Jimmy Garrison

Jimmy Garrison was one of the most advanced bassists of the 1960s, a perfect candidate to play with John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman.He grew up in Philadelphia and came to New York with Philly Joe Jones in 1958. He freelanced for a couple of years with the likes of Bill Evans, Benny Golson, Kenny Dorham and Lennie Tristano and then succeeded Charlie Haden in Ornette Coleman's Quartet (1961). However Garrison will always be associated with John Coltrane (1961-67), not only playing with the classic quartet (which included McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones) but surviving the tumultuous changes and staying with 'Trane until the end.Garrison's solos (which were thoughtful and slow to build) were not to everyone's taste but his ability to play coherent and inspiring lines in the raging ensembles behind Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders was quite impressive. After Coltrane's death, Garrison played in groups led by Alice Coltrane, Archie Shepp and Elvin Jones before lung cancer cut shorthis life.