker-Mack Avenue Records

2008
Work To Do-Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker-Mack Avenue Records

2010
Maureen Choi Quartet-Maureen Choi Music

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Rodney Whitaker: Professor of Double Bass and Director of Jazz Studies". Michigan State University. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  2. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Rodney Whitaker: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  3. ↑ Nastos, Michael. "Children of the Light: Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  4. ↑ Brown, Keith Henry (2010-10-29). "CD/LP Review: Baroque". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  5. ↑ "All State Jazz Band: Conductor: Rodney T. Whitaker". Georgia Music Educators Association. Retrieved 2010-11-30.

External links

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