Ed Blackwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ed Blackwell
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Edward Joseph Blackwell |
| Born | October 10, 1929 New Orleans, Louisiana, US |
| Died | October 7, 1992 (aged 62) Hartford, Connecticut, US |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Associated acts | Ornette Coleman, Old and New Dreams |
Edward Joseph Blackwell (born October 10, 1929 – died October 7, 1992) was an American jazz drummer. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ed Blackwell was famous for his amazing and important work with jazz musician Ornette Coleman.
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Meet Ed Blackwell: A Jazz Drumming Legend
Ed Blackwell was a truly special jazz drummer. He brought a fresh and exciting sound to the music. His unique style mixed different rhythms, making him a legend in the jazz world.
Early Rhythms in New Orleans
Ed Blackwell started his music journey in New Orleans in the 1950s. This city is famous for its vibrant music scene. He played in a group called a bebop quintet. This group included talented musicians like Ellis Marsalis.
A big influence on Ed's drumming was the "second line" parade music from New Orleans. This lively street music has a special beat. You could hear this unique New Orleans rhythm in Ed's drumming throughout his career. He even toured for a short time with the famous singer Ray Charles.
Drumming with Ornette Coleman and Beyond
Ed Blackwell became widely known around 1960. This was when he joined Ornette Coleman's quartet. He took over as the drummer for the group. Ornette Coleman was a leader in a new style of jazz called "free jazz." This type of jazz gave musicians more freedom to explore sounds.
Ed Blackwell was seen as one of the big thinkers in free jazz. He blended the lively rhythms of New Orleans and African music with bebop. Bebop is a fast and complex style of jazz.
Later, in the 1970s and 1980s, Ed played and recorded a lot. He worked with other musicians from Ornette's quartet. These included Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Dewey Redman. They formed a group called Old and New Dreams.
Sharing His Music and Knowledge
In the late 1970s, Ed Blackwell became an "Artist-in-Residence" at Wesleyan University. This meant he lived and taught music at the university in Middletown, Connecticut. He was a very popular person on campus until he passed away.
In 1981, he performed at the Woodstock Jazz Festival. This festival celebrated 10 years of the Creative Music Studio. Ed's group, "The Ed Blackwell Project," included Mark Helias on bass and Carlos Ward on alto sax.
His Lasting Beat
Ed Blackwell faced health challenges for many years. He passed away in 1992. The next year, he was honored for his contributions to jazz. He was added to the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. This showed how important his music was and still is.
Ed Blackwell's Own Albums
Ed Blackwell also released albums as a band leader. Here are some of them:
- 1993: What It Is? Ed Blackwell Project Vol. 1
- 1994: What It Be Like? Ed Blackwell Project Vol. 2
- 1996: Walls–Bridges
