Lonnie Plaxico

Lonnie Plaxico (born 4 September 1960) is an American jazz bassist.

Plaxico was born in Chicago, Illinois into a musical family, and started playing the bass at the age of twelve, turning professional at fourteen (playing both double bass and bass guitar). His first recording was with his family's band, and by the time he was twenty he had move to New York City, where he had stints playing with Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Junior Cook, and Hank Jones. He won the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award in 1978.

Plaxico first came to public attention through his work with the Wynton Marsalis group in 1982, though his first regular attachment was with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1983–1986), with whom he recorded twelve albums. In 1986 Plaxico joined Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, and stayed with them until 1993. He is now the musical director and featured bassist for Cassandra Wilson, with whom he has been playing for fifteen years. He has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists, including David Murray, Alice Coltrane, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Sample, Abbey Lincoln, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Cosby, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ravi Coltrane, and Barbara Dennerlein.

Discography as leader

*1989: "Plaxico" (Muse)
*1990: "Iridescence" (Muse)
*1992: "Short Takes" (Muse)
*1993: "With All Your Heart" (Muse)
*2000: "Emergence" (Savant)
*2001: "Mélange" (Blue Note)
*2002: "Lonnie Plaxico Live at the 5:01 Jazz Bar" (Orchard)
*2003: "Rhythm and Soul" (Sirocco Jazz Limited)
*2004: "Live at Jazz Standard" (441)
*2006: "So Alive" (Eighty-Eight's)
*2006: "West Side Stories" (forthcoming)

ources and external links

*Carr, Ian, Digby Fairweather, & Brian Priestley. "Jazz: The Rough Guide". London: Rough Guides. ISBN 1-85828-528-3
* [http://www.lonnieplaxico.com/ Plaxico's Web site]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:ox68mpp39f7o~T0 Lonnie Plaxico] — entry from the All Music Guide
* [http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/ronnie_scotts/ronniescotts/144/07.htm Lonnie Plaxico] — brief bio by Chris Parker for the Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club pages
* [http://www.441records.com/plaxextra.asp Interview with Plaxico] for 441 Records