Buell Neidlinger (March 2, 1936 – March 16, 2018) was an American cellist and

double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). Similar i ...

ist. He has worked with a variety of pop and jazz performers, prominently with iconoclastic pianist Cecil Taylor in the 1950s and '60s.

Biography

Neidlinger was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

to the former Jane Buell and Roger Nidlinger. He was raised in

Westport, Connecticut Westport is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, along the Long Island Sound within Connecticut's Gold Coast. It is northeast of New York City. The town had a population of 27,141 according to the 2020 U.S. Census. History ...

, where his father ran a cargo shipping business. He played cello in his youth, and began studying double bass after a music teacher recommended it to strengthen his hands.Clifford Alle
Buell Neidlinger: From Taylor to Zappa to the Carpenters
AllAboutJazz.com, 2003; accessed 07 Nov 2017 He took lessons from jazz bassist Walter Page. In his teens, Neidlinger suffered a

nervous breakdown A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitt ...

which he attributed to the pressure of being perceived as a child prodigy on cello. While institutionalized, he met jazz pianist

Joe Sullivan Michael Joseph O'Sullivan (November 4, 1906 – October 13, 1971) was an American jazz pianist. Sullivan was the ninth child of Irish immigrant parents. He studied classical piano for 12 years and at age 17, he began to play popular music in si ...

who was in treatment for alcoholism. Neidlinger dropped out of

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

after one year, where he had been studying orchestral music. He moved to New York City and began playing in various jazz settings. He joined Cecil Taylor's group in 1955, played with Herbie Nichols and recorded extensively with Taylor's groups with Steve Lacy and with

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 ...

among others until 1961. He was also involved with new directions in classical music ( John Cage, Mauricio Kagel, George Crumb) and

Gunther Schuller Gunther Alexander Schuller (November 22, 1925June 21, 2015) was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician. Biography and works Early years Schuller was born in Queens, New York City ...

' s Third Stream music. In 1971, Neidlinger moved to California. He became the principal bassist for the

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) is an American chamber orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. LACO presents its Orchestral Series concerts at two venues, the Alex Theatre in Glendale and UCLA's Royce Hall. History James Arkatov, a ...

and was also principal bassist in the

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

studio orchestra for 30 years. He worked extensively as an orchestral and as a session bassist before becoming a musical educator at the New England Conservatory and

CalArts The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art university in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both ...

. Together with Marty Krystall he founded K2B2 Records. The sessions Neidlinger performed on as a strings player included

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birt ...

's " I Left My Heart In San Francisco" and

the Eagles The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s ...

' " Hotel California". In 1983, he performed on the

Antilles Records Antilles Records was a record label founded as a division of Island Records. It began as a jazz label, recording Joanne Brackeen, Biréli Lagrène, and Phil Woods, though its catalogue did expand to include eclectic musicians like Brian Eno and R ...

release ''

Swingrass '83 ''Swingrass '83'' is a 1983 swing/ prog-bluegrass album featuring Andy Statman, Richard Greene, Marty Krystall, Peter Ivers, Fred Tackett, Peter Erskine and Buell Neidlinger. The same musicians, minus Fred Tackett, had previously recorded an album ...

''.

Allmusic review AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

/ref> In 1997, Neidlinger moved to

Whidbey Island Whidbey Island (historical spellings Whidby, Whitbey, or Whitby) is the largest of the islands composing Island County, Washington, in the United States, and the largest island in Washington State. (The other large island is Camano Island, ...

, Washington State. There, he played in a band called Buellgrass, which included fiddler

Richard Greene Richard Marius Joseph Greene (25 August 1918 – 1 June 1985) was a noted English film and television actor. A matinée idol who appeared in more than 40 films, he was perhaps best known for the lead role in the long-running British TV series ' ...

and featured their version of bluegrass music. Neidlinger's fourth wife, Margaret Storer, was also a bass player. They played baroque music with friends; he played cello, while she played violin. Neidlinger's final recording was ''The Happenings'', accompanied by Howard Alden on guitar and Marty Krystall on bass clarinet and flute, released in December 2017.

Discography

As leader

* 1961: '' New York City R&B'' (Barnaby) with Cecil Taylor * 1980: ''Ready for the 90's'' ( K2B2 2069) as Krystall Klear and the Buells * 1981: ''Our Night Together'' (K2B2 2169) as Krystall Klear and the Buells * 1983: ''Big Day at Ojai'' (K2B2 2369) as Buellgrass * 1983: ''Marty's Garage'' (K2B2 2269) * 1987: ''Thelonious'' (K2B2 2569) * 1987: ''Buell Neidlinger Quartet Live at Ravenna Jazz '87 with Special Guest Steve Lacy'' (K2B2 3969) with Steve Lacy * 1989: ''2 by 2'' (K2B2 4169) with

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Ch ...

* 1989: ''The Complete Candid Recordings of Cecil Taylor and Buell Neidlinger'' (

Mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

) with Cecil Taylor * 1989: ''Aurora'' ( Denon 73148) as Aurora * 1990: ''Big Drum'' (K2B2 3069) * 1991: ''Locomotive'' ( Soul Note) * 1995: ''Blue Chopsticks – A Portrait of Herbie Nichols'' (K2B2 3169) * 1996: ''Across the Tracks'' (K2B2 6923) * 1997: ''Rear View Mirror'' (K2B2 2969) * 2001: ''Thelonious Atmosphere'' (K2B2 3269) * 2005: ''All Strung Out. Adventures in Buellgrass.'' (K2B2 3569) * 2005: ''Krystall Klear and the Buells - This Way Is West'' (K2B2 3369) * 2009: ''Basso Profundo'' (Vivace 8001)

As sideman

With

Darol Anger Darol Anger is an American violinist and founding member of The David Grisman Quintet. Career Darol Anger entered popular music at the age of 21 as a founding member of The David Grisman Quintet. Anger played fiddle to David Grisman's mandol ...

* 1999: ''Diary of a Fiddler'' (

Compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself wit ...

) With Bee Gees * 1968: ''I Started A Joke'' ( Capitol Records) With Ruben Blades * 1988: ''Nothing But the Truth'' ( Elektra) With

* 1987: '' Six Monk's Compositions'' (

Black Saint Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History Black S ...

) With

Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of American singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to success in the mid-1970s as an R&B singer with the h ...

* 1991: '' Unforgettable'' (Elektra) With Ry Cooder * 1987: ''

Get Rhythm "Get Rhythm" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter and musician Johnny Cash. It was originally released as the B-side to the single release "I Walk the Line" in 1956 on Sun 241. It was re-released with overdubbed "live" eff ...

'' (Warner Bros.) With

Stewart Copeland Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is a Scottish-American musician and composer. He is best known for his work as the drummer of the English rock band the Police from 1977 to 1986, and again from 2007 to 2008. Before playing with th ...

* 1983: Rumblefish (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) ( A&M) With Diane Schuur * 1992: ''In Tribute'' (GPR) With Lionel Richie * 1982: '' Lionel Richie'' (Motown) With Elvis Costello * 1989: ''

Spike Spike, spikes, or spiking may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Books * ''The Spike'' (novel), a novel by Arnaud de Borchgrave * ''The Spike'' (book), a nonfiction book by Damien Broderick * ''The Spike'', a starship in Peter F. Hamilto ...

'' (Warner Bros.) With

Lindsey Buckingham Lindsey Adams Buckingham (born October 3, 1949) is an American musician and record producer, best known as the lead guitarist and male lead vocalist of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1975 to 1987 and 1997 to 2018. In addition to his tenure with Fl ...

* 1992: '' Out of the Cradle'' ( Mercury) With

Earth, Wind, and Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million reco ...

* 1980: ''

Faces The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affe ...

'' ( Columbia) With Michael Bolton * 1992: '' Timeless: The Classics'' (Columbia) * 1996: '' This Is The Time: The Christmas Album'' (Columbia) With

Curtis Stigers Curtis Stigers (born October 18, 1965) is an American jazz singer. He achieved a number of hits in the early 1990s, most notably the international hit " I Wonder Why" (1991), which reached No. 5 in the UK and No. 9 in the US. Career S ...

* 1995: ''Time Was'' (Arista) With

Duane Eddy Duane Eddy (born April 26, 1938) is an American rock and roll guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had a string of hit records produced by Lee Hazlewood, which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" sound, including " Rebel ...

* 1987: ''Duane Eddy'' (

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

) With Yvonne Elliman * 1979: ''Yvonne'' (RSO) With Neil Diamond * 1977: '' I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight'' (Columbia) With

* 1979: ''Ramblin (Rounder) * 1997: ''Sales Tax Toddle'' ( Rebel) * 1996: ''Wolves A' Howlin (Rebel) With

Jimmy Giuffre James Peter Giuffre (, ; April 26, 1921 – April 24, 2008) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He is known for developing forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians, anticipating f ...

* 1960: '' The Jimmy Giuffre Quartet in Person'' (Verve) With

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted m ...

* 1985: '' The Heart of the Matter'' (RCA) * 1994: ''

Timepiece A clock or a timepiece is a device used to measure and indicate time. The clock is one of the oldest human inventions, meeting the need to measure intervals of time shorter than the natural units such as the day, the lunar month and the ...

'' (143) With Clint Black * 1993: '' No Time to Kill'' (RCA) * 1994: '' One Emotion'' (RCA) With David Grisman * 1978: '' Hot Dawg'' ( Horizon) With

Leo Kottke Leo Kottke (born September 11, 1945) is an acoustic guitarist. He is known for a fingerpicking style that draws on blues, jazz, and folk music, and for syncopated, polyphonic melodies. He overcame a series of personal obstacles, including parti ...

* 1986: '' A Shout Toward Noon'' ( Private Music) * 1988: '' Regards from Chuck Pink'' (Private Music) With Steve Lacy * 1958: ''

Soprano Sax The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...

'' (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

) * 1959: '' Reflections'' ( New Jazz) With Roy Orbison * 1989: ''

Mystery Girl ''Mystery Girl'' is the twenty-second album by American singer Roy Orbison. It was his last album to be recorded during his lifetime, as he completed the album in November 1988, a month before his death at the age of 52, and it was released post ...

'' (Virgin) * 1992: ''

King of Hearts The king of hearts is a playing card in the standard 52-card deck. King of Hearts may also refer to: Games * The King of Hearts Has Five Sons, card game that may have been a precursor to Cluedo Books * King of Hearts (''Alice's Adventures ...

'' (Virgin) With Peter Allen * 1976: '' Taught by Experts'' (A&M) With

Jean-Luc Ponty Jean-Luc Ponty (born 29 September 1942) is a French jazz violinist and composer. Early life Ponty was born into a family of classical musicians in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano. At sixteen, he was admitt ...

and Frank Zappa * 1970: ''

King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...

'' (

World Pacific Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles-based record company and label best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-founded ...

) * 1976: '' Cantaloupe Island'' (

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

) With

Van Dyke Parks Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has composed various film and television soundtracks. He is best known for his 1967 album ''Song Cycle'' and for his collaborations with ...

* 1972: '' Discover America'' (

) * 1989: '' Tokyo Rose'' (

) With

Sam Phillips Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003) was an American record producer. He was the founder of Sun Records and Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where he produced recordings by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, ...

* 1988: '' The Indescribable Wow'' ( Virgin) With Bonnie Raitt * 1994: ''

Longing in Their Hearts ''Longing in Their Hearts'' is the twelfth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1994. The album contained the mainstream pop hit, "Love Sneakin' Up On You," which reached #19 on the Billboard singles chart, and "You", which remains to date her only ...

'' (Capitol) With

Peter Rowan Peter Rowan (born July 4, 1942) is an American bluegrass musician and composer. Rowan plays guitar and mandolin, yodels and sings. Biography Rowan was born in Wayland, Massachusetts to a musical family. From an early age, he had an interest ...

* 1978: ''Peter Rowan'' (Flying Fish) * 1996: ''Bluegrass Boy'' ( Sugar Hill) With Bob Seger * 1991: '' The Fire Inside'' (Capitol) * 1995: '' It's a Mystery'' (Capitol) With Frank Sinatra * 1993: '' Duets'' (Capitol) With

Pops Staples Pops may refer to: Name or nickname * Pops, an informal term of address for a father or elder * Pops (nickname), a list of people * Pops (Muppet), a Muppets character * Pops (Johnny Bravo), a character from the Cartoon Network animated televisio ...

* 1992: ''Peace to the Neighborhood'' (PointBlank) With Ringo Starr and

Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal ov ...

* 1988: Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films'' (A&M) With

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

* 1994: ''Ordinary Miracles'' (Columbia) With Cecil Taylor * 1956: '' Jazz Advance'' ( Transition) * 1958: '' At Newport'' ( Verve) * 1959: '' Looking Ahead!'' (

Contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...

) * 1959: '' Love for Sale'' (

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stud ...

) * 1959: ''In Transition'' (

) * 1960: '' The World of Cecil Taylor'' ( Candid) * 1960: ''

Air The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...

'' (Candid) * 1961: '' Cell Walk for Celeste'' (Candid) * 1961: '' Jumpin' Punkins'' (Candid) With

The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...

* 1988: '' Cocktail (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' (Elektra)

Featured Classics

* Franz Schubert: Quintet in A op. 114 ("Trout") with

Peter Serkin Peter Adolf Serkin (July 24, 1947 – February 1, 2020) was an American classical pianist. He won the Grammy Award for Most Promising New Classical Recording Artist in 1966, and he performed globally, known for not only "technically pristine" pl ...

and Tashi (RCA ARLI1882) * Paul Chihara: GRASS Concerto for Bass and Orchestra London Symphony Orchestra (Turnabout 34372) * Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra with Neville Marriner (Angel 537081) * Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances Neville Marriner / Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (Angel CDC - 7471162) * Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra with Neville Marriner (Argo ZRG 792) * Basso Profundo. Solo bass and chamber music by Bussotti, Rosenman, Kagel, Xenakis and Ceely. (Vivace Records)

References

External links

Biography and 1983 interview

Extensive interview from 2003

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neidlinger, Buell 1936 births 2018 deaths People from Westport, Connecticut Third stream musicians Avant-garde jazz musicians American jazz double-bassists American classical double-bassists Male double-bassists Candid Records artists Jazz musicians from Connecticut American male jazz musicians Eli's Chosen Six members 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century American male musicians