Wilbur Bernard Ware (September 8, 1923 – September 9, 1979) was 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, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

double bassist.Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 674.

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print book ...

He was a regular bassist for the Riverside record label in the 1950s, and recorded regularly in that decade with Johnny Griffin,

Kenny Dorham McKinley Howard "Kenny" Dorham (August 30, 1924 – December 5, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention or public ...

, Kenny Drew, and

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", ...

. He also appeared on records released by J.R. Monterose,

Toots Thielemans Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans, was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for his chromatic harmonica playing, as well as his guitar and whistl ...

Sonny Clark Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark (July 21, 1931 – January 13, 1963) was an American jazz pianist and composer who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom. Early life Clark was born and raised in Herminie, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town east of Pi ...

Tina Brooks Harold Floyd "Tina" Brooks (June 7, 1932 – August 13, 1974) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and composer best remembered for his work in the hard bop style. Early years Harold Floyd Brooks was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, an ...

Zoot Sims John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...

, and

Grant Green Grant Green (June 6, 1935 – January 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Recording prolifically for Blue Note Records as both leader and sideman, Green performed in the hard bop, soul jazz, bebop, and Latin-tinged idioms ...

, among others.

Career

Ware grew up in Chicago where he taught himself to play drums, banjo, bass while playing at church. In the 1940s, he worked with

Stuff Smith Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith (August 14, 1909 – September 25, 1967), better known as Stuff Smith, was an American jazz violinist. He is well known for the song " If You're a Viper" (the original title was "You'se a Viper"). Smith was, al ...

Sonny Stitt Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/ hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of h ...

, and

Roy Eldridge David Roy Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989), nicknamed "Little Jazz", was an American jazz trumpeter. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos exhibiting a departure from ...

. He recorded with

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific ou ...

in the early 1950s. Later in the 1950s, settling in New York City, Ware played with

Eddie Vinson Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (born Edward L. Vinson Jr.; December 18, 1917 – July 2, 1988) was an American jump blues, jazz, bebop and R&B alto saxophonist and blues shouter. He was nicknamed Cleanhead after an incident in which his hair was ...

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 ...

, and

Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and ...

. His only album recorded as a leader during his lifetime was ''

The Chicago Sound ''The Chicago Sound'' is the sole album led by American jazz bassist Wilbur Ware. It features a quintet with the saxophonist Johnny Griffin and was recorded in 1957 for the Riverside label. He made jazz instructional albums for Music Minus One. In 1958, Ware was one of 57 jazz musicians to appear in the photograph A Great Day in Harlem. Ware was a member of the

quartet from 1957 to 1958. He also performed and recorded in 1957 with the

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...

Trio at the

Village Vanguard The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jazz ...

. Largely self taught, Ware had an unorthodox but highly unique and percussive approach to the bass. Ware's addiction to narcotics resulted in his return to Chicago in 1963, and then to a period of incarceration. He was inactive musically for about six years. In 1969, Ware played with

Clifford Jordan Clifford Laconia Jordan (September 2, 1931 – March 27, 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after ...

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...

and Sonny Rollins. He died from

emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alv ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, in 1979.

Discography

As leader

*''

The Chicago Sound ''The Chicago Sound'' is the sole album led by American jazz bassist Wilbur Ware. It features a quintet with the saxophonist Johnny Griffin and was recorded in 1957 for the Riverside label.Johnny Griffin ( Riverside, 1957) *''Super Bass'' (Wilbur Ware Institute, 2012) – With Clifford Jordan. Recorded for Strata-East in 1968, but not released for more than 40 years

As sideman

With

* '' Originally'' (Columbia, 1982) With

*'' The Waiting Game'' (Blue Note, 1961) With

*'' Dial "S" for Sonny'' (Blue Note, 1957) With

Walt Dickerson Walter Roland Dickerson (April 16, 1928 – May 15, 2008) was an American jazz vibraphone player, most associated with the post-bop idiom. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, Walt Dickerson graduated from Morgan State U ...

*'' Tell Us Only the Beautiful Things'' (Whynot, 1975) *''

Walt Dickerson 1976 ''Walt Dickerson 1976'' is an album by vibraphonist Walt Dickerson recorded in 1976 for the Japanese Whynot label.Fitzgerald, M.Walt Dickerson discographyaccessed March 29, 2017 Track listing All compositions by Walt Dickerson except where not ...

'' (Whynot, 1976) With

*''

2 Horns / 2 Rhythm ''2 Horns / 2 Rhythm'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham, featuring performances with Ernie Henry. It was recorded in 1957 and released on Riverside Records.

'' (Riverside, 1957) With Kenny Drew *''

A Harry Warren Showcase ''A Harry Warren Showcase'' is an album by pianist Kenny Drew recorded in 1957 and released on the Riverside Records subsidiary Judson label.

'' (Judson, 1957) *''

A Harold Arlen Showcase ''A Harold Arlen Showcase'' is an album by pianist Kenny Drew recorded in 1957 and released on the Riverside Records subsidiary Judson label.

'' (Judson, 1957) *'' I Love Jerome Kern'' (Riverside, 1957) *'' This Is New'' (Riverside, 1957) *'' Pal Joey'' (Riverside, 1957) With

Matthew Gee Matthew Gee (November 25, 1925 in Houston, Texas – July 18, 1979 in New York City) was an American bebop trombonist and part-time actor. Gee played trumpet and baritone as a child, and took up the trombone at age 11. After studying at Alabama S ...

*''

Jazz by Gee ''Jazz by Gee'' is the debut album by American jazz trombonist Matthew Gee featuring tracks recorded in 1956 for the Riverside label.

'' (Riverside, 1956) With

*'' Remembering'' (Blue Note, 1961) With Johnny Griffin *'' Johnny Griffin'' (Argo, 1956) *'' Johnny Griffin Sextet'' (Riverside, 1958) *''

Way Out! ''Way Out!'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Johnny Griffin, released on the Riverside label in 1958. Reception AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow wrote that "the tenor is in superior form for this spirited date." Track listing #"Where's Your Overc ...

'' (Riverside, 1958) With Ernie Henry *'' Presenting Ernie Henry'' (Riverside, 1956) *'' Seven Standards and a Blues'' (Riverside, 1957) *''

Last Chorus ''Last Chorus'' is a posthumous album by American jazz saxophonist Ernie Henry featuring tracks recorded in 1956 and 1957 for the Riverside label.Clifford Jordan Clifford Laconia Jordan (September 2, 1931 – March 27, 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after ...

*'' Jenkins, Jordan and Timmons'' (Prestige, 1957)] *''

Starting Time ''Starting Time'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Clifford Jordan which was recorded in 1961 and released on the Jazzland label.In the World'' (Strata-East, 1969

972 Year 972 ( CMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – Emperor John I Tzimiskes divides the Bulgarian territories, recent ...

*'' Remembering Me-Me'' (Muse, 1977) With

Herbie Mann Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz flute player and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played tenor saxophone and clarinet (inclu ...

*''

The Jazz We Heard Last Summer ''The Jazz We Heard Last Summer'' is a split album featuring saxophonist Sahib Shihab and flautist Herbie Mann's groups recorded in 1957 for the Savoy label.

'' (Savoy, 1957) With

Blue Mitchell Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an American trumpeter and composer who worked in jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock and funk. He recorded albums as leader and sideman for Riverside, Mainstream Records, and ...

*'' Big 6'' (Riverside, 1958) With

* ''

Thelonious Himself ''Thelonious Himself'' is a studio album by Thelonious Monk released in 1957 by Riverside Records,. It was Monk's fourth album for the label. The album features Monk playing solo piano, except for the final track, "Monk's Mood", which features J ...

'' (Riverside, 1957) * ''

Monk's Music ''Monk's Music'' is a jazz album by the Thelonious Monk Septet, which for this recording included Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane. It was recorded in New York City on June 26, 1957, and released in October the same year. Recording and music ...

'' (Riverside, 1957) * '' Mulligan Meets Monk'' (Riverside, 1957) * ''

Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane ''Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane'' is a 1961 album by Thelonious Monk issued on Jazzland Records, a subsidiary of Riverside Records. It consists of material recorded four years earlier when Monk worked extensively with John Coltrane, issued ...

'' ( Jazzland, 1961) With J. R. Monterose *'' J. R. Monterose'' (Blue Note, 1956) With

Lee Morgan Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the key hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan came to prominence in his late teens, recording on John Coltrane's '' Blue Train'' ...

* '' Lee Morgan Indeed!'' (Blue Note, 1956) With

Cecil Payne Cecil Payne (December 14, 1922 – November 27, 2007) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist born in Brooklyn, New York. Payne also played the alto saxophone and flute. He played with other prominent jazz musicians, in particular Dizzy Gilles ...

*''

Zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The pa ...

'' (Strata-East, 1973) With

Rita Reys Rita Reys (born Maria Everdina Reijs; 21 December 1924 – 28 July 2013) was a jazz singer from the Netherlands. She was promoted as "Europe's First Lady of Jazz". In the 1980s, Rita returned to the American Songbook, recording albums such as ...

*''

The Cool Voice of Rita Reys ''The Cool Voice of Rita Reys'' is the debut album by Dutch jazz singer Rita Reys which features sessions recorded with bands led by drummers Art Blakey and her husband Wessel Ilcken. The sessions are divided over each side of the original LP wh ...

'' (Columbia, 1956) With

* '' Night at the Village Vanguard'' (

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 ...

, 1958) With

*''

Zoot! ''Zoot!'' (also released as ''Zoot Sims Quintet'') is an album by American jazz saxophonist Zoot Sims featuring tracks recorded in 1956 for the Riverside label.Toots Thielemans Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans, was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for his chromatic harmonica playing, as well as his guitar and whistl ...

*'' Man Bites Harmonica!'' (Riverside, 1958)

References

External links

"At Once Old-Timey & Avant-Garde: The Innovation & Influence of Wilbur Ware"Wilbur Ware Discography at ''www.JazzDiscography.com''Down Beat biography
* Allmusic biographybr>The Wilbur Ware Institute
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ware, Wilbur 1923 births 1979 deaths Hard bop double-bassists African-American musicians American jazz double-bassists Male double-bassists Musicians from Philadelphia Musicians from Chicago Thelonious Monk Riverside Records artists 20th-century American musicians Deaths from emphysema Jazz musicians from Illinois Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania 20th-century double-bassists American male jazz musicians 20th-century American male musicians