Red Mitchell

For the ice hockey player, see Red Mitchell (ice hockey).
Red Mitchell

Rune Gustafsson, Red Mitchell, and Egil "Bop" Johansen, Down Town jazz club, Oslo, 1972
Background information
Birth name Keith Moore Mitchell
Born (1927-09-20)September 20, 1927
New York City, U.S.
Died November 8, 1992(1992-11-08) (aged 65)
Salem, Oregon
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician, composer
Instruments Bass
Labels Bethlehem, Contemporary, Atlantic, Mercury, Sonet, SteepleChase, Artists House, All Life, Enja
Website www.redmitchell.com

Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell (September 20, 1927 – November 8, 1992), was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet.

Biography

Mitchell was born on September 20, 1927, in New York City. His younger brother, Whitey Mitchell, also became a jazz bassist.

Mitchell was raised in New Jersey by a father who was an engineer and loved music, and a mother who loved poetry. His first instruments were piano, alto saxophone, and clarinet. Although Cornell University awarded him an engineering scholarship, by 1947 he was in the US Army playing bass. The next year he was in a jazz trio in New York City.

Mitchell became known for performing and/or recording with Mundell Lowe, Chubby Jackson, Charlie Ventura, Woody Herman, Red Norvo, Gerry Mulligan, and, after joining the West Coast jazz scene in the early 1950s, with André Previn, Shelly Manne, Hampton Hawes, Billie Holiday, Stan Seltzer, Ornette Coleman, and others. He also worked as a bassist in the TV and film studios around Los Angeles, occasionally appearing on screen. Mitchell also appeared in documentaries about Tal Farlow, and Zoot Sims.

Saxophonist Harold Land and Mitchell founded and co-led a quintet in the early 1960s. In 1966, Red began tuning his bass in fifths (as the violin, viola, and cello are tuned), and his tuning method opened up many possibilities for bassists.

Mitchell moved to Stockholm in 1968.[1] He won a Swedish Grammy Awards in 1986 and again in 1991 for his recorded performances as a pianist, bassist, and vocalist, and for his compositions and poetic song lyrics.

During this period, Mitchell performed and/or recorded with Clark Terry, Lee Konitz, Herb Ellis, Jim Hall, Joe Pass, Kenny Barron, Hank Jones, Ben Webster, Bill Mays, Warne Marsh, Jimmy Rowles, Phil Woods, Roger Kellaway, Putte Wickman and others. He frequently collaborated in duos, most notably with pianist Kellaway after the mid-1980s.

Returning to the United States in early 1992, Mitchell settled in Oregon where he died at age 65 on November 8, 1992.[2]

A collection of his poetry was published posthumously. His widow is preparing a biography.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

As sideman

With Mose Allison

With Gene Ammons

With Chet Baker

With Louis Bellson

With Paul Bley

With Bob Brookmeyer

With Buddy Collette

With Maynard Ferguson

With Tommy Flanagan

With Jimmy Giuffre

With Jim Hall

With Herbie Harper

With Hampton Hawes

With Paul Horn

With Stan Kenton

With Barney Kessel

With Karin Krog

With Johnny Mandel

With Shelly Manne

With Warne Marsh

With Jack Montrose

With Gerry Mulligan

With Bill Perkins and Richie Kamuca

With André Previn

With Shorty Rogers

With Dick Rosmini

With Pete Rugolo

With George Russell

With Bud Shank

With Clark Terry

With Ben Webster

With Magni Wentzel

With Pierre Strom

References

  1. ↑ Leonard Feather (April 5, 1983). "Red Mitchell Brings His Bass Home". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-09-03. Red Mitchell, a Swedish resident for 14 years, is getting to spend more and more time back home these days and had to come from New York for his ...
  2. ↑ "Keith "Red" Mitchell". Orlando Sentinel. November 11, 1992. Retrieved 2012-09-03. Keith "Red" Mitchell, a jazz bassist who played with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie and Billie Mitchell ...
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