Alvin Fielder
Encyclopedia
Alvin Fielder is an American jazz
drummer. He is a founding member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
, Black Arts Music Society, Jackson, Mississippi, Improvisational Arts Trio/Quartet/Quintet and is a founding faculty member of the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp. William Butler Fielder, jazz and classical trumpeter, Rutgers University Jazz Professor is Fielder's only sibling.
Fielder began playing drums at age 12, heavily influenced by recordings of Max Roach
. While a student at Xavier University in New Orleans, he studied under Ed Blackwell
at the recommendation of Earl Palmer
, jazz drummer. When he continued studying pharmacy at Texas Southern University in Houston, he "worked with the "Pluma" Davis sextet, which included Don Wilkerson, Richard "Dicky Boy" Lillie, John Browning, and Carl Lott. Backed such artists as Lowell Fulsom, Amos Milburn and other R&B artists with extended engagements in Houston. Also did several studio dates for Duke records. Active on Houston jazz scene with Jimmy Harrison Quintet, John Browning Quintet, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson Sextet." He later went to graduate school in pharmacology
. After taking his degree at the University of Illinois, he began playing in Chicago
, co-founding the AACM in 1965. Over the next several years Fielder played with Sun Ra
, Muhal Richard Abrams
, Eddie Harris
, Kalaparusha, Fred Anderson
, Lester Lashley and Roscoe Mitchell
. Fielder is among the musicians on Roscoe Mitchell's "Sound" recorded in 1966.
In 1969, due to his father's ill health, he returned to his home state of Mississippi. Fielder took responsibility for managing the family business, became active in school desegregation, and continued to pursue his passion for the music. In 1971 he met John Reese. Fielder became very active in and helped develop Reese's fledgling Black Arts Music Society (BAMS). Fielder was instrumental in bringing many important artists to Mississippi. The artists include Muhal Richard Abrams, Alvin Batiste, Ron Brown, Betty Carter, Teddy Edwards, Malachi Favors, Dexter Gordon, Dick Griffin, Johnny Griffin, Eddie Harris, the Heath Brothers, Billy Higgins, Joseph Jarman, Joseph Jennings, Clifford Jordan, Kidd Jordan, Oliver Lake, Mulgrew Miller, Woody Shaw, Robert Stewart, Kenneth Thomas, Henry Threadgill, Freddie Waites and Cassandra Wilson. Cassandra Wilson, a native of Jackson Mississippi, as a teenager was introduced to and encouraged to sing bebop by BAMS.
In 1975, Clifford Jordan and Fielder began working with Kidd Jordan
in an improvisational ensemble. At times it was The Improvisational Arts Trio, Quartet and Quintet. Clyde Kerr, Alvin Thomas, Kent Jordan, Darryl Lavigne, Johnathan Bloom and Elton Herron have played with Improvisational Arts at various times. Fielder has appeared at the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival every year from 1975 to 2008. In 1995, Fielder participated as a founding faculty member (the only non-Louisiana musician) in the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp. He has taught every year until 2008.
He recorded in 1987 with Ahmed Abdullah
, Charles Brackeen, and Dennis Gonzalez
, and continued exploring in the free jazz
vein in the 1990s with Joel Futterman
, Kidd Jordan
, and others. He toured with Andrew Lamb
in 2002, and released the album A Measure of Vision under his own name in 2007.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
drummer. He is a founding member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians is a non-profit organization, founded in Chicago, Illinois, United States, by pianist/composer Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist Jodie Christian, drummer Steve McCall, and composer Phil Cohran....
, Black Arts Music Society, Jackson, Mississippi, Improvisational Arts Trio/Quartet/Quintet and is a founding faculty member of the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp. William Butler Fielder, jazz and classical trumpeter, Rutgers University Jazz Professor is Fielder's only sibling.
Fielder began playing drums at age 12, heavily influenced by recordings of Max Roach
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel "Max" Roach was an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer.A pioneer of bebop, Roach went on to work in many other styles of music, and is generally considered alongside the most important drummers in history...
. While a student at Xavier University in New Orleans, he studied under Ed Blackwell
Ed Blackwell
Ed Blackwell was an American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana, known for his extensive work with Ornette Coleman....
at the recommendation of Earl Palmer
Earl Palmer
Earl Cyril Palmer was an American rock & roll and rhythm and blues drummer, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....
, jazz drummer. When he continued studying pharmacy at Texas Southern University in Houston, he "worked with the "Pluma" Davis sextet, which included Don Wilkerson, Richard "Dicky Boy" Lillie, John Browning, and Carl Lott. Backed such artists as Lowell Fulsom, Amos Milburn and other R&B artists with extended engagements in Houston. Also did several studio dates for Duke records. Active on Houston jazz scene with Jimmy Harrison Quintet, John Browning Quintet, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson Sextet." He later went to graduate school in pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
. After taking his degree at the University of Illinois, he began playing in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, co-founding the AACM in 1965. Over the next several years Fielder played with Sun Ra
Sun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
, Muhal Richard Abrams
Muhal Richard Abrams
Muhal Richard Abrams is an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the Free jazz medium. Abrams compresses both contemporary and traditional ideas into lean, elegant pieces.- Biography :Abrams attended DuSable High School in Chicago...
, Eddie Harris
Eddie Harris
Eddie Harris was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ...
, Kalaparusha, Fred Anderson
Fred Anderson
Fred Anderson may refer to:*Fred Anderson , former National Football League defensive lineman*Fred Anderson , Major League Baseball player...
, Lester Lashley and Roscoe Mitchell
Roscoe Mitchell
Roscoe Mitchell is an African American composer, jazz instrumentalist and educator, mostly known for being "a technically superb—if idiosyncratic—saxophonist." He has been called "one of the key figures" in avant-garde jazz who has been "at the forefront of modern music" for the past...
. Fielder is among the musicians on Roscoe Mitchell's "Sound" recorded in 1966.
In 1969, due to his father's ill health, he returned to his home state of Mississippi. Fielder took responsibility for managing the family business, became active in school desegregation, and continued to pursue his passion for the music. In 1971 he met John Reese. Fielder became very active in and helped develop Reese's fledgling Black Arts Music Society (BAMS). Fielder was instrumental in bringing many important artists to Mississippi. The artists include Muhal Richard Abrams, Alvin Batiste, Ron Brown, Betty Carter, Teddy Edwards, Malachi Favors, Dexter Gordon, Dick Griffin, Johnny Griffin, Eddie Harris, the Heath Brothers, Billy Higgins, Joseph Jarman, Joseph Jennings, Clifford Jordan, Kidd Jordan, Oliver Lake, Mulgrew Miller, Woody Shaw, Robert Stewart, Kenneth Thomas, Henry Threadgill, Freddie Waites and Cassandra Wilson. Cassandra Wilson, a native of Jackson Mississippi, as a teenager was introduced to and encouraged to sing bebop by BAMS.
In 1975, Clifford Jordan and Fielder began working with Kidd Jordan
Kidd Jordan
Edward "Kidd" Jordan is an American jazz saxophonist and music educator from New Orleans, Louisiana....
in an improvisational ensemble. At times it was The Improvisational Arts Trio, Quartet and Quintet. Clyde Kerr, Alvin Thomas, Kent Jordan, Darryl Lavigne, Johnathan Bloom and Elton Herron have played with Improvisational Arts at various times. Fielder has appeared at the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival every year from 1975 to 2008. In 1995, Fielder participated as a founding faculty member (the only non-Louisiana musician) in the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp. He has taught every year until 2008.
He recorded in 1987 with Ahmed Abdullah
Ahmed Abdullah
Ahmed Abdullah is a jazz trumpeter. He began playing when he was 13 years old. By the 1970s he was performing in New York's loft scene, and joined the Sun Ra Arkestra in 1976. Since that time he has played with Chico Freeman, Ronnie Boykins, Charles Brackeen, Steve Reid, John Hicks and Marion Brown...
, Charles Brackeen, and Dennis Gonzalez
Dennis González
Dennis González is a jazz musician, poet, visual artist and music educator based in Dallas, Texas....
, and continued exploring in the free jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
vein in the 1990s with Joel Futterman
Joel Futterman
Joel Futterman is an American jazz pianist and curved soprano saxophonist. He has appeared on more than 65 recordings as of 2009....
, Kidd Jordan
Kidd Jordan
Edward "Kidd" Jordan is an American jazz saxophonist and music educator from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, and others. He toured with Andrew Lamb
Andrew Lamb (musician)
Andrew Lamb is a jazz saxophonist and flautist. Lamb was raised in Chicago and South Jamaica, Queens...
in 2002, and released the album A Measure of Vision under his own name in 2007.