Eddie Gomez
Encyclopedia
Edgar "Eddie" Gómez is a Puerto Rican
jazz
double bassist born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, perhaps most notable for his work done with the Bill Evans
trio from 1966 to 1977.
in the New York City school system at the age of eleven and at age thirteen went to the New York City High School of Music and Art. He played in the Newport Festival Youth Band (led by Marshall Brown
) from 1959 to 1961, and graduated from Juilliard in 1963.
His impressive résumé includes performances with jazz giants such as Miles Davis
, Dizzy Gillespie
, Gerry Mulligan
, Benny Goodman
, Buck Clayton
, Bill Bruford
, Marian McPartland
, Paul Bley
, Michael Brecker
, Wayne Shorter
, Steps Ahead
, Steve Gadd
, Jeremy Steig
, Herbie Hancock
, Tony Williams, Al Foster
, Chick Corea
, Eugenio Toussaint
and Carli Muñoz
. Time lauded: "Eddie Gómez has the world on his strings". He spent a total of eleven years with the Bill Evans
Trio, which included performances throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, as well as dozens of recordings. Two of the Trio's recordings won Grammy awards. In addition, he was a member of the Manhattan Jazz Quintet
.
His career mainly consists of working as an accompanist, a position suited for his quick reflexes and flexibility. In addition to working as a studio musician for many famous jazz musicians, he has recorded as a leader for Columbia Records
, Projazz and Stretch
. Most of his recent recordings as a leader are co-led by jazz pianist Mark Kramer.
Gómez was also a member of the fusion band Steps Ahead
.
With Bill Evans
With Mick Goodrick
With Mike Nock
With Masahiko Satoh
With Eugenio Toussaint
With Ralph Towner
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
jazz
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...
double bassist born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, perhaps most notable for his work done with the Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
trio from 1966 to 1977.
Biography
Gómez emigrated with his family from Puerto Rico at a young age to New York, where he was raised. He started on double bassDouble bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
in the New York City school system at the age of eleven and at age thirteen went to the New York City High School of Music and Art. He played in the Newport Festival Youth Band (led by Marshall Brown
Marshall Brown
Marshall Brown was a jazz musician and educator. He played trombones and, less often, bass trumpet or euphonium. He played the valve trombone.Brown was little recorded, and devoted most of his career to education...
) from 1959 to 1961, and graduated from Juilliard in 1963.
His impressive résumé includes performances with jazz giants such as Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan
Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophonists in jazz history – playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz – he was also...
, Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton was an American jazz trumpet player who was a leading member of Count Basie’s "Old Testament" orchestra and a leader of mainstream-oriented jam session recordings in the 1950s. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong...
, Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
, Marian McPartland
Marian McPartland
Margaret Marian McPartland, OBE is an English-born jazz pianist, composer, writer, and the host of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on National Public Radio, NPR.-Early life:...
, Paul Bley
Paul Bley
Paul Bley, CM is a pianist known for his contributions to the free jazz movement of the 1960s as well as his innovations and influence on trio playing.-Biography:...
, Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
, Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...
, Steps Ahead
Steps Ahead
Steps Ahead is a jazz fusion group and the brainchild of vibraphonist Mike Mainieri. According to the liner notes of the group's 1983 debut album , entitled Steps Ahead, "Steps began as a part-time venture in 1979 at Seventh Avenue South, a New York City nightclub." The group began releasing...
, Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd is an American session and studio drummer, notable for his work with popular musicians from a wide range of genres.-Biography:...
, Jeremy Steig
Jeremy Steig
-Biography:Steig is the son of New Yorker cartoonist William Steig,At age 19 Steig was involved in a motorcycle accident which left him paralyzed on one side...
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Tony Williams, Al Foster
Al Foster
Al Foster is an American jazz drummer. Foster played with Miles Davis's large funk fusion group in the 70s, was one of the few people to have contact with Miles during his retirement, and was also part of his comeback album The Man With the Horn of 1981...
, Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
, Eugenio Toussaint
Eugenio Toussaint
Eugenio Toussaint Uhtohff , was a Mexican composer, arranger and jazz musician.He began playing as a pianist in 1972 with the band "Odradek". In 1975, he took part in the jazz band "Blue Note" and a year later he founded the Mexican band "Sacbé", one of the most important Mexican jazz bands...
and Carli Muñoz
Carli Muñoz
Carlos C. Muñoz, better known as Carli Munoz or Carli Muñoz , is a self-taught American jazz pianist.Although born and raised in Puerto Rico, his music of choice was jazz, European avant-garde and American pop music...
. Time lauded: "Eddie Gómez has the world on his strings". He spent a total of eleven years with the Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
Trio, which included performances throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, as well as dozens of recordings. Two of the Trio's recordings won Grammy awards. In addition, he was a member of the Manhattan Jazz Quintet
Manhattan Jazz Quintet
The Manhattan Jazz Quintet is a jazz ensemble consisting of David Matthews on piano, Lew Soloff on trumpet, Victor Lewis on drums, Andy Snitzer on saxophone, and Charnett Moffett on bass...
.
His career mainly consists of working as an accompanist, a position suited for his quick reflexes and flexibility. In addition to working as a studio musician for many famous jazz musicians, he has recorded as a leader for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, Projazz and Stretch
Stretch Records
Stretch Records was established in 1997 by pianist/composer/producer Chick Corea and music industry veteran Ron Moss.The label claims to promote "music with no boundaries" though it has mostly released jazz music....
. Most of his recent recordings as a leader are co-led by jazz pianist Mark Kramer.
Gómez was also a member of the fusion band Steps Ahead
Steps Ahead
Steps Ahead is a jazz fusion group and the brainchild of vibraphonist Mike Mainieri. According to the liner notes of the group's 1983 debut album , entitled Steps Ahead, "Steps began as a part-time venture in 1979 at Seventh Avenue South, a New York City nightclub." The group began releasing...
.
As sideman
With Chick CoreaChick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
- The LeprechaunThe Leprechaun (Chick Corea album)The Leprechaun is an album by Chick Corea recorded and released in 1976.The album was recorded during Corea's time with his jazz fusion group Return to Forever...
(1976) - The Mad HatterThe Mad Hatter (album)The Mad Hatter is an album recorded by Chick Corea and released in 1978.The track names for the album, as well as its title, are derived from the children's fairy-tale Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.-Track listing:...
(1978) - Friends (1978)
With Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
- A Simple Matter of ConvictionA Simple Matter of ConvictionA Simple Matter of Conviction is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1966 on Verve.-Reception:Writing for Allmusic, music critic Bob Rusch wrote of the album: "What separated this from the average good Bill Evans date was the inclusion of Shelly Manne on drums, who inventively pushed...
(Verve, 1966) - California Here I ComeCalifornia Here I Come (Bill Evans album)California Here I Come is a 1967 double-album by jazz pianist Bill Evans. It was not released until 1982 and peaked at #12 on the Billboard Jazz Album charts in 1983.Verve reissued California Here I Come on CD in 2004.-Track listing:...
(Verve, 1967) - Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz FestivalBill Evans at the Montreux Jazz FestivalBill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival is a 1968 album by the American jazz pianist Bill Evans, recorded live at that year's Montreux Jazz Festival....
(Verve, 1968) - What's NewWhat's New (Bill Evans album)What's New is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1969.-Track listing:# "Straight, No Chaser" – 5:40# "Lover Man" – 6:19# "What's New?" – 4:50...
(Verve, 1969) - Autumn LeavesAutumn Leaves (Bill Evans album)Autumn Leaves is 1980 album by Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums. It was released by Lotus, Italy.The title track of the album Autumn Leaves is one of the most recorded song in the world. The original name of the song was Les Feuilles Mortes composed by Joseph Kosma,...
(Lotus, 1969) - JazzhouseJazzhouse-Track listing:# "How Deep Is the Ocean?" - 5:45# "How My Heart Sings" - 3:52# "Goodbye" - 3:40# "Autumn Leaves" - 5:28...
(Milestone, 1969) - You're Gonna Hear From MeYou're Gonna Hear from Me (album)-Track listing:# "You're Gonna Hear From Me" - 3:02# "'Round Midnight" - 6:22# "Waltz for Debby" - 5:29# "Nardis" - 8:59# "Time Remembered" - 5:02...
(Milestone, 1969) - From Left to RightFrom Left to RightFrom Left to Right is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1970 .-Reissues:* From Left to Right was reissued on CD by Verve Records on November 13, 1998 with bonus tracks....
(MGM, 1970) - Quiet NowQuiet NowQuiet Now is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1969.In 1999, Polygram issued a compilation titled Quiet Now: Never Let Me Go which, aside from the title track, has a completely different track listing.-Track listing:...
(Charly, 1970) - Montreux IIMontreux II-Track listing:# Introduction - 1:11# "Very Early" - 5:27# "Alfie" - 5:30# "34 Skidoo" - 6:37# "How My Heart Sings" - 4:16# "Israel" - 4:14...
(CTI, 1970) - The Bill Evans AlbumThe Bill Evans AlbumThe Bill Evans Album is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1971.At the Grammy Awards of 1972, The Bill Evans Album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo and the Best Jazz Performance by a Group awards....
(Columbia, 1971) - Living TimeLiving TimeLiving Time is an album by the Bill Evans George Russell Orchestra recorded in 1972 and released on the Columbia label, featuring performances by Evans with an orchestra conducted by Russell. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 2 stars and stated "The music on this set...
with George Russell Orchestra (Columbia, 1972) - The Tokyo ConcertThe Tokyo Concert-Track listing:# "Mornin' Glory" - 5:17# "Up With the Lark" - 6:36# "Yesterday I Heard the Rain" - 6:24# "My Romance" - 8:32...
(Fantasy, 1973) - Eloquence (Fantasy, 1973)
- Half Moon BayHalf Moon Bay (album)-Track listing:# Introductions - 0:41# "Waltz for Debby" - 6:25# "Time Remembered" - 5:46# "Very Early" - 6:05# "Autumn Leaves" - 4:47...
(Milestone, 1973) - Since We MetSince We Met-Track listing:# "Since We Met" - 8:52# "Midnight Mood" - 6:53# "See-Saw" - 6:53# "Sareen Jurer" - 6:39# "Time Remembered" - 5:27# "Turn Out the Stars" - 5:07...
(Fantasy, 1974) - Re: Person I KnewRe: Person I Knew-Track listing:# "Re: Person I Knew" - 5:20# "Sugar Plum" - 8:17# "Alfie" - 4:59# "T.T.T. " - 5:31# "Excerpt from Dolphin Dance/Very Early" - 7:26# "34 Skidoo" - 6:05...
(Fantasy, 1974) - SymbiosisSymbiosis (album)-Track listing:# "Symbiosis 1st Movement - 24:58# "Symbiosis 2nd Movement - 15:55*Recorded in New York City on February 11, 12 & 14, 1974.-Personnel:*Bill Evans - piano, electric piano...
(MPS, 1974) - But BeautifulBut Beautiful (Stan Getz & Bill Evans album)But Beautiful is a jazz album by musicians Stan Getz and Bill Evans, released in 1996.-History:Recorded live on August 9, 1974 during the Laren International Jazz Festival at the Singer Concertzaal located in Laren, Holland and on August 16, 1974 during Jazz Middelheim held in Antwerp, Belgium,...
(Milestone, 1974) - Blue in Green: The Concert in CanadaBlue in Green: The Concert in Canada-Track listing:# "One for Helen" - 6:13# "The Two Lonely People" - 7:03# "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" - 4:38# "So What" - 6:47# "Very Early" - 5:32...
(Milestone, 1974) - IntuitionIntuition (Bill Evans album)Intuition is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1974 . It was reissued on CD by Original Jazz Classics in 1995.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4 stars.-Track listing:...
(Fantasy, 1974) - Montreux IIIMontreux III-Track listing:# "Elsa" - 7:28# "Milano" - 4:40# "Venutian Rhythm Dance" - 4:27# "Django" - 6:18# "Minha " - 4:11# "Driftin'" - 5:12# "I Love You" - 6:38...
(Fantasy, 1975) - CrosscurrentsCrosscurrents (Bill Evans album)Crosscurrents is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1977.Along with Evans' current trio of Eddie Gomez and Eliot Zigmund, Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh guest on alto and tenor saxophone respectively.-Reception:...
(Fantasy, 1977) - I Will Say GoodbyeI Will Say GoodbyeI Will Say Goodbye is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1977.-Reception:At the Grammy Awards of 1981, I Will Say Goodbye won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo and We Will Meet Again won the Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Group awards.The Allmusic review...
(Fantasy, 1977) - You Must Believe in SpringYou Must Believe in SpringYou Must Believe in Spring is the title of an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, recorded by Evans, bassist Eddie Gomez, and drummer Eliot Zigmund in August 1977 and released after Evans' death in September 1980. It was Evans's last recording sessions done with Gomez on bass, who left after eleven...
(Warner Bros., 1977)
With Mick Goodrick
Mick Goodrick
Mick Goodrick is an American post bop jazz guitarist and educator most noteworthy for his work with vibraphonist Gary Burton's band from 1973 to 1976, where for part of that time he was playing alongside guitarist Pat Metheny...
- In Pas(s)ingIn Pas(s)ingIn Pasing is the debut album by guitarist Mick Goodrick recorded in 1978 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Ron Wynn awarded the album 4½ stars calling it "a strong set that had fusion, straight-ahead, and even almost free pieces".-Track listing:# "Feebles, Fables and...
(ECM, 1979)
With Mike Nock
Mike Nock
Mike Nock is a jazz pianist, currently based in Australia. He began studying piano at 11 and by 18 was performing in Australia. He headed a trio that toured England in 1961 and then attended Berklee College of Music...
- OndasOndasOndas is an album by New Zealand jazz pianist and composer Mike Nock recorded in 1981 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4½ stars calling it "a glorious recording by a crack batch of musicians...
(ECM, 1981)
With Masahiko Satoh
- Amorphism (1985)
With Eugenio Toussaint
Eugenio Toussaint
Eugenio Toussaint Uhtohff , was a Mexican composer, arranger and jazz musician.He began playing as a pianist in 1972 with the band "Odradek". In 1975, he took part in the jazz band "Blue Note" and a year later he founded the Mexican band "Sacbé", one of the most important Mexican jazz bands...
- Oinos (Música para beber vino) (2008)
With Ralph Towner
Ralph Towner
Ralph Towner is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He plays the twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion and trumpet.-Biography:...
- BatikBatik (album)Batik is an album by guitarist Ralph Towner recorded in 1978 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4 stars stating "The music unfolds slowly but logically, and Towner's quiet sound displays a lot of inner heat.....
(ECM, 1978) - Old Friends, New FriendsOld Friends, New FriendsOld Friends, New Friends is an album by guitarist Ralph Towner recorded in 1979 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4 stars calling it "An intriguing set well worth several listens"....
(ECM, 1979)