Arthur Blythe

Infobox musical artist
Name = Arthur Blythe

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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
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Born = birth date and age|1940|5|7|mf=y
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Origin = flagicon|USA Los Angeles, California, USA
Instrument = alto Saxophone
Voice_type =
Genre = Jazz, Post-bop
Occupation = Musician
Bandleader
Composer

Years_active = 1969 – Present
Label = Columbia, Enja, Savant
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.arthurblythe.com/ Official site]
Current_members =
Past_members =
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Arthur Blythe (born May 7, 1940, in Los Angeles, California) is an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. His stylistic voice has a distinct vibrato and he plays within the post-bop subgenre of jazz.

Biography

Blythe lived in San Diego, California, returning to Los Angeles when he was 19 years old. He had took up the alto saxophone at the age of nine playing R&B until his mid-teens when he discovered jazz. He studied with David Jackson and Jimmie Lunceford, and Kirtland (Kirk) Bradford. In the mid-60's he was part of The Underground Musicians and Artists Association (UGMAA), west coast counterpart to Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) founded by Horace Tapscott, on whose 1969 "The Giant Is Awakened", Blythe made his recording debut. After moving to New York in the mid-70s, he performed as sideman for Chico Hamilton (75-77), Gil Evans Orchestra (76-78), Lester Bowie (‘78), Jack DeJohnette (‘79) and McCoy Tyner (‘79). [ [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=5129 Arthur Blythe Biography] ]

Blythe started to record as a leader in 1977 for the India Navigation label and then for Columbia records from 1978 to 1987. Albums such as "The Grip" and "Metamorphosis" (both on India Navigation) offered capable, highly refined jazz fare with a free angle that made Blythe too ‘out there’ for the general public, but endeared him to the more serious jazz fans. Blythe played on many pivotal albums of the 1980s, among them Jack DeJohnette's "Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition", on ECM. After the departure of Julius Hemphill, he joined the World Saxophone Quartet. Beginning in 2000 he made recordings on the Savant label which included "Exhale" (2003) with John Hicks (piano), Bob Stewart (tuba), and Cecil Brooks III (drums).

Selective discography

{| class="wikitable"!Year!Title!Genre!Label!Billboard [http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=ARTHUR|BLYTHE&sql=11:wifexqt5ldhe~T5 Billboard Chart for Arthur Blythe] ]
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2003
"Exhale"
Jazz
Savant


-
2002
"Focus"
Jazz
Savant


-
2001
"Blythe Byte"
Jazz
Savant


-
2000
"Spirits in the Field"
Jazz
Savant


-
1997
"Night Song"
Jazz
Clarity


-
1997
"Today's Blues"
Jazz
CIMP


-
1991
"Hipmotism"
Jazz
Enja


-
1996
"Synergy"
Jazz
In & Out


-
1996
"Calling Card"
Jazz
Enja


-
1987
"Basic Blythe"
Jazz
Columbia


-
1986
"Da-Da"
Jazz
Columbia


-
1984
"Put Sunshine in It"
Jazz
Columbia


-
1983
"Light Blue: Arthur Blythe Plays Thelonious Monk"
Jazz
Columbia


-
1982
"Elaboration"
Jazz
Columbia
#33


-
1981
"Blythe Spirit"
Jazz
Columbia
#24


-
1980
"Illusions"
Jazz
Columbia
#32


-
1978
"Lenox Avenue Breakdown"
Jazz
Columbia
#35


-
1978
"In the Tradition"
Jazz
Columbia
#22


-
1977
"Bush Baby"
Jazz
Adelphi


-
1977
"The Grip" -- In Concert (Live)
Jazz
India Navigation


-
1977
"Metamorphosis"
Jazz
India Navigation


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-)

External links

* [http://www.arthurblythe.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=139 All About Jazz: A Fireside Chat With Arthur Blythe]
* [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=5129 Arthur Blythe Biography]

References

Larkin, Colin. "The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music," Guinness, page 476, (1995) - ISBN 1-56159-176-9