George Tucker (musician)

George Andrew Tucker (December 10, 1927, in Palatka, Florida – October 10, 1965, in New York City) was an American jazz double-bassist.

Career

Tucker studied bass at the New York Conservatory of Modern Music in the late 1940s.[1] Early in his career, he played with Earl Bostic, John Coltrane, and Jackie McLean. He worked in the house bands of several lauded New York jazz venues, such as the Continental Lounge, The Playhouse, and Minton's; he played with Eric Dolphy, Clifford Jordan, Horace Parlan, Booker Ervin, Jerome Richardson, and Junior Mance during this time. In 1958, he recorded with Melba Liston on her jazz classic, Melba Liston and Her 'Bones. In 1960–61 he recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Parlan, Ervin, Dexter Gordon, and Shirley Scott, and in 1962–63 he toured with the trio of Dave Lambert, John Hendricks and Yolande Bavan. Near the end of his life Tucker recorded with Coleman Hawkins and Jaki Byard.

George Tucker died from a cerebral hemorrhage while performing with guitarist Kenny Burrell.[2]

Discography

As sideman

With Jaki Byard

With Ted Curson

With Walt Dickerson

With Eric Dolphy

With Lou Donaldson

With Booker Ervin

With Curtis Fuller

With Dexter Gordon

With Bennie Green

With Slide Hampton

With John Handy

With Willis Jackson

With Etta Jones

With Clifford Jordan

With Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan

With Melba Liston

With Gildo Mahones

With Junior Mance

With Charles McPherson

With Jackie McLean

With Oliver Nelson

With Horace Parlan

With Dave Pike

With Pony Poindexter

With Sonny Red

With Freddie Redd

With Jerome Richardson

With Shirley Scott

With Zoot Sims

With Johnny "Hammond" Smith

With Buddy Tate

With Lucky Thompson

With Stanley Turrentine

With Jimmy Witherspoon

With Jimmy Woods

References

  1. ^ Feather, Leonard G. (1960). "Tucker, George Andrew". The Encyclopedia of Jazz (Revised ed.). New York: Horizon Press. p. 466. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ Monson, Ingrid (1996). Saying Something: Jazz Improvisation and Interaction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 178. ISBN 0226534774. OCLC 1036846306. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Internet Archive.

Works cited