Jimmy Bond (musician) facts for kids

James Edward Bond Jr. (born January 27, 1933 – died April 26, 2012), known as Jimmy Bond, was an American musician. He was a talented double bass player, and he also arranged and composed music. Jimmy Bond played and recorded with many famous musicians from the 1950s to the 1980s. He worked with artists in jazz, blues, folk, and rock styles.

Biography of Jimmy Bond

Jimmy Bond was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He learned to play the double bass and the tuba. He also studied how to arrange music for orchestras (called orchestration) and how to create music (called composition).

From 1950 to 1955, Jimmy went to the Juilliard School, a very famous music school. While he was studying, he played bass in clubs in Philadelphia. He even played with jazz legends like Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Gene Ammons. After finishing his studies, he regularly performed with other well-known musicians such as Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sonny Rollins. In 1958, he started touring with George Shearing.

Moving to Los Angeles

In 1959, Jimmy Bond moved to Los Angeles, California. There, he became the main bass player at a nightclub called the Renaissance on Sunset Boulevard. He played with many great musicians like Ben Webster, Art Pepper, Jim Hall, and Jimmy Giuffre. He also recorded music with Paul Horn.

Starting in 1962, Jimmy became a very busy session musician in Los Angeles. A session musician is someone who is hired to play on recording sessions for different artists, but they are not usually a permanent member of a band.

The Wrecking Crew

From the 1960s to the early 1970s, and sometimes even into the 1980s, Jimmy Bond played on hundreds of recording sessions. He played not only jazz but also rock, pop, folk, and gospel music. He became a member of a famous group of session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. This group was known for playing on many hit songs, especially for producer Phil Spector.

Jimmy Bond recorded with many other famous artists, including Randy Newman, Frank Zappa, Tim Buckley, The Jazz Crusaders, Nina Simone, Lightnin' Hopkins, Jimmy Witherspoon, Linda Ronstadt, Henry Mancini, Lou Rawls, Tony Bennett, and B.B. King. He also started working more as an arranger, helping to organize the music for songs. He worked with producers like Nik Venet and David Axelrod. Jimmy also composed and arranged music for advertising jingles.

Jimmy Bond passed away in 2012 at the age of 79 due to health problems.

Discography

Jimmy Bond played on many albums throughout his career. Here are some of the albums he recorded with various artists:

With Curtis Amy

• Groovin' Blue (1961)

With Earl Anderza

• Outa Sight (1962)

With Chet Baker

• Chet Baker Sings (1956)
• Chet Baker Big Band (1956)

With Louis Bellson

• Big Band Jazz from the Summit (1962)

With Tim Buckley

• Goodbye and Hello (1967)

With Terry Gibbs

• That Swing Thing! (1961)

With Joe Gordon

• Lookin' Good! (1961)

With Lightnin' Hopkins

• Lightnin' Strikes (1966)
• Something Blue (1967)

With Paul Horn

• Something Blue (1960)
• The Sound of Paul Horn (1961)

With The Jazz Crusaders

• Freedom Sound (1961)
• Lookin' Ahead (1962)
• The Festival Album (1966)

With Irene Kral

• Wonderful Life (1965)

With Julie London

• Feeling Good (1965)

With Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry

• Down South Summit Meetin' (1960)
• A Long Way from Home (1969)
• I Couldn't Believe My Eyes (1969 [1973])

With Frank Morgan

• Frank Morgan (1955)

With Gerry Mulligan

• If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em! (1965)
• Feelin' Good (1966)

With Nina Simone

• Little Girl Blue (1959)
• Nina Simone and Her Friends (1959)

With Art Pepper

• Smack Up (1960)
• Intensity (1960)

With Jim Sullivan

• U.F.O. (1969)

With Gerald Wilson

• You Better Believe It! (1961)
• Moment of Truth (1962)

With Jimmy Woods

• Awakening!! (1962)

See also

In Spanish: Jimmy Bond (músico) para niños