Essiet Okon Essiet (born September 1, 1956) 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 string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...

ist. He is the leader of the group "Intercontinental Bush Orchestra", founded in 1995.

Early life and education

Essiet Essiet was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Nigerian immigrant parents. His family moved frequently due to his father's work with both the U.S. and Nigerian governments, exposing Essiet to various cultures, languages, and musical traditions from an early age. He began his musical studies on the violin at the age of 10 but switched to the bass at 14 while living in Portland, Oregon. Essiet attended Mount Hood Community College, where he further honed his musical skills

Biography

Essiet's parents were

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

n immigrants to the United States.Lara Pellegrinelli, "Essiet Essiet". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed.

Barry Kernfeld Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians. Education In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at ...

. Born in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, he studied violin as a child, then learned both bass guitar and stand-up bass as a high schooler in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

. After attending Mount Hood Community College, he played briefly in Los Angeles before working in Europe during the early 1980s with fellow American jazz musician Famoudou Don Moye. In 1983 he moved to New York City, playing with

Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934), previously known as Dollar Brand, is a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cap ...

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 ...

Marty Cook Marty Cook (born May 1947) is an American jazz trombonist. Biography Cook was born in New York (state), New York and raised in Ohio, where he began playing trombone at age seven. He played in New York in the late 1960s, recording with Marzette W ...

, and Ralph Peterson Jr. Essiet Essiet has had many collaborations, including with George Adams, Ron Affif,

Kenny Barron Kenneth Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist and composer who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Early life ...

, the Blue Note All-Stars, Paul Bollenback, Donald Brown, Bruce Cox, Kurt Elling,

Kenny Garrett Kenny Garrett (born October 9, 1960) is an American post-bop jazz musician and composer who gained recognition in his youth as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and for his time with Miles Davis's band. Garrett's primary instruments are ...

Benny Golson Benny Golson (January 25, 1929 – September 21, 2024) was an American bebop and hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He came to prominence with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, more as a writer than a p ...

, Jim Hartog,

David Hazeltine David Perry Hazeltine (born October 27, 1958) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator. Early life Hazeltine was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 27, 1958. He began studying the piano at the age of nine, and first pe ...

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...

, Victor Jones, Joe Locke,

Kevin Mahogany Kevin Bryant Mahogany (July 30, 1958 – December 17, 2017) was an American jazz vocalist who became prominent in the 1990s. Particularly known for his scat singing, his singing style has been compared with those of Billy Eckstine, Joe William ...

Cedar Walton Cedar Anthony Walton Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and c ...

, Bobby Watson, and the group Bluesiana Triangle (with Dr. John and David “Fathead” Newman).

Discography

With Bluesiana Triangle ( Dr. John and

David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s an ...

) *'' Bluesiana Triangle'' (Windham Hill, 1990) *'' Bluesiana II'' (Windham Hill, 1991) With

George Cables George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Cables was born in New York City, United States. He was initially taught piano by his mother. He then studied at the High School of Performing Art ...

*'' My Muse'' (HighNote, 2012) *'' In Good Company'' (HighNote, 2015) *'' The George Cables Songbook'' (HighNote, 2016) With Vincent Herring *'' Ends and Means'' (HighNote, 2006) With

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...

*'' Reflections'' (HighNote, 2006) With

Benny Powell Benjamin Gordon Powell Jr. (March 1, 1930 – June 26, 2010) was an American jazz trombonist. He played both standard (tenor) trombone and bass trombone. Biography Born Benjamin Gordon Powell Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana, he first played pr ...

*''

Nextep ''Nextep'' is an album by trombonist Benny Powell. Featuring ten original compositions by Powell, his band members, and his ex-wife, it was recorded on February 9 and 10, 2007, at Alleycat Studio in South Orange, New Jersey, and was issued on CD ...

'' (Origin, 2008)

References

American jazz double-bassists American male double-bassists Mt. Hood Community College alumni Musicians from Portland, Oregon Jazz musicians from Nebraska American male jazz musicians 1956 births Living people American musicians of Nigerian descent The Jazz Messengers members {{US-jazz-musician-stub