Oscar Pettiford

Oscar Pettiford (September 30, 1922 – September 8, 1960) was an American jazz double bassist and composer. He was one of the earliest musicians to work in the bebop idiom.

Jazz bassist Christian McBride called Pettiford "probably the most important bass player of that bebop generation in terms of creating new language for the bass."

Early life

Pettiford was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, United States.

He grew up playing in the family band, in which he sang and danced before switching to piano at the age of 12, then to double bass when he was 14. He first played the cello as a practical joke on his band leader Woody Herman. In the middle of a double bass solo, Pettiford surprised everyone by abruptly exiting the stage; soon thereafter, he further surprised Herman and the rest of his bandmates by returning to the bandstand with a cello, on which he played the remainder of his solo. Later, after suffering a broken arm in 1949, Pettiford found it impossible to play his bass, so he experimented with a cello a friend had lent him. Tuning it in fourths, like a double bass, but one octave higher, Pettiford found it possible to perform during his rehabilitation (during which time his arm was in a sling), and made his first recordings with the instrument in 1950. The cello thus became his secondary instrument, and he continued to perform and record with it throughout the remainder of his career.

Death Pettiford died in 1960 in Copenhagen, shortly before his 38th birthday, from a virus closely related to polio.

Discography Pettiford headlining with Erroll Garner and J. C. Heard at Three Deuces nightclub on 52nd Street, July 1948 (photograph by William P. Gottlieb).

As leader Bass Hits (Topaz, 1943–46) The New Oscar Pettiford Sextet (Debut, 1953) Oscar Pettiford Sextet (Vogue, 1954) Oscar Pettiford (Bethlehem, 1954) Basically Duke (Bethlehem, 1954) Another One (Bethlehem, 1955) Oscar Pettiford Volume 2 (1956) The Oscar Pettiford Orchestra in Hi-Fi (ABC-Paramount, 1956) The Oscar Pettiford Orchestra in Hi-Fi Volume Two (ABC-Paramount, 1957) Discoveries (Savoy, 1952-57 ) Winner's Circle (Bethlehem, 1957) with John Coltrane Vienna Blues – The Complete Session (Black Lion, 1959) with Hans Koller, Attila Zoller, Jimmy Pratt The Complete Essen Jazz Festival Concert, (Black Lion, 1960) with Coleman Hawkins, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke My Little Cello (Debut, 1960) also released as Last Recordings of the Late Great Bassist and Montmartre Blues First Bass (IAJRC, 1953-60 ) Blue Brothers, (Black Lion, 1959-60 )

As sideman Ralph Burns and Leonard Feather: Winter Sequence (MGM, 1954) Kenny Burrell: Swingin' (Blue Note, 1956 [rel. 1980]) Art Blakey: Drum Suite (Columbia, 1957) The Birdlanders: Vol. 2 (OJC, 1954) with Kai Winding, Al Cohn, Tal Farlow, Duke Jordan, Max Roach, Denzil Best Sid Catlett: 1944–1946 (Classics) Teddy Charles: 3 for Duke (Jubilee/London,1957) Jimmy Cleveland: Introducing Jimmy Cleveland and His All Stars (EmArcy, 1955) Earl Coleman: Earl Coleman Returns (Prestige, 1956) Chris Connor & John Lewis Quartet: Chris Connor (Atlantic) Miles Davis: The Musings of Miles (Prestige) Miles Davis: Miles Davis Volume 1/Miles Davis Volume 2 (Blue Note, 1952–54) Kenny Dorham: Jazz Contrasts (OJC, 1957) Afro-Cuban (Blue Note, 1955) Duke Ellington: Carnegie Hall Concert January 1946 (Prestige) Duke Ellington: Carnegie Hall Concert December 1947 (Prestige); 1947–1948 (Classics), 1949–1950 (Classics), Great Times! (OJC, 1950) (includes "Perdido", "Blues for Blanton") Tal Farlow: Jazz Masters 41 (Verve 1955–58); Finest Hour (Verve, 1955–58) Leonard Feather: 1937–1945 (Classics) Dizzy Gillespie: 1945 (Classics) Urbie Green: East Coast Series Vol. 6 (Bethlehem, 1956) Jimmy Hamilton & The New York Jazz Quintet (Fresh Sound Rec.) Coleman Hawkins: Rainbow Mist (Delmark, 1944 ), The Hawk Flies High (OJC, 1957) Ernie Henry: Last Chorus (Riverside, 1956–57) Woody Herman: Keeper Of the Flame (Capitol, 1948–49) Earl Hines Trio: Fats Waller Memorial (Signature SI-l-lA/B etc.) Johnny Hodges: Caravan (Prestige, 1947–51) Helen Humes: 1927–1945 (Classics) Milt Jackson: Ballads & Blues (Atlantic, 1956) Milt Jackson: Plenty, Plenty Soul (Atlantic, 1957) Milt Jackson: "Soul Brothers" (with Ray Charles) (Atlantic, 1958) Lee Konitz / Warne Marsh Quintet (Atlantic, 1955) Herbie Mann: Sultry Serenade (Riverside, 1957), Salute to the Flute (Epic, 1957) Helen Merrill: Helen Merrill (Emarcy, 1954), Dream of You (Emarcy, 1957) Thelonious Monk: Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington (Riverside, 1955), The Unique Thelonious Monk (Riverside, 1956), Brilliant Corners (Riverside, 1956) Phineas Newborn, Jr.: Here Is Phineas (Atlantic, 1956) Joe Newman & Zoot Sims: Locking Horns (Rama, 1957) Leo Parker: Prestige First Sessions: Volume 1 (Prestige, 1950) Red Rodney: Red Rodney (ONYX 1957) Max Roach: Deeds, Not Words (Riverside, 1958) Joe Roland: Joltin' Joe Roland (Savoy, 1955) Sonny Rollins: Freedom Suite (Riverside, 1958) Charlie Rouse: Les Jazz Modes (Dawn, 1956) Sahib Shihab: Jazz Sahib (Savoy, 1957) Sonny Stitt: Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones (Roost, 1955) Billy Strayhorn: Great Times! (Riverside, 1950) Art Tatum: The Art Of Tatum (ASV, 32-44) Clark Terry: Clark Terry (EmArcy, 1955) Lucky Thompson: Accent on Tenor Sax (FSR, 1954) Lucky Thompson: Tricotism (Impulse, 1956) George Wallington: The George Wallington Trios (Prestige, 1952–53) Julius Watkins: Julius Watkins Sextet (Blue Note, 1954–55)