Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer.^[1]

Biography[edit]

Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation from Sacramento High School, he entered the United States Air Force as a trumpet player. During that period he began to be seriously interested in the bass.

After fulfilling his duties in the military, Rufus had decided he wanted to pursue a career as a professional bassist. He moved to Seattle, Washington, where he began serious study with James Harnett of the Seattle Symphony. He continued his education at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied with Warren Benfield and principal bassist, Joseph Guastefeste, both of the Chicago Symphony. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Music Degree as a Performance Major on the Double Bass.

Rufus Reid's major professional career began in Chicago and continues since 1976 in New York City. Playing with hundreds of the world's greatest musicians, he is famously the bassist that saxophonist Dexter Gordon chose when he returned to the states from his decade-long exile in Denmark. His colleagues include Thad Jones, Nancy Wilson, Eddie Harris, and Bob Berg.

Reid has been a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey.^[2][1]

Discography[edit]

As leader[edit]

• 
  Terrestial Dance Rufus Reid Trio w/SIRIUS QUARTET ( Newvelle Records - Vinyl only)


• 
  Quiet Pride - The Elizabeth Catlett Project ( Motéma Music )


• 
  Hues of a Different Blue (Motéma)


• 
  Out Front (Motéma)


• 
  Live at the Kennedy Center (Motéma)


• 
  The Gait Keeper (Sunnyside)


• 
  Perpetual Stroll (Theresa)


• 
  Seven Minds (Sunnyside)


• 
  Corridor To The Limits (Sunnyside)


• 
  Myrth Song, with Harold Danko
  


• 
  Yours and Mine (Concord)


• 
  Passing Thoughts (Concord)


• 
  Blue Motion (Evidence)


• 
  Looking Forward (Evidence)


• 
  Back to Front (Evidence)


• 
  Double Bass Delights, with Michael Moore (Double-Time)


• 
  Intimacy of the Bass, with Michael Moore (Double-Time)


• 
  Song for Luis, with Ron Jackson (Mastermix)


• 
  Alone Together, with Peter Ind (Wave)

As sideman[edit]

Books[edit]

• 
  The Evolving Bassist (1974) (2nd edition: .mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
  ISBN 978-0-9676015-0-2)

Contributions to education[edit]

• 
  Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops


• Stanford Jazz Workshop


• The Lake Placid Institute


• Professor Emeritus,^[3]William Paterson University, Jazz Studies and Performance program (1979–1999)


• The "Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists" Annual Bass Conference


• The Sligo Jazz Project


• Bass Coalition Summer Workshop

Awards and honors[edit]

• 1997 Humanitarian Award, International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE)
  


• 1998 Jazz Educator Achievement Award, Bass Player
  


• 1999 Outstanding Educator, New Jersey Chapter of the IAJE


• 2001 Distinguished Achievement Award, International Society of Bassists
  


• 2005 Mellon Jazz Living Legacy Award, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation
  


• 2006 Award, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Composition Competition, administered by University of Connecticut
  


• 2006 Fellowship, New Jersey State Council on the Arts


• 2006 ASCAP/IAJE Strayhorn Commission Recipient


• 2008 Guggenheim Fellowship, Creative Arts/Music Composition category^[4]


• Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Award ("Skies Over Emilia")

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official site


• Stanford Jazz Workshop


• 
  Rufus Reid at Motéma Music
  


• 
  Rufus Reid Interview NAMM Oral History Program (2005)