Hamiet Bluiett

Hamiet Bluiett (; September 16, 1940 – October 4, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. His primary instrument was the baritone saxophone, and he was considered one of the finest players of this instrument. A member of the World Saxophone Quartet, he also played (and recorded with) the bass saxophone, E-flat alto clarinet, E-flat contra-alto clarinet, and wooden flute.

Biography Bluiett was born just north of East St. Louis in Brooklyn, Illinois (also known as Lovejoy), a predominantly African-American village that had been founded as a free black refuge community in the 1830s, and which later became America's first majority-black town. As a child, he studied piano, trumpet, and clarinet, but was attracted most strongly to the baritone saxophone from the age of ten. He began his musical career by playing the clarinet for barrelhouse dances in Brooklyn, Illinois, before joining the Navy band in 1961.

He remained a champion of the somewhat unwieldy baritone saxophone, organizing large groups of baritone saxophones. In the 1980s, he also founded the Clarinet Family,

Discography As leader 1976: Endangered Species (India Navigation) 1977: Bars (Musica) 1977: Resolution (Black Saint) 1978: Birthright (India Navigation) 1979: Im/Possible to Keep (India Navigation) 1981: Dangerously Suite (Soul Note) 1984: Ebu (Soul Note) 1987: The Clarinet Family (Black Saint) 1991: If You Have To Ask You Don't Need To Know (Tutu) 1993: Nali Kola (Soul Note) 1993: Sankofa / Rear Garde (Soul Note) 1994: Bearer of the Holy Flame (Black Fire) 1995: Young Warrior, Old Warrior (Mapleshade) 1996: Bluiett's Barbecue Band (Mapleshade) 1997: Live at the Village Vanguard - Ballads & Blues (Soul Note) 1997: Makin' Whoopee: Tribute to the King Cole Trio (Mapleshade) 1997: Hamiet Bluiett & Concept: Live at Carlos 1 (Justin Time, 1997) 1997: Hamiet Bluiett & Concept: Live at Carlos 1: Another Night (Justin Time, 1997) 1998: Hamiet Bluiett & Concept: Live at Carlos 1: Last Night (Justin Time, 1998) 1998: Bluiett Baritone Saxophone Group Live at the Knitting Factory (Knitting Factory) 1998: Bluiett Baritone Nation: Libation for the Baritone Saxophone Nation (Justin Time) 1999: Join Us (Justin Time) (with D. D. Jackson and Mor Thiam) 2000: With Eyes Wide Open (Justin Time) 2001: The Calling with D. D. Jackson and Kahil El'Zabar 2002: Blueblack

With the World Saxophone Quartet Title Year Label Point of No Return 1977 Moers Steppin' with the World Saxophone Quartet 1979 Black Saint W.S.Q. 1981 Black Saint Revue 1982 Black Saint Live in Zurich 1984 Black Saint Live at Brooklyn Academy of Music 1986 Black Saint Plays Duke Ellington 1986 Elektra / Nonesuch Dances and Ballads 1987 Elektra / Nonesuch Rhythm and Blues 1989 Elektra / Nonesuch Metamorphosis 1991 Elektra / Nonesuch Moving Right Along 1993 Black Saint Breath of Life 1994 Elektra / Nonesuch Four Now 1996 Justin Time Takin' It 2 the Next Level 1996 Justin Time Selim Sivad: a Tribute to Miles Davis 1998 Justin Time Requiem for Julius 2000 Justin Time 25th Anniversary: The New Chapter 2001 Justin Time Steppenwolf 2002 Justin Time Experience 2004 Justin Time Political Blues 2006 Justin Time Yes We Can 2010 Jazzwerkstatt

As sideman With The 360 Degree Music Experience In: Sanity (Black Saint, 1976) With Lester Bowie The Great Pretender (ECM, 1981) With Anthony Braxton New York, Fall 1974 (Arista, 1974) With James Carter Conversin' with the Elders (Atlantic, 1996) Out of Nowhere (Half Note, 2005) With Andrew Cyrille Route de Frères (Tum, 2011) With Gil Evans Live at the Public Theater (New York 1980) (Trio, 1981) Bud and Bird (Electric Bird/King, 1986 ) Farewell (Evidence, 1986 ) With Craig Harris F-Stops (Soul Note, 1993) With Abdullah Ibrahim The Journey (Chiaroscuro, 1977) With Charles Mingus Mingus at Carnegie Hall (Atlantic, 1974) With David Murray Now Is Another Time (Justin Time, 2003) With the Music Revelation Ensemble In the Name of... (DIW, 1994) Knights of Power (DIW, 1996) With Sam Rivers' Rivbea All-star Orchestra Inspiration (BMG France, 1999) Culmination (BMG France, 1999) With Malachi Thompson Talking Horns (Delmark, 2001) with Oliver Lake With Randy Weston and Melba Liston Volcano Blues (Verve, 1993)