Charlie Haden

Charles Edward Haden (born August 6, 1937) is a jazz double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. Haden is also known for his signature lyrical bass lines, and is one of the most respected jazz bassists and jazz composers today.

Related Topics:
August 6 - 1937 - Jazz - Double bass - Ornette Coleman

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Haden was born in Missouri, and raised in a musical family, which often performed together on the radio playing country music and American folk songs. Haden made his professional debut as a singer when he was two years old, and continued singing with his family until he contracted a mild form of polio when he was 14. The polio damaged his throat muscles and vocal chords, and as a result, Haden was unable to control his pitch while singing. A few years before contracting polio, Haden had become interrested in jazz, and began playing his older brother's double bass.

Related Topics:
Missouri - Country music - Folk songs - Polio

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Haden moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1950's, and quickly began playing professionally, including stints with pianist Hampton Hawes and saxophonist Art Pepper.

Related Topics:
Los Angeles - Hampton Hawes - Art Pepper

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Haden became famous playing with Ornette Coleman in the late 1950s, perhaps culminating with The Shape of Jazz To Come. This album was released to much controversy at the time, and Haden himself remarked that the harmolodic style of playing was so confusing to him at first that he resigned himself to repeating Coleman's lines on the bass. It was only later that he had enough confidence to start playing his own lines during the performances.

Related Topics:
Ornette Coleman - 1950 - The Shape of Jazz To Come - Harmolodic

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Besides his association with Ornette Coleman, Haden was also a member of Keith Jarrett's trio and "American quartet" from 1967 to 1976 with Paul Motian and Dewey Redman. He played in the collective Old and New Dreams.

Related Topics:
Keith Jarrett - Paul Motian - Dewey Redman - Old and New Dreams

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He went on to lead the Liberation Music Orchestra in the 1970s. Largely arranged by Carla Bley, their music was very experimental, exploring the realms of free jazz and political music at the same time; specifically, the LMO's first album focused on the Spanish Civil War. This thematic exploration of genres of music not typically considered to be a jazz standard became one of Haden's signature approaches with his Quartet West.

Related Topics:
Liberation Music Orchestra - 1970s - Carla Bley - Spanish Civil War

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Started in 1987, the Charlie Haden Quartet West consisted of Ernie Watts on sax, Alan Broadbent on piano and Larance Marable on drums. This group featured lush, romantic arrangements by Broadbent, often with strings, and was the recipient of many awards. With largely the same musicians Haden went on to explore spiritual hymns with Hank Jones, American folk music in American Hymns, film noir music in Always Say Goodbye, and Cuban folk music in Nocturne.

Related Topics:
Quartet West - Ernie Watts - Alan Broadbent - Larance Marable

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In the late 1997 he collaborated on a duet with Pat Metheny on the guitar, exploring the music that influenced them in their childhood experiences in Missouri with what they call Americana music. This collaboration culminated in the album Beyond the Missouri Skies (Short Stories) and their worldwide tours together.

Related Topics:
1997 - Pat Metheny

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His son Josh Haden is a bass guitarist and singer. He recorded with 1980's punk band Trecherous Jaywalkers (who recorded for SST Records), and is presently a member of Spain. His triplet daughters, Petra, Tanya and Rachel Haden, are all musicians. Formerly of that dog., Petra has since joined indie rock group The Decemberists.

Related Topics:
Josh Haden - Trecherous Jaywalkers - SST Records - Spain - Petra - Tanya - Rachel Haden - That dog. - Indie rock - The Decemberists

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