Neal Starkey
Encyclopedia
Neal Starkey is an American
jazz
bassist
residing in Atlanta, Georgia
. He has had a long and varied career, performing with many of the most notable names in jazz, including Kenny Barron
, Eddie Harris
, Sonny Stitt
, Duke Pearson
, Al Cohn
, Charlie Rouse
, Barney Kessel
and many others. He is a regular featured performer at the W. C. Handy Music Festival
, and a member of the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars
. Originally from New York
, he has made Atlanta his home for the past 25 years.
Starkey has recorded with Herbie Hancock
, Tony Williams and Freddie Hubbard
with the CBS Jazz All-Stars, and has served as bass instructor in the jazz program at Georgia State University
. He has also had extensive studio recording experience and is one of the most in- demand bassists in the Southeastern
region, often working with notable Southeastern reigional jazz musicians such as Rick Bell (saxophone), Ken Watters
(trumpet), Bill Anschell
(piano), Gary Motley (piano) and Ray Reach
(piano and vocal).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
bassist
Double 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...
residing in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. He has had a long and varied career, performing with many of the most notable names in jazz, including Kenny Barron
Kenny Barron
Kenny Barron , is an American jazz pianist. He is the younger brother of tenor saxophonist Bill Barron, and known for his lyrical, adaptive style.-Biography:...
, 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...
, Sonny Stitt
Sonny Stitt
Edward "Sonny" Stitt was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. He was also one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording over 100 albums in his lifetime...
, Duke Pearson
Duke Pearson
Duke Pearson was an American jazz pianist and composer. Allmusic notes him as being a "big part in shaping the Blue Note label's hard bop direction in the 1960s as a producer."-History:...
, Al Cohn
Al Cohn
Al Cohn was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger and composer.-Biography:Alvin Gilbert Cohn was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was initially known in the 1940s for playing in Woody Herman's Second Herd as one of the Four Brothers, along with Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, and Serge Chaloff...
, Charlie Rouse
Charlie Rouse
Charlie Rouse was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by the collaboration for more than ten years with Thelonious Monk.- Biography :...
, Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. Generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century, he was noted in particular for his vast knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies...
and many others. He is a regular featured performer at the W. C. Handy Music Festival
W. C. Handy Music Festival
The W. C. Handy Music Festival is held annually in Florence, Alabama, sponsored by the Music Preservation Society, Inc., in honor of Florence native W. C...
, and a member of the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars
W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars
The W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars is a group of jazz musicians who play annually at the W. C. Handy Music Festival in Florence, Alabama. During the last week of July each year, these musicians travel from all over the United States to gather in Florence and perform in various combinations...
. Originally from New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he has made Atlanta his home for the past 25 years.
Starkey has recorded with 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 and Freddie Hubbard
Freddie Hubbard
Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
with the CBS Jazz All-Stars, and has served as bass instructor in the jazz program at Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
. He has also had extensive studio recording experience and is one of the most in- demand bassists in the Southeastern
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
region, often working with notable Southeastern reigional jazz musicians such as Rick Bell (saxophone), Ken Watters
Ken Watters
Ken Watters is an American jazz trumpeter residing in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the brother of noted jazz trombonist, Harry Watters. Ken is a member of several noted performing groups, including Tabou Combo, , Natalie Cole Band, , the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, and the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars...
(trumpet), Bill Anschell
Bill Anschell
Bill Anschell is a Jazz pianist and composer. He has recorded five CDs as a leader, and performed or recorded with a host of other top jazz players including Lionel Hampton, Nnenna Freelon, Tierney Sutton, Russell Malone, Richard Davis, Russell Gunn, Ron Carter, and many other greats...
(piano), Gary Motley (piano) and Ray Reach
Ray Reach
Raymond Everett Reach, Jr. is an American pianist, vocalist and educator residing in Birmingham, Alabama, now serving as Director of Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, director of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars and President and CEO of Ray Reach Music and Magic City...
(piano and vocal).
Partial discography
- Bill AnschellBill AnschellBill Anschell is a Jazz pianist and composer. He has recorded five CDs as a leader, and performed or recorded with a host of other top jazz players including Lionel Hampton, Nnenna Freelon, Tierney Sutton, Russell Malone, Richard Davis, Russell Gunn, Ron Carter, and many other greats...
- When Cooler Heads Prevail - Summit Records #DCD 311. Personnel: Bill AnschellBill AnschellBill Anschell is a Jazz pianist and composer. He has recorded five CDs as a leader, and performed or recorded with a host of other top jazz players including Lionel Hampton, Nnenna Freelon, Tierney Sutton, Russell Malone, Richard Davis, Russell Gunn, Ron Carter, and many other greats...
(Pianist, composer, arranger, producer), Rodney Jordan (Bass), Neal Starkey (Bass), Woody Williams (Drumset, bata, bongo, cajon, cowbell, kono, pandeiro, rattle, shaker, tan-tan). Recorded August 27, 2000 and October 28, 2000 - Bill Anschell - A Different Note All Together - Accurate Records # AC-5030, 1998. Personnel: Bill Anschell (Pianist, composer, arranger, producer), Neal Starkey (Bass), Woody Williams (Drums, percussion, scream), Scott Sawyer (Guitar), Rick Bell (Sax). Recorded July 14–16, 1997
- Bill Anschell - Rhythm Changes - Consolidated Artists Productions # CAP 910. Personnel: Bill Anschell (Pianist, composer, arranger, producer), Neal Starkey (Bass), Woody Williams (Drums), Rick Bell (Sax), Eddie Davis (Trumpet), Bob Lewis (Trombone), Brian Lopes (Sax). Recorded October and November, 1994
- E.J. Hughes - Something to Say - Blue Canoe Records. Personnel: E.J. Hughes (tenor sax), Kenny Banks (piano), Neal Starkey (bass), Woody Williams (drums), Dave Frackenpohl (guitar). Release Date: 25 October 2005.
- Ted Howe - Ellington - Summit Records (2005)
- Toni BraxtonToni BraxtonToni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...
- Snowflakes - Arista Records (Germany). Neal Starkey (bass). Release Date: October 22, 2001 - Gary Motley - Where Land Meets Sky (2006) is a unique selection of jazz standards and sacred melodies taken from the ROA Jazz Vespers Services. The recording features Motley with vocalist Veronica Motley, Gordon Vernick, trumpet, EJ Hughes, saxophone, Neal Starkey, bass, Clay Hulet, drums and special guest Victor GoinesVictor GoinesVictor Goines is a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist and received his Masters in Music at Virginia Commonwealth University. Goines is the director of jazz studies at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. He previously served as first artistic director of the Juilliard School's jazz...
, saxophone. This CD is now available through Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia.
External links
- Neal Starkey on Youtube.com with Ken WattersKen WattersKen Watters is an American jazz trumpeter residing in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the brother of noted jazz trombonist, Harry Watters. Ken is a member of several noted performing groups, including Tabou Combo, , Natalie Cole Band, , the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, and the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars...
.