Chuck Israels

Charles H. Israels (born August 10, 1936) is an American jazz composer, arranger, and bassist who is best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio. He has also worked with Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, Herbie Hancock, J. J. Johnson, John Coltrane, and Judy Collins. He has won one Grammy in 2020 for his work on mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato's album "Songplay".

Biography Born in New York City, Chuck Israels was raised in a musical family which moved to Cleveland, Ohio, when he was 10. His stepfather Mordecai Bauman was a singer who performed extensively with composer Hanns Eisler. He, along with Israels's mother, Irma Commanday, created a home environment in which music was a part of normal daily activity. Paul Robeson, Pete Seeger, and The Weavers were visitors to the Bauman home. In 1948, the appearance of Louis Armstrong's All Stars in a concert series produced by his parents gave him his first opportunity to meet and hear jazz musicians.

In college, Israels had the opportunity to perform with Billie Holiday. His first professional job after college was working with pianist Bud Powell in Paris. His first professional recording was Stereo Drive (aka Coltrane Time) with John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, Kenny Dorham, and Louis Hayes. The recording showcased Israels as a composer with his composition "Double Clutching". Israels is best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio from 1961 through 1966, having replaced the deceased Scott LaFaro, and for the Jazz Repertory as Director of the National Jazz Ensemble from 1973 to 1981. He made recordings with Kronos Quartet and Rosemary Clooney in 1985. He was the Director of Jazz Studies at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington until 2010. In 2011, he created the Chuck Israels Jazz Orchestra and recorded Second Wind: A Tribute to the Music of Bill Evans in 2013. In 2020 Chuck Israels received a GRAMMY for his work on mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato's album "Songplay".

Humphrey Lyttelton, presenting Jazz 625 in 1965, said that Israels was "a superb technician who handles the double bass as easily as if it were a guitar... Chuck Israels is one of the reasons why musicians have come reeling away from performances by the Bill Evans Trio in a mood poised between elation and utter despair."

In the 1970s, singer/songwriter Paul Simon studied harmony/music theory with Israels prior to recording his "Still Crazy After All These Years" album and he credits Israel with influencing him to write songs for the album that were more harmonically complex. Israels is thanked on the back cover of the album.

Discography As leader Year Album Group 1976 National Jazz Ensemble Vol. 2 National Jazz Ensemble 1992 Meeting on Hvar Chuck Israels International Trio 1998 The Eindhoven Concert Chuck Israels and the Metropole Orchestra with Claudio Roditi 1999 The Bellingham Sessions Chuck Israels Quartet 2013 Chaconne a Son Gout Chuck Israels Quartet 2008 Convergence Chuck Israels Trio 2012 It's Nice to Be with You Chuck Israels Trio 2013 Second Wind: A Tribute to the Music of Bill Evans Chuck Israels Jazz Orchestra 1975 National Jazz Ensemble National Jazz Ensemble 2015 Joyful Noise: The Music of Horace Silver Chuck Israels Jazz Orchestra 2016 Garden of Delights Chuck Israels Jazz Orchestra

As sideman Year Album Main Artist 1976 End of a Rainbow Patti Austin 1963 Something's Coming! Gary Burton 1959 Stereo Drive (aka Coltrane Time) Cecil Taylor 1985 Rosemary Clooney Sings Ballads Rosemary Clooney 1961 Eric Dolphy in Europe Eric Dolphy 1962 Nirvana Bill Evans and Herbie Mann 1962 Moon Beams Bill Evans 1962 How My Heart Sings! Bill Evans 1962 Time Remembered Bill Evans 1964 The Bill Evans Trio "Live" Bill Evans 1963 At Shelly's Manne-Hole Bill Evans 1964 Waltz for Debby Bill Evans, Monica Zetterlund 1964 The Judy Collins Concert Judy Collins 1965 Trio '65 Bill Evans 1965 Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra Bill Evans 1966 Bill Evans at Town Hall Bill Evans 1961 A Day in the City Don Friedman 1962 Circle Waltz Don Friedman 1964 Getz Au Go Go Stan Getz 1965 Here and Now Hampton Hawes 1963 My Point of View Herbie Hancock 1963 Impressions of Cleopatra Paul Horn 1963 J. J.'s Broadway J. J. Johnson 1963 New Jazz on Campus Paul Winter 1960 George Russell Sextet at the Five Spot George Russell 1960 Stratusphunk George Russell 1961 George Russell Sextet in K.C. George Russell 1963 Eddie Costa: Memorial Concert Coleman Hawkins and Clark Terry 1966 The Doors of Perception Dave Pike 1973 Mizrab Gábor Szabó 1974 Phoebe Snow Phoebe Snow 1985 Monk Suite: Kronos Quartet Plays Music of Thelonious Monk Kronos Quartet 1978 Baltimore Nina Simone 1998 An Evening With Herb Ellis Herb Ellis 2010 Barry Harris in Spain Barry Harris 2005 Strictly Confidential Jon Mayer 1965 Fifth Album Judy Collins 1966 No Dirty Names Dave Van Ronk