Rodney Whitaker

Rodney Whitaker (born February 22, 1968) is an American jazz double bass player and educator.

Biography Born in Detroit, Whitaker attended Wayne State University, and studied with Robert Gladstone, principal bass with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and trumpeter Marcus Belgrave.

He achieved recognition performing with Terence Blanchard's Quintet and then with Roy Hargrove. His own first album Children of the Light was released in 1996.

His score for the film China, directed by Jeff Wray, was released on PBS in 2002.

In 2006, Whitaker was nominated for the Juno Award Traditional Jazz Album of the Year for Let Me Tell You About My Day, his album in collaboration with Phil Dwyer and Alan Jones.

Whitaker is professor of jazz double bass and director of jazz studies at Michigan State University's College of Music.

Discography

As leader Outrospection: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2021) Cranbrook Christmas Jazz (Origin Records, 2021) Common Ground: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2019) with Terrell Stafford, Tim Warfield, Bruce Barth, Dana Hall, Rockelle Fortin All Too Soon: The Music of Duke Ellington (Origin Records, 2019) When We Find Ourselves Alone (Mack Avenue, 2014) Children of the Light (DIW, 1995) with Nicholas Payton, Wallace Roney Hidden Kingdom (DIW, 1997) with Carter, Ron Blake, Gerald Cleaver The Brooklyn Session: Ballads and Blues (Criss Cross, 1998) with Wycliffe Gordon, Stefon Harris Yesterday Today and Tomorrow (Sirocco Jazz, 1999) with Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Dianne Reeves Get Ready (Mack Avenue, 2007) with Carl Allen Work to Do (Mack Avenue, 2008) with Carl Allen When We Find Ourselves Alone (Mack Avenue, 2014) Common Ground: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2019) All Too Soon: The Music of Duke Ellington (Origin Records, 2019) Cranbrook Christmas Jazz (Origin Records, 2021) with The Christ Church Cranbrook Choir Outrospection: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2021) Oasis: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin Records, 2022) He taught a class at Centennial High School Champaign IL

11/25/25 Went to champaign Centennial High school and taught a jazz class.

Collaborations Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival – 2013 (Mack Avenue, 2014)

As sideman Mora, Francisco Mora, AACE, 1986 Wait Broke the Wagon Down, Wendell Harrison, Wenha, 1986 Terence Blanchard, Terence Blanchard/Branford Marsalis, Columbia, 1991 Don't You Know I Care, Antonio Hart, RCA/Novus, 1991 The Old & the New, Shawn "Thunder" Wallace, MiJaWa, 1991 Simply Stated, Terence Blanchard, Columbia, 1992 Of Kindred Souls w/ 4 Originals, Roy Hargrove, RCA/Novus, 1992 A Portrait of You, Donald Walden, Jazz Works, 1992 Vibe, Roy Hargrove, RCA/Novus, 1992 It's All Right to Swing, Eric Reed/Wynton Marsalis, Mo Jazz, 1993 Crusin', Junko Onishi, EMI, 1993 Jmukai Quintet, Mukai, EMI, 1993 True Blue, Mark Whitfield, Verve/Polygram, 1994 Monk's Modern Music, Rick Roe, Unknown, 1994 With the Tenors of Our Time, Roy Hargrove, Verve/Polygram, 1994 Approaching Standards, Roy Hargrove, BMG/Novus, 1994 Roy Hargrove & Friends, Roy Hargrove, Verve/Polygram, 1995 The Swing & I, Eric Reed, Mo Jazz, 1995 Chicago, New York, Paris, Johnny Griffin, Verve/Polygram, 1995 Family, Roy Hargrove, Verve, 1995 Piano Quintet Suite, Junko Onishi, Blue Note, 1995 My Generation, Teodross Avery, Impulse, 1995 Collage, Keith Saxton, Kevin Hole, 1996 Pursuance–The Music of John Coltrane, Kenny Garrett, Warner Bros., 1996 Kevin, Mahogany, Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros., 1996 A Grand Encounter, Dianne Reeves, Blue Note, 1996 The Change Over, Rick Roe, Unknown, 1996 Wholly Cat's, Russell Malone, 1996 Live @ The Kerry Town Concert Hall, Phil Lasley, 1996 Kamau, Charles Sullivan, 1995 Penn's Landing, Clarence Penn, Criss Cross, 1996 Tenor Time, Joe Lovano, Blue Note, 1997 Jackie Mac's Bag, Milan Simich, Hip Bop, 1997 Collected Roy Hargrove, Roy Hargrove, Verve, 1998 Collected Antonio Hart, Antonio Hart, Novus/BMG, 1998 Foresight, Foresight, N2K, 1998 Introducing Orin Evans, Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1998 Dennis Jeter, Dennis Jeter, Jeter Productions, 1998 Francisco Mora, Francisco Mora, Community, 1998 Captain Black, Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1998 Focusing the Vision, Vincent York, Vincent York, 1998 Andrew Speight Quartet, Andrew Speight, ABC/EMI, 1998 A Mingus & a Monk Among Us, Donald Walden, Jazz Works, 1998 Bluestone, Joh Yamada, Alfa, 1999 Slidin' Home, Wycliffe Gordon, Nagel/Heyer, 1999 Live from Swing City, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Sony, 1999 Big Train, Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 1999 Marciac Suite, Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 1999 Reflections in Change, Craig Handy, Sirocco Music, 1999 Grown Fold Bizness, Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1999 To Those We Love So Dearly, Victor Goines, Rosemary Joseph, 1999 Title Unknown–Soon To Be Released, Alex Graham, 1999 Double Duke, Joe Temperely, Naxos, 1999 The Search, Wycliffe Gordon, Nagel/Heyer, 1999 Live @ Blue Note, Jaz Sawyer & Irvin Mayfield, Half Note, 2000 Uptown Lowdown "A Salute to D" , Nagel/Heyer/All Stars, Nagel/Heyer, 2000 Watch What You're Doin' , Herlin Riley, Criss Cross, 2000 Sweet Release, Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 2000 Reflections & Change, Craig Handy, Sirocco Jazz, 2000 Flow, Craig Handy, Sirocco Jazz, 2000 A Portrait of Kevin Mahogany, Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros., 2000 Hymn for Roscoe Mitchell, Stephen Rush Quartet, 2000 Olive Tree, Walter Blanding, Criss Cross, 2000 Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, Rodney Whitaker, Sirrocco Jazz, 2001 Play Penn, Clarence Penn Quintet, Criss Cross, 2001 Introducing Peter Baits, Peter Baits, Criss Cross, 2001 Introducing Milt Grayson, Milt Grayson, 2001 All Rise, Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 2001 Penns Landing, Clarence Penn–Criss Cross, 2003 Dameronia–Donald Walden & The Detroit Jazz Orchestra–Jazz Works, 2003 Louis Armstrong's Jazz Curriculum CD Series–LCJO–Warner Bros., 2003 Introducing: Peter Baits – Peter Baits, Criss Cross, 2003 We Got It – Matt Ray – Label Unknown, 2003 E–Bop – Eric Reed – Savant, 2003 Joyride – Wycliffe Gordon – Nagel/Heyer, 2003 Flow – Craig Handy – Sirrocco Jazz, 2003 Third Floor – Professors of Jazz @ MSU – MSU Jazz, 2003 Freewheelin' – Jazz Compilation – Arkadia, 2003 Hip Bop Essence – All Star – Hip Bop, 2003 Soul Trinity–Volume One – Frederick Sanders – FreSan, 2003 Winter Moon–Rodney Whitaker–Sirocco Jazz Ltd., 2004 Let Me Tell You About My Day – 2004 Alan Jones, 2004 Unforgivable Blackness–DVD–Wynton Marsalis/Ken Burns, 2004 Sphere–Rick Roe–Unknown Records, 2005 The Good Life–Alex Graham–Origin, 2005 Here–Eric Reed–Max Jazz, 2006 Shades of Green–Ron DiSalvio w/Jimmy Cobb–Label N/A, 2006 World Trade Music–Francisco Catlett–Mora–Label N/A, 2006 Get Ready–Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker–Mack Avenue, 2007 Work to Do–Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker–Mack Avenue, 2008 Maureen Choi Quartet–Maureen Choi Music, 2010 WomanChild–Cécile McLorin Salvant–Mack Avenue, 2013