Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

August 6, 1937 in Shenandoah, IA

Death

:

July 11, 2014 in Los Angeles, CA

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Vocal

 

Charlie Haden was a renowned American jazz bassist and composer who was born on August 6, 1937, in Shenandoah, Iowa. He was the youngest of four children and grew up in a musical family. His parents, Carl and Ellen Haden, were both musicians who played in a country band called the Haden Family. Charlie's older brothers, Carl Jr. and Jim, also played music, and the family often performed together. Charlie began playing the bass at the age of 14 and quickly became proficient on the instrument. He played in his family's band and also performed with local jazz groups. In 1957, he moved to Los Angeles to attend the Westlake College of Music. While in Los Angeles, he began playing with some of the top jazz musicians of the time, including Ornette Coleman, Paul Bley, and Art Pepper. In 1959, Haden joined Coleman's quartet, which included Don Cherry on trumpet and Billy Higgins on drums. The group's music was groundbreaking and controversial, as it eschewed traditional jazz structures and relied heavily on improvisation. Haden's bass playing was a key component of the group's sound, and he became known for his melodic and expressive solos. Haden continued to work with Coleman throughout the 1960s, playing on classic albums like "The Shape of Jazz to Come" and "Change of the Century." He also played with other jazz luminaries like John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett, and Archie Shepp. In the 1970s, Haden formed his own group, the Liberation Music Orchestra. The group was a large ensemble that combined jazz with political and social commentary. The group's first album, "Liberation Music Orchestra," was released in 1970 and featured arrangements of songs by revolutionary composers like Hanns Eisler and Bertolt Brecht. The group's second album, "The Ballad of the Fallen," was released in 1982 and focused on the struggles of oppressed people around the world. Haden continued to record and perform throughout the 1980s and 1990s, both as a solo artist and with various groups. He also began to explore his roots in country music, recording albums like "The Haden Triplets" with his sisters Tanya and Rachel. In 2005, Haden released "Not in Our Name," an album that was a response to the Iraq War. The album featured Haden's Quartet West, as well as guest appearances by vocalists like Carla Bley and Michael Brecker. The album was critically acclaimed and earned Haden a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album. Haden continued to record and perform until his death on July 11, 2014, at the age of 76. He left behind a legacy as one of the most influential bassists in jazz history, as well as a composer who used his music to comment on the world around him.

More....