Avery Sharpe
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Avery Sharpe (born August 23, 1954) is an American
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
double-bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched chordophone in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions such as the octobass). It has ...
ist, electric bassist, composer, educator and founder of the artist-owned record label, JKNM Records. Sharpe has a distinguished percussive and rhythmic approach on double bass. He incorporates the Hum-a-long (vocal scatting with the bowed bass) bass technique, popularized by Leroy "Slam" Stewart and Major "Mule" Holly, into his playing. Sharpe was first bought to prominence by tenor saxophonist
Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...
and drummer
Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...
, but is best known for his longtime association with pianist
McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965, and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA J ...
from 1980 to 2003. He recorded more than 20 records with Tyner.


Early life

Sharpe's first instrument was the piano, which he started playing at eight years old. His mother, Evelyn, was a pianist and choir director in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) and she gave lessons to Sharpe, as well as to his seven other siblings. Sharpe also studied the accordion in his youth and ultimately the electric bass. While attending the
University of Massachusetts, Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. It is the Flagship university, flagship campus of the Univer ...
, Sharpe studied double bass with
Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey, in addition to Alice Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Max Roach, Archie Shepp, Tri ...
, and also studied with
Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He wo ...
,
Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...
, Horace Boyer and Fred Tillis. He played the double and electric bass in gospel, funk, rock groups, jazz band and orchestra.


Biography

He played as a sideman with
Yusef Lateef Yusef Abdul Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston; October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and prominent figure among the Ahmadiyya Community in the United States. Although Lateef's main i ...
, Ricky Ford, and Joe Ford, among others. As a leader, he has released on
Sunnyside Records Sunnyside Records is an American jazz record company and label initially established by François Zalacain in 1982 to release an album by pianist Harold Danko. Albums by Kirk Lightsey and Lee Konitz soon followed, beginning a sequence of releases ...
, and several albums on his own label, JKNM. Avery Sharpe has multiple roles at
Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim ...
, as an Artist Associate and Jazz Coach. He serves additional roles at Williams College; as Faculty Advisor for the Williams Gospel Choir and as affiliation with the Africana Studies department.


Personal life

Sharpe's parents, James and Evelyn (Green) Sharpe, had eight children, of whom Avery was the sixth-born. He married his high school sweetheart Cheryl ( Scott) after college and they have four children. He is a health enthusiast and has promoted vegan/plant based lifestyle and physical training since 1977.


Compositions

In 1989, he wrote and conducted the soundtrack for the movie An Unremarkable Life. In the 1990s, Sharpe was commissioned by Fideleo to write three extended works. In 2004, he wrote a musical portrait for the stage for Chamber Music Plus. Sharpe and actress/dancer
Jasmine Guy Jasmine Chanel Guy (born March 10, 1962) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and director. She portrayed Dina in the 1988 film ''School Daze'' and Whitley Gilbert-Wayne on the NBC ''The Cosby Show'' spin-off '' A Different World'', which or ...
are featured in the stage production of ''Raisin’ Cane''. His composition "January in Brazil" is on McCoy Tyner's Grammy Award-winning big band album "Journey". Sharpe has been commissioned by the Springfield Symphony Orchestra on multiple occasions. Sharpe debuted his six-movement piece America's Promise with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, he was commissioned to write a Concerto for Jazz Trio and Orchestra, which premiered in 2007 with
Kevin Eubanks Kevin Tyrone Eubanks (born November 15, 1957) is an American jazz and fusion guitarist and composer. He was the leader of The Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led the Primetime Band on the short-lived ''The Jay Le ...
on acoustic guitar.


400: An African American Musical Portrait

Sharpe released an album in 2019 titled "400: An African American Musical Portrait", which is in reference to the 400th anniversary of the first African slaves were brought to
Jamestown, Virginia The Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent British colonization of the Americas, English settlement in the Americas. It was located on the northeast bank of the James River, about southwest of present-day Willia ...
in 1619 by the Dutch. The album utilizes many styles, to feature the African American musical tradition.


Awards

Sharpe has been awarded the NAACP Martin Luther King Jr Special Achievement Award, National Endowment for the Arts Grants, and the New England Foundation for the Arts Achievement in Jazz Award (1997).


Discography


As leader

* ''Unspoken Words'' ( Sunnyside, 1988) * ''Extended Family'' (JKNM, 1993) * ''Extended Family, Vol. 2: Thoughts of My Ancestors'' (JKNM, 1995) * ''Extended Family, Vol. 3: Family Values'' (JKNM, 2001) * ''Dragon Fly'' (JKNM, 2005) * ''Epic Ebony Journey'' (JKNM, 2005) * ''Legends and Mentors'' (JKNM, 2008) * ''Autumn Moonlight'' (JKNM, 2009) * ''Avery Sharpe Trio Live'' (JKNM, 2010) * ''Raisn' Cane (musical excerpts from the play with Jasmine Guy and the Avery Sharpe Trio)'' (JKNM, 2010) * ''Running Man'' (JKNM, 2011) * ''Sojourner Truth “. . . ain’t I a woman?” '' (JKNM, 2012) *''Sharpe Meets Tharpe- A tribute to Sister Rosett'' (JKNM, 2016) *''400: An African American Musical Portrait'' (JKNM, 2019)


As sideman

With
McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965, and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA J ...
* '' La Leyenda de La Hora'' (The Legend of the Hour) (1981) *'' Just Feelin''' (1985) * '' Double Trios'' (1986) * '' Major Changes'' (1987) * '' Bon Voyage'' (1987) * '' Live at the Musicians Exchange Cafe'' (1987) * '' Uptown/Downtown'' (1988) * '' Solar: Live at Sweet Basil'' (1991) * ''
Blue Bossa "Blue Bossa" is an instrumental jazz composition by Kenny Dorham. It was introduced on Joe Henderson's 1963 album '' Page One''. A blend of hard bop and bossa nova, the tune was possibly influenced by Dorham's visit to the Rio de Janeiro Jazz Fes ...
'' (1991) * '' Remembering John'' (1991) *McCoy Tyner / Sir Roland Hanna* – Double Exposure (1992) *"Key of Sol"-Live at Sweet Basil (1991) * '' Journey'' (1993) * ''
Infinity Infinity is something which is boundless, endless, or larger than any natural number. It is denoted by \infty, called the infinity symbol. From the time of the Ancient Greek mathematics, ancient Greeks, the Infinity (philosophy), philosophic ...
'' (1995) * '' Autumn Mood'' (1997) * '' McCoy Tyner and the Latin All-Stars'' (1999) With
Yusef Lateef Yusef Abdul Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston; October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and prominent figure among the Ahmadiyya Community in the United States. Although Lateef's main i ...
* Tenors of Yusef Lateef and Archie Shepp(YAL, 1992) *Yusef Lateef Plays Ballads (YAL, 1992) *''Tenors featuring Rene McLean (YAL, 1993)'' *''Yusef Lateef and Ralph M. Jones III, Woodwinds (YAL,1993)'' *''Yusef Lateef Metamorphosis(YAL, 1993)'' *'' Tenors of Yusef Lateef & Ricky Ford'' (YAL, 1994) with Ricky Ford *Full Circle Yusef Lateef (YAL, 1996) *''CHNOPS: Gold & Soul Yusef Lateef (YAL, 1997)'' With Archie Shepp * Archie Shepp "Attica Blues-Live at Palais des Glaces"-(Blue Marge Record, 1979) * Archie Shepp-The Good Life(Black and Blue, 1984) With Frank Morgan * "Major Changes"-Contemporary Records(1987) With John Blake * "Twinkling of an Eye"-Grammavision(1985) With David Matthews * "Jazz Ballads with Strings"-Alfa Records(1991) With Steve Grossman * "In New York"-Disques Dreyfus(1991) With Vacca/Moran * "Dance Beneath the Diamond Sky"-Columbia Records(1992) With Jeri Brown * "Fresh Start"-Just In Time Records(1996) * “Zaius”-Just In Time Records(1998) * “I’ve Got Your Number”- Just In Time Records(1999) * The Image in the Mirror-Tryptec”-Just In Time Records(2001) * “ Firm Roots”-Just In Time Records(2003) With Marc Puricelli * "The Shade"-Music Masters(1996) * "Melting Point"-Music Masters(1994) * “Desire”-Music Masters With Chico Freeman * “Oh By the Way” Quataca(Double Moon Records,2001)


References

*
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharpe, Avery 1954 births Living people 21st-century American double-bassists 21st-century American male musicians American jazz double-bassists American male double-bassists American male jazz musicians Sunnyside Records artists People from Valdosta, Georgia Musicians from Georgia (U.S. state) University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni Williams College faculty