Rodney Whitaker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rodney Whitaker
|
|
|---|---|
Whitaker performing at the 2009 Detroit Jazz Festival
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | February 22, 1968 Detroit, MI, United States |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, educator |
| Instruments | Double bass, bass guitar |
| Labels | Alma, Mack Avenue, Origin, Criss Cross Jazz, DIW |
| Associated acts | Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra |
Rodney Whitaker (born February 22, 1968) is an American jazz double bass player and educator. He is known for his amazing bass playing and for helping young musicians learn about jazz.
Contents
About Rodney Whitaker
Early Life and Music Training
Rodney Whitaker was born in Detroit, Michigan. He went to Wayne State University to study music. He learned to play the bass from Robert Gladstone, who was the main bass player for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He also learned from a famous trumpeter named Marcus Belgrave.
Becoming a Jazz Star
Rodney Whitaker became well-known for his music. He played with famous jazz groups like Terence Blanchard's Quintet. He also performed with Roy Hargrove. In 1996, he released his very first album, which was called Children of the Light.
Music for Film
Rodney Whitaker also creates music for movies. In 2002, his music for a film called China was shown on PBS.
Awards and Collaborations
In 2006, Whitaker was nominated for a Juno Award. This award was for his album Let Me Tell You About My Day. He made this album with other musicians named Phil Dwyer and Alan Jones. He has also worked with the talented pianist Junko Onishi.
Teaching and Education
Rodney Whitaker is a professor at Michigan State University's College of Music. He teaches jazz double bass and leads the jazz studies program there. He has taught special classes at many places, including Duke University, Howard University, and Lincoln Center. He has also helped the Detroit Symphony Orchestra create a jazz education program. He leads their Civic Jazz Orchestra. Whitaker also teaches at the University of Michigan and the Juilliard School.
Music Albums
Rodney Whitaker has released many albums, both as the main artist and as a bass player for other musicians.
Albums as the Main Artist
These are some of the albums where Rodney Whitaker was the leader:
- Children of the Light (1995)
- Hidden Kingdom (1997)
- The Brooklyn Session: Ballads and Blues (1998)
- Yesterday Today and Tomorrow (1999)
- Get Ready (2007)
- Work to Do (2008)
- When We Find Ourselves Alone (2014)
- Common Ground: The Music of Gregg Hill (2019)
- All Too Soon: The Music of Duke Ellington (2019)
- Cranbrook Christmas Jazz (2021)
- Outrospection: The Music of Gregg Hill (2021)
- Oasis: The Music of Gregg Hill (2022)
Albums with Other Musicians
Rodney Whitaker has also played bass on many albums for other jazz artists. Here are a few examples:
- Terence Blanchard with Terence Blanchard (1991)
- Simply Stated with Terence Blanchard (1992)
- Of Kindred Souls with Roy Hargrove (1992)
- Crusin' with Junko Onishi (1993)
- With the Tenors of Our Time with Roy Hargrove (1994)
- Pursuance–The Music of John Coltrane with Kenny Garrett (1996)
- A Grand Encounter with Dianne Reeves (1996)
- Tenor Time with Joe Lovano (1997)
- Live from Swing City with Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (1999)
- Big Train with Wynton Marsalis (1999)
- All Rise with Wynton Marsalis (2001)
