Thurman Barker
Encyclopedia
Thurman Barker is an American jazz drummer
.
Barker's first professional experience was at age sixteen with Mighty Joe Young
. Barker took his bachelor's at Empire State College
, then studied at the American Conservatory of Music
under Harold Jones and at Roosevelt University
under Edward Parimba. He next served as an accompanist for Billy Eckstine
, Bette Midler
, and Marvin Gaye
. He was house percussionist at the Schubert Theater in Chicago in the 1960s. In 1968 he joined Joseph Jarman
's first ensemble, and soon after became a member of the AACM
in its early days. Aside from Jarman, he played in the late 1960s and 1970s with Muhal Richard Abrams
, Pheeroan akLaff
, Anthony Braxton
, Billy Bang
, Henry Threadgill
, and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre
. He recorded and toured again with Braxton in 1978-80 and with Sam Rivers
in 1979-80. In 1985 he played in a trio with Jarman and Rivers, and in 1987 he played marimba
with Cecil Taylor
.
In the 1990s, Barker concentrated more on composition. His 1994 work Dialogue was premiered at the Merkin Concert Hall
in New York City
. He composed Expansions (1999) and Time Factor (2000) for the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra. Since 1993 he has been an Associate Professor at Bard College
. In 1999 he was guest professor at the University of St. Petersburg.
Jazz drumming
Jazz drumming is the art of playing percussion in jazz styles ranging from 1910s-style Dixieland jazz to 1970s-era jazz-rock fusion and 1980s-era latin jazz...
.
Barker's first professional experience was at age sixteen with Mighty Joe Young
Mighty Joe Young
Mighty Joe Young is a 1949 RKO Radio Pictures film made by the same creative team responsible for King Kong .Written and produced by Merian C. Cooper andRuth Rose , and directed by Ernest B...
. Barker took his bachelor's at Empire State College
Empire State College
Empire State College, one of the thirteen arts and science colleges of the State University of New York, is a multi-site institution offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. It is primarily oriented towards the adult learner...
, then studied at the American Conservatory of Music
American Conservatory of Music
The American Conservatory of Music was a major American school of music founded in 1886 by John James Hattstaedt . The conservatory was incorporated as an Illinois non-profit corporation. It was located in Chicago until 1991 when its Board of Trustees — chaired by Frederic Wilbur Hickman...
under Harold Jones and at Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
under Edward Parimba. He next served as an accompanist for Billy Eckstine
Billy Eckstine
William Clarence Eckstine was an American singer of ballads and a bandleader of the swing era. Eckstine's smooth baritone and distinctive vibrato broke down barriers throughout the 1940s, first as leader of the original bop big-band, then as the first romantic black male in popular...
, Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
, and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
. He was house percussionist at the Schubert Theater in Chicago in the 1960s. In 1968 he joined Joseph Jarman
Joseph Jarman
Joseph Jarman , is a jazz musician, composer and Shinshu Buddhist priest. He is perhaps best known as one of the first members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Early life:Jarman grew up in Chicago, Illinois...
's first ensemble, and soon after became a member of the AACM
AACM
AACM may refer to:* Ali Akbar College of Music, three schools founded by Indian musician Ali Akbar Khan to teach Indian classical music* Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, one of fourteen cemeteries for American World War II dead on foreign soil...
in its early days. Aside from Jarman, he played in the late 1960s and 1970s with Muhal Richard Abrams
Muhal Richard Abrams
Muhal Richard Abrams is an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the Free jazz medium. Abrams compresses both contemporary and traditional ideas into lean, elegant pieces.- Biography :Abrams attended DuSable High School in Chicago...
, Pheeroan akLaff
Pheeroan akLaff
Pheeroan akLaff is an American jazz drummer. Pheeroan akLaff began playing in his hometown of Detroit, and Ann Arbor, Michigan with Travis Biggs, Ars Nova, The Ebony Set, The Last Days, and Rod Lumpkin, recorded with Major Lansky. Moved to New Haven, Connecticut and formed DejaVu with Dwight...
, Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton is an American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, pianist, and philosopher. Braxton has released well over 100 albums since the 1960s...
, Billy Bang
Billy Bang
Billy Bang was an American free jazz violinist and composer.-Biography:...
, Henry Threadgill
Henry Threadgill
Henry Threadgill is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. Threadgill came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating a range of non-jazz genres....
, and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre
Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre
Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre is an American free jazz tenor saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist.McIntyre was born in Clarksville, Arkansas but his family moved to Chicago when he was a child. He began playing drums at seven, then switched to saxophone...
. He recorded and toured again with Braxton in 1978-80 and with Sam Rivers
Sam Rivers
Samuel Carthorne Rivers , is an American jazz musician and composer. He performs on soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, flute, harmonica and piano....
in 1979-80. In 1985 he played in a trio with Jarman and Rivers, and in 1987 he played marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
with Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor
Cecil Percival Taylor is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and...
.
In the 1990s, Barker concentrated more on composition. His 1994 work Dialogue was premiered at the Merkin Concert Hall
Merkin Concert Hall
Merkin Concert Hall is a 449-seat concert hall in Manhattan, New York City. The hall, named in honor of Hermann and Ursula Merkin, is part of the Kaufman Center, a complex that includes the Lucy Moses School, a community arts school, and the Special Music School , a New York City public school for...
in New York City
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 composed Expansions (1999) and Time Factor (2000) for the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra. Since 1993 he has been an Associate Professor at Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
. In 1999 he was guest professor at the University of St. Petersburg.
As Leader
- The Way I Hear It (Uptee, 1999)
- Voyage (Uptee, 1999)
- Time factor (Uptee, 2001)
- Strike Force (Uptee, 2004)
As Sideman
- Art Ensemble Of Chicago: Art Ensemble 1967-68 (Nessa)
- Muhal Richard Abrams: Levels and Degrees of LightLevels and Degrees of LightLevels and Degrees of Light is the debut album by Muhal Richard Abrams which was released on the Delmark label in 1968 and features performances of three of Abrams' compositions by Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Charles Clark, Gordon Emmanuel, Maurice McIntyre, Thurman Barker and Leonard...
(Delmark, 1967) - Pheeroan akLaff: Fits Like A Glove (Gramavision, 19839
- Billy Bang: The Fire from WithinThe Fire from WithinThe Fire from Within is an album by the American jazz violinist Billy Bang recorded in 1984 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.-Reception:...
(Soul Note, 1984), Live at Carlos 1Live at Carlos 1Live at Carlos 1 is a live album by the American jazz violinist Billy Bang recorded in 1986 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.-Reception:...
(Soul Note, 1986) - Anthony Braxton: Performance (Quartet) 1979 (hatART)
- Joseph Jarman: As If It Were The Seasons (Delmark, 1968)
- Leroy Jenkins: Themes & Improvisations On The Blues (CRI, 1992)
- John LindbergJohn LindbergJohn Lindberg is an American jazz double-bassist.Lindberg studied at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and moved to New York City in 1977. There he played with the Human Arts Ensemble alongside Joseph Bowie and Bobo Shaw, and he was in ensembles with Anthony Braxton from 1978-1985...
: Dimension 5Dimension 5 (album)Dimension 5 is an album by American jazz double-bassist John Lindberg recorded in 1981 for the Italian Black Saint label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Eugene Chadbourne awarded the album 3 stars stating "Lindberg put together an ensemble for this project that's as sharp as his suit.....
(Black Saint, 1981) - Roscoe Mitchell: Roscoe Mitchell (Chief, 1978)
- Lawrence Butch Morris: Testament - A Conduction Collection (New World, 1988-95)
- Sam Rivers: WavesWaves (Sam Rivers album)Waves is an album by American jazz saxophonist Sam Rivers featuring performances recorded in 1978 and released on the Tomato label.-Reception:...
(Tomato, 1978), ContrastsContrasts (Sam Rivers album)Contrasts is an album by American jazz saxophonist Sam Rivers featuring performances recorded in 1979 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(ECM, 1979) - Amina Claudine MyersAmina Claudine MyersAmina Claudine Myers in Blackwell, Arkansas; is an American jazz pianist, organist, vocalist, composer, and musical arranger.-Biography:...
: The Circle of TimeThe Circle of TimeThe Circle of Time is the fourth album by American pianist Amina Claudine Myers featuring performances recorded in 1983 for the Italian Black Saint label.-Reception:...
(Black Saint, 1983) - Cecil Taylor: Live In Bologna (Leo, 1978), Live In Vienna (Leo, 1978), Olu IwaOlu IwaOlu Iwa is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded in Berlin, Germany on April 12, 1986 and released on the Soul Note label. The album features a concert performance by Taylor with Thurman Barker, William Parker and Steve McCall with Earl McIntyre, Peter Brotzmann and Frank Wright added on one...
(Soul Note, 1986)