David Baker (composer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Baker
David Baker (far left) leads the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra during the NEA Jazz Masters awards ceremony and concert in 2008.
Background information
Birth name	David Nathaniel Baker Jr.
Born	(1931-12-21)December 21, 1931 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Died	March 26, 2016(2016-03-26) (aged 84) Bloomington, Indiana
Genres	Jazz, classical
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, educator, author
Instruments	Trombone, cello
Years active	1950s–2016

David Nathaniel Baker Jr. (December 21, 1931 – March 26, 2016) was a very important American jazz musician, composer, and teacher. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is best known for starting the jazz studies program at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

From 1991 to 2012, he was the main conductor and artistic director for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. David Baker was incredibly productive. He created more than 65 recordings, wrote 70 books, and published 400 articles about music.

He received many important awards for his work. These include the James Smithson Medal and an American Jazz Masters Award. He was also named an Indiana Living Legend in 2001. In 2007, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts called him a Living Jazz Legend.

Early Life and Education

David Nathaniel Baker Jr. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on December 21, 1931. His parents were Patress Lasley Baker and David N. Baker Sr. He had two sisters, Shirley and Clela, and a brother, Archie.

David went to Indianapolis Public Schools. He graduated from Crispus Attucks High School. This was a public school just for African American students at the time. He then went to Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. He earned a bachelor's degree in music education in 1953. The next year, 1954, he earned his master's degree in music education.

Baker also studied with famous musicians like J. J. Johnson and George Russell. He even attended the Lenox School of Jazz on a scholarship.

Family Life

David Baker married Eugenia ("Jeanne") Marie Jones. They had a daughter named April. Later, this marriage ended. David had a granddaughter, Kirsten, and a great-grandson, Dylan. His second wife was a flautist named Lida Belt.

Amazing Career in Music

David Baker started his career in the 1940s and 1950s. He was a jazz musician who played the trombone. He performed and recorded music in the United States and Europe.

In 1953, he had a car accident that injured his face. This injury meant he could no longer play the trombone professionally. But David didn't give up! He learned to play the cello instead. He also started focusing more on teaching music and composing new pieces.

In 1966, he joined the music faculty at Indiana University. There, he created the school's jazz studies program. He became a distinguished professor and led the Jazz Studies department. He also became a co-musical director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in 1991.

Early Years as a Teacher

After getting his master's degree in 1954, David Baker began teaching. He taught at Lincoln University in Missouri in 1955. This school was historically for Black students.

However, Baker had to leave his teaching job. This was because of unfair laws at the time that didn't allow people of different races to marry. He had married Eugenia Marie Jones, who was a white opera singer. After leaving, he returned to Indiana. He gave private music lessons and played in local bands. He didn't teach at a university again until 1966.

A Talented Performer

David Baker started playing the trombone in high school and college. He played in clubs in Indianapolis, which was a lively jazz city. He played with famous musicians like Wes Montgomery. He also helped mentor younger musicians like Freddie Hubbard.

In the 1950s, Baker played in several big bands. These included Lionel Hampton's orchestra. He also played with bands led by Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson. He toured Europe in 1960 with Quincy Jones's band. He performed in many other countries too, like Canada, Japan, and Australia.

Even after his jaw injury, he played the trombone on some recordings. But eventually, he focused fully on the cello, teaching, and composing. He is credited on sixty-five recordings.

Music Educator and Author

Even though he started as a performer, David Baker is most famous for his fifty-year career as a jazz professor. He also wrote many books and musical pieces. His facial injury in 1953 led him to focus more on teaching and composing.

In 1966, he began teaching at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He created their jazz studies program. He was the second African American faculty member in the music school. For his first ten years, he was the only jazz studies instructor. The jazz studies program became a full degree program in 1968. At that time, only about a dozen American universities taught jazz as a school subject.

Baker became a distinguished professor. He led the Jazz Studies department from 1968 to 2013. His teaching helped make Indiana University a top school for jazz students. Some of his famous students include Michael Brecker and Chris Botti.

David Baker was one of the first to write down the rules of jazz. Before him, jazz was mostly learned by listening. He wrote 70 books, including Jazz Improvisation (1988). He also wrote 400 articles.

A Gifted Composer

David Baker wrote over 2,000 musical pieces. His music often mixed jazz with classical styles. He wrote traditional jazz, chamber music, and even film scores.

One of his pieces, "Levels" (1973), was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He also won an Emmy Award for his music for the PBS film For Gold and Glory (2003).

One of his most well-known compositions was "Concertino for Cell Phones and Orchestra." This piece was written for the Chicago Sinfonetta. He also wrote a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. He received over 500 requests to write music for different groups and musicians.

Later Years

In 1991, David Baker became a director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. He shared this role with Gunther Schuller. Five years later, Baker became the only artistic and musical director. He retired from the orchestra in 2012.

Under his leadership, the orchestra performed in many places. In 2008, they played concerts in Egypt. They performed at the Cairo Opera House and even near the Pyramids.

Death and Lasting Impact

David Baker passed away on March 26, 2016. He was eighty-four years old. He died in Bloomington due to complications from Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.

In the 1960s, he helped make jazz a respected subject to study at universities. He led Indiana University's Jazz Studies department for many years. He also directed the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. In these roles, he guided and inspired many young jazz musicians. His many books, articles, and compositions show his wide range of interests.

Awards and Honors

• Lifetime Achievement Award, Jazz Education Hall of Fame (1994)
• Emmy Award for the film For Gold and Glory (2003)
• Pulitzer Prize nomination for "Levels" (1973)
• Grammy Award nomination (1979)
• American Jazz Masters Award, National Endowment for the Arts (2000)
• James Smithson Medal, Smithsonian Institution (2002)
• Living Jazz Legend, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2007)
• Governor's Arts Award, State of Indiana (1991)
• Indiana Living Legend, Indiana Historical Society (2001)
• Sagamore of the Wabash, State of Indiana (2011)
• Honorary doctorate degrees from Wabash College, Oberlin College (2004), and New England Conservatory of Music (2006)

Memberships

David Baker was a leader in many music and arts organizations.

• Former Member, National Council on the Arts
• Former Board member, American Symphony Orchestra League
• Past president, International Association for Jazz Education
• Founding president, National Jazz Service Organization
• Senior music consultant for the Smithsonian Institution

Selected Recordings

• Steppin' Out (Liscio, 1998)
• How to Learn Tunes (2000)

With John Lewis

• The Golden Striker (Atlantic, 1960)

With George Russell

• Jazz in the Space Age (Decca, 1960)
• Ezz-thetics (Riverside, 1961)
• The Stratus Seekers (Riverside, 1962)

Selected Books

David Baker wrote over sixty books, including:

• Jazz Styles & Analysis –Trombone: A History of the Jazz Trombone via Recorded Solos (1973)
• Jazz Improvisation (1988)
• David Baker's Jazz Pedagogy (1989)

He also wrote 400 articles about music.

Selected Compositions

Images for kids

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  David Baker leading the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.