Legendary Jazz Bassist Rufus Reid Turns It Up On New Album By Chris Rottmayer
(l-r) Matt Endes, Rufus Reid, Chris Rottmayer, Russ Johnson
Bassist-Composer-Arranger-Educator-Author Rufus Reid, 79, of Teaneck in Bergen County, has been part of over 500 recordings since the 1970s, including 25 in his own name. When sax pioneer Dexter Gordon ended his decade of exile in Denmark, he chose Reid as his touring bassist. He’s written for strings, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestras and solo bass projects. He’s provided the bottom for such jazz stars as The Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Quartet, Stan Getz, Kenny Barron, JJ Johnson and many others.
He’s the bassist on a new album called Being by pianist-composer Chris Rottmayer with Russ Johnson on trumpet/flugelhorn and drummer Matt Endres. It’s a tribute of sorts to pianist Mulgrew Miller [1955-2013] who taught at William Paterson University in Wayne (Passaic County). Rottmayer wrote the album as he studied Miller’s work with the Woody Shaw Quartet.
Rottmayer says “I transcribed Miller’s playing and used his and Shaw’s language as inspiration for the creative work behind Being. With the help of my mentors Peter Dominquez (Professor of Bass, UW-Madison) and Johannes Wallmann (Director of Jazz Studies and Professor of Jazz Piano, UW-Madison), I was able to connect with Rufus Reid. Reid collaborated often with Miller, and recording with Reid has helped me to connect with Miller on a level deeper than I could through listening to recordings or through personal study.”
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