Gary Bartz (born September 26, 1940) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has won two Grammy Awards.

Biography

Bartz was first exposed to jazz as the son of the owners of a jazz nightclub in Baltimore. In 1958 he left Baltimore to study at the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became ...

. In the early 1960s, he performed with

Eric Dolphy Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader. Primarily an alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist, and flautist, Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain ...

and

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 ...

Charles Mingus Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz Double bass, upright bassist, composer, bandleader, pianist, and author. A major proponent of collective Musical improvisation, improvisation, he is considered one of ...

' Jazz Workshop. He worked as a sideman 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 ...

and

Abbey Lincoln Anna Marie Wooldridge (August 6, 1930 – August 14, 2010), known professionally as Abbey Lincoln, was an American jazz vocalist and songwriter. She was a civil rights activist beginning in the 1960s. Lincoln made a career out of delivering dee ...

before joining

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers The Jazz Messengers were a jazz combo that existed for over thirty-five years beginning in the early 1950s as a collective, and ending when long-time leader and founding drummer Art Blakey died in 1990. Blakey led or co-led the group from the o ...

. In 1968, he was a member of

's band, Expansions. In mid-1970, he joined

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

' band, performing live at the

Isle Of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

festival in August; and at a series of December dates at

The Cellar Door The Cellar Door was a 163-seat music club located at 34th & M Street NW in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. from 1963 through January 7, 1982. It occupied the location of a former music club called The Shadows. The Shadows, first ...

club in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Portions of these shows were initially released on the 1971 '' Live-Evil'' album, with the entire six performance/four night run eventually released in full on the 2005 '' Cellar Door Sessions'' box set. He later formed the band Ntu Troop, which combined jazz, funk, and soul. Bartz was awarded a Grammy for "Best Latin Jazz Performance" for his work on

Roy Hargrove Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved critical acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles ...

's "Habana" at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards, and for "Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group" for For

's Illuminations at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. Bartz was awarded the BNY Mellon Jazz 2015 Living Legacy Award, which was presented at a special ceremony at

The Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

. In 2019, Revive Music and Bartz celebrated the 50th Anniversary of his ''Another Earth'' album at Winter Jazzfest in New York City, alongside original member

Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of "sheets of sound", San ...

. He is Professor of Jazz Saxophone at Oberlin College.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With

Joe Chambers Joe Chambers (born June 25, 1942) is an American jazz drummer, pianist, vibraphonist and composer. In the 1960s and 1970s, Chambers gigged with many high-profile artists such as Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, and Chick Corea an ...

*''Urban Groove'' (441 Records 2003 ) Gary Bartz 02

With the Rance Allen Group * ''Say My Friend'' (1977) With

Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and R ...

*'' Goodbye'' (Prestige, 1974) With

Roy Ayers Roy Edward Ayers Jr. (September 10, 1940 – March 4, 2025) was an American vibraphonist, record producer, and composer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several studio albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure ...

*'' Stoned Soul Picnic'' (Atlantic, 1968) With

Cindy Blackman Cindy Blackman (born November 18, 1959), known as Cindy Blackman Santana since she married guitarist Carlos Santana in 2010, is an American jazz and Rock music, rock drummer performing since the 80s. Blackman has recorded several jazz albums as ...

*'' The Oracle'' (Muse, 1995) With

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 ...

and the Jazz Messengers *''

Soul Finger "Soul Finger" is the first single released by R&B group the Bar-Kays. It was issued by Stax Records on the Volt Records label on April 14, 1967. Background The song was written by the Bar-Kays while they were rehearsing with Norman West to ...

'' (

Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a non-electric type of stage lighting that was once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illum ...

, 1965) Bartz recording debut *''

Hold On, I'm Coming Hold On, I'm Comin may refer to: * Hold On, I'm Comin' (Sam & Dave album), ''Hold On, I'm Comin'' (Sam & Dave album), a 1966 album by Sam & Dave * Hold On, I'm Comin' (song), "Hold On, I'm Comin (song), or "Hold On, I'm Coming", a 1966 single by Sa ...

'' (Limelight, 1966) on one track left over from ''Soul Finger'' sessions With Donald Brown *'' Sources of Inspiration'' (Muse, 1989) With

Kenny Burrell Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige Records, Prestige, Blue Note, Verve Records, Verve, CTI Records, CTI, Muse Records, Muse, and Concord Records, Conco ...

*''

Ellington Is Forever Volume Two ''Ellington Is Forever Volume Two'' is an album by guitarist Kenny Burrell featuring compositions associated with Duke Ellington recorded in 1975 and released on the Fantasy Records label.Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

, 1975) With

Donald Byrd Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter, composer and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few h ...

* '' Stepping into Tomorrow'' (1974) * ''

Caricatures A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

'' (1976) 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 ...

*'' Shared Secrets'' (MuseFX, 2001) *'' Looking for the Light'' (MuseFX, 2003) With

Norman Connors Norman Connors (born March 1, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, and producer who has led a number of influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads. He is poss ...

* '' Invitation'' * ''Slewfoot'' * '' This is Your Life'' * ''Love from the Sun'' * ''Dance of Magic: Live at the Nemu Jazz Inn'' * '' Romantic Journey'' *'' Saturday Night Special'' With

* ''On the Crest of the Airwaves'' (Discs 1 & 2: Live in August & October 1970) * '' The Cellar Door Sessions'' (1970) * '' Live-Evil'' * '' Bitches Brew Live'' (2011) * '' Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4'' (2015) *''Live in Europe: Volume One - recorded October 21/22 1971 - released September 2023 With Ray Drummond *'' Vignettes'' (Arabesque, 1996) With Antonio Hart * ''Don't You Know That I Care'' (1992) With

Louis Hayes Louis Hayes (born May 31, 1937) is an American jazz drummer and band leader. He was with McCoy Tyner's trio for more than three years. Since 1989 he has led his own band, and together with Vincent Herring formed the Cannonball Legacy Band. He i ...

*'' The Crawl'' (Candid, 1989) With Heads of State * ''Search for Peace'' ( Smoke Sessions, 2015) * ''Four in One'' (Smoke Sessions, 2017) With

Phyllis Hyman Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Hyman's music career spanned the late 1970s through the early 1990s, and she was best known for her expansive contralto range. Some of her most ...

* '' You Know How to Love Me'' * ''

'' * '' Can't We Fall in Love Again?'' With

Barney McAll Barney McAll is a jazz pianist and composer who lives in Melbourne, Australia. McAll joined Gary Bartz's band in 1997, and has also played with the Josh Roseman Unit, Fred Wesley and the JB's, Groove Collective, and Kurt Rosenwinkel's "Hear ...

* ''Release the Day'' (2001) * ''Precious Energy'' (2022) * ''Precious Energy Re-UP'' (2023) With

Jackie McLean John Lenwood McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator. He is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their death. Bio ...

*'' Ode to Super'' ( SteepleChase, 1973) With

Grachan Moncur III Grachan Moncur III (June 3, 1937 – June 3, 2022) was an American jazz trombonist. He was the son of jazz bassist Grachan Moncur II and the nephew of jazz saxophonist Al Cooper. Biography Born in New York City, United States, (his paternal gra ...

* ''

Exploration Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some Expectation (epistemic), expectation of Discovery (observation), discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organis ...

'' (2004) With

Alphonse Mouzon Alphonse Lee Mouzon (November 21, 1948 – December 25, 2016) was an American musician and vocalist, most prominently known as a jazz fusion drummer. He was also a composer, arranger, producer, and actor. Mouzon gained popularity in the late 196 ...

* ''Virtue'' (1976) With Rare Silk * ''New Weave'' With

*'' Members, Don't Git Weary'' (Atlantic, 1968) With

Wallace Roney Wallace Roney (May 25, 1960 – March 31, 2020) was an American jazz ( hard bop and post-bop) trumpeter. He won one Grammy award and was nominated twice. Roney took lessons from Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie and studied with Miles Davis from ...

*'' A Place in Time'' (HighNote, 2016) With

* '' Deaf Dumb Blind (Summun Bukmun Umyun)'' ( Impulse!, 1970) With

Woody Shaw Woody Herman Shaw Jr. (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the 20th century's most important and influentia ...

*'' Blackstone Legacy'' (

Contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from about 1945 to the present. In the social sciences, contemporary history is also continuous with, and related t ...

, 1970) *'' For Sure!'' (Columbia, 1979) *'' United'' (Columbia, 1981) With

Sphere A sphere (from Ancient Greek, Greek , ) is a surface (mathematics), surface analogous to the circle, a curve. In solid geometry, a sphere is the Locus (mathematics), set of points that are all at the same distance from a given point in three ...

* ''

'' (Verve, 1998) With

Charles Tolliver Charles Tolliver (born March 6, 1942) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and co-founder of Strata East Records. Biography Tolliver was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1942 and moved with his family to New York City when he was 10. Durin ...

* '' Paper Man'' (

Freedom Freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws". In one definition, something is "free" i ...

, 1968

975 Year 975 ( CMLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor John I raids Mesopotamia and invades Syria, using the Byzantine base at Antioch to pres ...

With Bob Thiele Collective *''Lion Hearted'' (1993) With

Leon Thomas Amos Leon Thomas Jr. (October 4, 1937 – May 8, 1999), known professionally as Leon Thomas, was an American jazz and blues vocalist, born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and known for his bellowing glottal-stop style of free jazz singing in the ...

*'' Precious Energy'' (Mapleshade Records, 1987) With

Malachi Thompson Malachi Richard Thompson (August 21, 1949, in Princeton, Kentucky — July 16, 2006), was an American avant-garde jazz trumpet player. In addition to his own work as a bandleader, Thompson was known for his work in the brass ensemble led by fellow ...

*'' Rising Daystar'' (Delmark, 1999) *'' Blue Jazz'' (Delmark, 2003) With

* '' Expansions'' (Blue Note, 1968) * ''

Cosmos The cosmos (, ; ) is an alternative name for the universe or its nature or order. Usage of the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity. The cosmos is studied in cosmologya broad discipline covering ...

'' (Blue Note, 1970) * ''

Extensions Extension, extend or extended may refer to: Mathematics Logic or set theory * Axiom of extensionality * Extensible cardinal * Extension (model theory) * Extension (proof theory) * Extension (predicate logic), the set of tuples of values t ...

'' (Blue Note, 1970) * '' Asante'' (Blue Note, 1970) * '' Sama Layuca'' (Milestone, 1974) * ''

Focal Point Focal point may refer to: * Focus (optics) * Focus (geometry) * Conjugate points, also called focal points * Focal point (game theory) * Unicom Focal Point, a portfolio management software tool * Focal point review, a human resources process for e ...

'' (Milestone, 1976) * '' Looking Out'' (Milestone, 1982) * '' Dimensions'' (Elektra/Musician, 1984) * '' McCoy Tyner and the Latin All-Stars'' (Telarc, 1999) * '' Illuminations'' (Telarc, 2004) With Robert Walter * ''Spirit of '70'' (1996) With

Chip White Alan White (21 December 1946 – 5 August 2020), known as Chip White, was an American jazz drummer who has performed and/or recorded with a variety of artists, including Carmen McRae, Jaki Byard, the CETA Artists Project (NYC Cultural Council Foun ...

* ''Harlem Sunset'' with Steve Nelson,

Robin Eubanks Robin Eubanks (born October 25, 1955) is an American jazz and jazz fusion slide trombonist, the brother of guitarist Kevin Eubanks and trumpeter Duane Eubanks. Younger brother Shane Eubanks, twin to Duane Eubanks, is a DJ. His uncles are jazz p ...

Claudio Roditi Claudio Roditi (May 28, 1946 – January 17, 2020) was a Brazilian jazz trumpeter. In 1966 Claudio was named a trumpet finalist at the International Jazz Competition in Vienna, Austria. While in Vienna, Roditi met Art Farmer, one of his idols, an ...

(

Postcards A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin Card stock, cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. In some places, one can send a ...

) With John Lee &

Gerry Brown Gerald E. "The Gov" Brown (also known as Gerry Brown; born 1958) is a recording engineer, mixer and music producer based in Los Angeles, best known for his work with artists including Whitney Houston, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, ...

* ''Infinite Jones'' with Chris Hinze ( Keytone, 1974) With The Midnight Hour (with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammed) * ''Jazz Is Dead 001, Distant Mode'' (2020) With

* ''Of Kindred Souls: The Roy Hargrove Quintet Live'' (Novus, 1993) * ''Roy Hargrove's Crisol,

Habana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Latin Jazz Grammy Winner

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bartz, Gary 1940 births Living people Musicians from Baltimore Baltimore City College alumni Jazz musicians from Maryland African-American saxophonists American jazz alto saxophonists American jazz soprano saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz clarinetists American jazz composers American male jazz composers Free funk saxophonists Grammy Award winners Post-bop saxophonists SteepleChase Records artists Atlantic Records artists Arista Records artists Capitol Records artists Vee-Jay Records artists Candid Records artists Milestone Records artists Prestige Records artists Blue Note Records artists Jazz soprano saxophonists 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American clarinetists 21st-century American male musicians Sphere (American band) members Mapleshade Records artists Smoke Sessions Records artists NEA Jazz Masters