Red Mitchell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Keith Moore Mitchell |
| Born | (1927-09-20)September 20, 1927 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | November 8, 1992(1992-11-08) (aged 65) Salem, Oregon, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Bass |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Keith Moore "Red"Mitchell (September 20, 1927 – November 8, 1992)[1] was an Americanjazzdouble-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet.
Mitchell was born in New York City.[1] His younger brother,Whitey Mitchell, also became a jazz bassist.[1]
Mitchell was raised inNew Jersey by a father who was an engineer and loved music, and a mother who loved poetry. His first instruments were piano, alto saxophone, and clarinet. AlthoughCornell University awarded him an engineering scholarship, by 1947 he was in theU.S. Army playing bass. The next year, he was in a jazz trio in New York City.
Mitchell performed and/or recorded withMundell Lowe,Chubby Jackson,Charlie Ventura,Woody Herman,Red Norvo,Gerry Mulligan, and, after joining theWest Coast jazz scene in the early 1950s, withAndré Previn,Shelly Manne,Hampton Hawes,Billie Holiday,Stan Seltzer,Ornette Coleman, and others such asMahalia Jackson.[1] He also worked as a bassist in television and film studios around Los Angeles, occasionally appearing on screen. Mitchell also appeared in documentaries aboutTal Farlow andZoot Sims.
SaxophonistHarold Land and Mitchell founded and co-led a quintet in the early 1960s.[2]
Mitchell moved toStockholm in 1968.[3] He won Sweden'sGrammis Award in 1986 and again in 1991, for his recorded performances as a pianist, bassist, and vocalist, and for his compositions and poetic song lyrics.
During this period, Mitchell performed and/or recorded withClark Terry,Lee Konitz,Herb Ellis,Jim Hall,Joe Pass,Kenny Barron,Hank Jones,Ben Webster,Bill Mays,Warne Marsh,Jimmy Rowles,Phil Woods,Roger Kellaway,Putte Wickman and others. He frequently collaborated in duos, most notably with pianist Kellaway after the mid-1980s.
The Swedish government awarded Mitchell theIllis quorum in 1992.[4]
Returning to the United States in early 1992, Mitchell settled inOregon,[2] where he died of a stroke at age 65 on November 8, 1992.[5]
A collection of his poetry was published posthumously. His widow is preparing a biography.[as of?]
Mitchell used standard tuning during the 1950s and for the first half of the 1960s, and produced sound similar to his professional jazz bass peers.[6] However, "in 1966 he switched to cello tuning on his bass (C-G-D-A, an octave below the cello, instead of the standard E-A-D-G). At the same time, he began adjusting the tone controls of his amplifier to create a soft, unfocused sound in the lowest notes and to emphasize the upper harmonics in higher notes. The result was an airy tone quality that sounded gentle, not muscular. This airy tone and his frequent habit of strumming the strings with his right thumb contributed greatly to his unusual style."[6]
WithMose Allison
WithGene Ammons
WithFrankie Avalon
WithChet Baker
WithLouis Bellson
WithPaul Bley
WithBob Brookmeyer
WithRed Callender
WithBuddy Collette
WithTony Crombie
WithBobby Darin
WithMaynard Ferguson
WithTommy Flanagan
WithJimmy Giuffre
WithJim Hall
WithHerbie Harper
WithHampton Hawes
WithPaul Horn
WithBillie Holiday
WithStan Kenton
WithBarney Kessel
WithKarin Krog
WithJohnny Mandel
WithShelly Manne
WithWarne Marsh
WithGil Mellé
WithJack Montrose
WithGerry Mulligan
WithBill Perkins andRichie Kamuca
WithAndré Previn
WithDella Reese
WithShorty Rogers
WithDick Rosmini
WithPete Rugolo
WithGeorge Russell
WithBud Shank
WithZoot Sims
WithFrank Sinatra
With Pierre Strom
WithClark Terry
WithCal Tjader
WithBen Webster
WithMagni Wentzel
WithJoe Sample
Red Mitchell, a Swedish resident for 14 years, is getting to spend more and more time back home these days and had to come from New York for his ...
Keith "Red" Mitchell, a jazz bassist who played with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie and Billie Mitchell ...[dead link]
