Rick Laird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rick Laird
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Rick Laird in 1973.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Quentin Laird |
| Born | 5 February 1941 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 4 July 2021 (aged 80) New City, Rockland County, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz fusion |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1962–2021 |
| Associated acts | Brian Auger John McLaughlin |
Rick Laird (born Richard Quentin Laird; February 5, 1941 – July 4, 2021) was an Irish musician. He was most famous as the bass player and a founding member of the jazz fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra. He played with them from 1971 to 1973.
Contents
Early Life and Music
Rick Laird was born in Dublin, Ireland, on February 5, 1941. He grew up in a very musical family. His mom played the piano in many different styles. His dad played the ukulele. Rick started playing both instruments when he was just three years old.
When he was about five, Rick began formal lessons for guitar and piano. He could already read sheet music. But he soon stopped playing the piano because he didn't enjoy it much. Instead, he started to enjoy painting and drawing.
At age twelve, Rick tried Spanish guitar lessons. However, he found the books too hard and quit again. Then, his mom introduced him to jazz music. She bought him drum brushes and encouraged him to play along to jazz records.
Rick's Musical Journey
Starting Out in Music
When Rick was sixteen, he moved to New Zealand with his father. He worked on a sheep farm there. This is where he really started to take music seriously. He picked up an Australian Maton guitar and learned chords. He would play along to songs on the radio.
One day, he heard an Oscar Peterson record with bassist Ray Brown. Rick was amazed by Ray Brown's playing. He started trying to play bass lines on his own guitar. He then bought a string bass, which is a large upright bass. Just two weeks later, he joined a local band in Auckland. At eighteen, Rick decided to become a full-time professional bass player.
Rick's first band eventually broke up. But he quickly joined another band with pianist Mike Nock. They toured all over New Zealand. When Rick was nineteen, he moved to Sydney, Australia, for two years. Sydney had a more active jazz music scene. There, he played with many top jazz musicians, like Don Burrows. He also performed in jazz groups on the radio.
Moving to England and the US
Rick's goal was to move to the United States. But in 1962, he was encouraged to move to England instead. In England, Rick toured with a vocal group called Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross. He also played with famous saxophonists Zoot Sims and Al Cohn. He did a lot of studio work, playing on recordings for other artists.
From 1963 to 1964, Rick studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He also played in bands led by Brian Auger, including The Brian Auger Trinity. In one of these bands, he played with guitarist John McLaughlin. Rick preferred playing the upright bass. He didn't want to switch to electric bass, which caused some disagreements.
After this, Rick became the main bass player at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. This was a famous jazz club in London. He played with many visiting musicians, like Wes Montgomery and Sonny Stitt. This was a great learning experience for Rick. He got helpful advice from other musicians. Rick also played on the soundtrack for the 1966 movie Alfie with Sonny Rollins.
Joining Mahavishnu Orchestra
In 1966, Rick won a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He sent them a tape of himself playing with Stan Getz. At Berklee, Rick studied how to arrange music, compose, and play the string bass. In 1968, he started playing the bass guitar. He felt he could be heard better with it. He gained confidence after seeing the band The Tony Williams Lifetime play live.
Rick Laird was a founding member and electric bass player for the jazz fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra. This band was active from June 1971 to December 1973. People said Rick's strong and steady bass lines, along with Billy Cobham's drumming, gave the band a solid base. This allowed the other musicians to play amazing solos.
After the band broke up, Rick moved to New York City. He played with Stan Getz again on a tour in 1977. He also toured with Chick Corea the next year. Rick released one album as a band leader, called Soft Focus.
Later Life and Other Talents
Rick Laird stopped performing as a musician in 1982. He then became a very successful photographer. He also taught bass lessons. He wrote two books for bass players who were learning more advanced skills.
Around 1999, Rick started composing music on his daughter's computer. He said he did it just for fun. He realized that life's main goal isn't just about your job. It's about finding out who you are and learning to love yourself and others. Rick was one of the few musicians to play an S. D. Curlee bass guitar. This was his main bass.
In 2009, Rick found many old photographs he had taken of famous musicians. These included Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He put many of these photos online for everyone to see.
Death
In early 2021, Rick Laird's daughter shared that he was receiving hospice care. Rick Laird passed away from lung cancer on July 4, 2021. He was 80 years old and died in New City, New York.
Discography
As leader
- Soft Focus (Timeless Muse, 1979)
With The Mahavishnu Orchestra
- The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia, 1971)
- Birds of Fire (Columbia, 1973)
- Between Nothingness & Eternity (Columbia, 1973)
- The Best of Mahavishnu Orchestra (Columbia, 1980)
- The Lost Trident Sessions (Columbia, 1999)
Instructional Books
- Laird, Rick. (1978) Jazz Riffs for Bass
- Laird, Rick. (1980) Improvising Jazz Bass (Music Sales Corp)
