John Betsch (born October 8, 1945) is an American jazz drummer.

Biography

Betsch was born in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...

. His family belonged to the

African-American upper class The African-American upper class, sometimes referred to as the black upper class, the black upper middle class or black elite, is a social class that consists of African-American individuals who have high disposable incomes and high net wor ...

; his grandfather was the black millionaire Abraham Lincoln Lewis and his grandmother Mary's ancestors included the English colonist Zephaniah Kingsley and Anna Kingsley, an African princess. His mother was a church organist and pianist, and his older sister Marvyne a soprano singer."Travelogue"
''Jet'', January 28, 1960, p. 40. He began playing drums in the school orchestra at the age of nine.
Claudine François website. He attended

Fisk University Fisk University is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its campus i ...

, and while still a student there, at the age of 18, he began playing professionally with pianists Bob Holmes, Ernest Vantrease, and trumpeter Louis Smith. Betsch studied at

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

and the

University of Massachusetts-Amherst A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degree An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a co ...

under

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

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 ...

. After playing in organ trios, he released an album as a leader, ''Earth Blossom'', in 1975. That year he moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, where he played with

Marion Brown Marion Brown (September 8, 1931 – October 18, 2010) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, writer, visual artist, and ethnomusicologist. He was a member of the avant-garde jazz scene in New York City during the 1960s, playing alongsi ...

, Paul Jeffrey, Max Roach,

Jeanne Lee Jeanne Lee (January 29, 1939 – October 25, 2000) was an American jazz singer, poet and composer. Best known for a wide range of vocal styles she mastered, Lee collaborated with numerous distinguished composers and performers who included Gunte ...

and

Henry Threadgill Henry Threadgill (born February 15, 1944) is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. He came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles rooted in jazz but with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating other genres of music. He h ...

. Between 1977 and 1979 Betsch joined

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 ...

's ensemble, and from 1980 to 1982 he was with Archie Shepp's band that featured

Hilton Ruiz Hilton Ruiz (May 29, 1952 – June 6, 2006) was an American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player. He was of Puerto Rican descent. Biography Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of f ...

, piano,

Santi Debriano Santi Wilson Debriano (born 1955 in Panama) is a jazz bassist, composer and music teacher.Roger Dawson Roger Dawson (born March 19, 1940) is a jazz percussionist, conga drummer, bandleader, and jazz composer. He was a leading jazz and salsa disc jockey in the US and was acknowledged as being at the forefront of New York's salsa music explosion of t ...

, congas and percussion. In 1983 he recorded with

Roger Dawson Roger Dawson (born March 19, 1940) is a jazz percussionist, conga drummer, bandleader, and jazz composer. He was a leading jazz and salsa disc jockey in the US and was acknowledged as being at the forefront of New York's salsa music explosion of t ...

's septet featuring

, reedman John Purcell, trumpeter

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 ...

, bassist Anthony Cox and multi-percussionist Milton Cardona. Following this he was a member of quartets led by

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 ...

. Since 1985 Betsch has lived in Europe, playing with

Jim Pepper Jim Gilbert Pepper II (June 18, 1941 – February 10, 1992) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer and singer of Kaw and Muscogee heritage. He moved to New York City in 1964, where he came to prominence in the late 1960s as a member of The ...

and

Mal Waldron Malcolm Earl "Mal" Waldron (August 16, 1925 – December 2, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He started playing professionally in New York in 1950, after graduating from college. In the following dozen years or so Wa ...

as well as in a band with his wife, French pianist Claudine François. In the 1990s he played in a group with

Steve Lacy Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya (born May 23, 1998) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. He gained recognition as the guitarist of the alternative R&B band the Internet, which he joined in 2015. His self-produced debut EP, '' ...

, and with

Özay Fecht Özay Fecht (born 1953) is a Turkish-German actress and jazz singer. She was born in Istanbul and went to Germany when she was eighteen and found success. Filmography Television Music In the 1990s, she played in a group with Steve Lacy ...

and in a trio with Elvira Plenar and

Peter Kowald Peter Kowald (21 April 1944 – 21 September 2002) was a German free jazz and free improvising double bassist and tubist. Career A member of the Globe Unity Orchestra, and a touring double-bass player, Kowald collaborated with many European f ...

. He has done other recordings with Thomas Chapin,

Marilyn Crispell Marilyn Crispell (born March 30, 1947) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Scott Yanow described her as "a powerful player... who has her own way of using space... She is near the top of her field." Jon Pareles of ''The New York Times'' ...

, Klaus König,

Billy Bang Billy Bang (September 20, 1947 – April 11, 2011), born William Vincent Walker, was an American free jazz violinist and composer. Biography Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a ...

Sathima Bea Benjamin Beatrice "Sathima Bea" Benjamin (17 October 1936 – 20 August 2013) was a South African vocalist and composer based in New York City for nearly 45 years. Early life She was born Beatrice Bertha BenjaminChinen, Nate ''The New York Times'', 29 ...

, Uli Lenz and

Simon Nabatov Simon Nabatov (born 11 January 1959) is a Russian-American jazz pianist. Early life Nabatov was born in Moscow on 11 January 1959. His parents were Leon, a professional pianist and choir conductor who was a native of Belarus, and Regina. Nabatov ...

Discography

As leader

* ''Earth Blossom'' ( Strata-East, 1974)

As sideman

With

* '' The Fire from Within'' (

Soul Note 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 ...

, 1984) With

* '' Spirit Music'' (Cadence, 1983) With

*'' The Journey'' (Chiaroscuro, 1977) With

* ''

Anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to sho ...

'' (RCA Novus, 1990) *'' Itinerary'' (hat ART, 1991) *'' Live at Sweet Basil'' (RCA Novus, 1992) *'' Clangs'' (hat ART, 1993) * '' We See'' (hat ART, 1993) * ''

Revenue In accounting, revenue is the total amount of income generated by the sale of product (business), goods and services related to the primary operations of a business. Commercial revenue may also be referred to as sales or as turnover. Some compan ...

'' (Soul Note, 1993) * ''

Vespers Vespers /ˈvɛspərz/ () is a Christian liturgy, liturgy of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Catholic (both Latin liturgical rites, Latin and Eastern Catholic liturgy, Eastern Catholic liturgical rites), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental O ...

'' (Soul Note, 1993) * '' Monk's Dream'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * '' The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee h ...

, 2000) With Uli Lenz * ''Good-bye Venus'' (Tutu, 2005) With David Murray * '' Flowers Around Cleveland'' (Bleu Regard, 1995) With

* ''Inside Lookin' Out'' (Tutu, 1989) With

* ''Dakota Song'' ( Enja, 1987) * ''The Path'' (Enja) * ''Remembrance'' (Tutu 1990) * ''Live at New Morning, Paris'' (Tutu 1999) With

Roswell Rudd Roswell Hopkins Rudd Jr. (November 17, 1935 – December 21, 2017) was an American jazz trombonist and composer. Although skilled in a variety of genres of jazz (including Dixieland, which he performed while in college), and other genres of musi ...

* '' Broad Strokes'' (Knitting Factory, 2000) With

* '' When Was That?'' (About Time, 1982) With

* '' Mal, Dance and Soul'' (Tutu, 1987) * '' No More Tears (For Lady Day)'' ( Timeless, 1988) * '' Quadrologue at Utopia'' (Tutu, 1989) * '' More Git' Go at Utopia'' (Tutu 1989) * '' Spring in Prague'' (Alfa Jazz, 1990) With

* ''Red, White, Black and Blue'' (Enja, 1987)

References

;Further reading * John Betschat

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:Betsch, John 1945 births Living people Musicians from Jacksonville, Florida American jazz drummers Jazz musicians from Florida Strata-East Records artists 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Kingsley-Ndiaye family 20th-century African-American musicians Drummers from Florida