Keter Betts

.. MOM AND DAD: IT WAS THE INSTINCT OF THE UNIVERSE THAT BROUGHT AND TOOK YOU FROM THIS EARTH JUST DAYS A PART. DURING THOSE DAYS, AND EVERYDAY, I THINK OF YOU AND HOLD ON TO THE LOVING THOUGHT OF YOU AGAIN HOLDING EACH OTHER!!He had been asked to perform at the White House on several occasions, his hometown city of Port Chester, New York proclaimed a day in his name as did Silver Spring, MD, the city he resided in. Keter had accompanied just about every major jazz artist throughout the world. For over 6 decades, Keter Betts had been the cornerstone of rhythm sections for some of the most influential artists in jazz history. World renowned for his 24 year association with Ella Fitzgerald, Keter also performed with Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Dinah Washington, Joe Williams, Roy Eldridge, Louie Bellson, and Junior Mance.Ironically, the bass was not his first instrument, and it was a chance encounter with the great bassist Milt Hinton that made him change from drums to bass. As a young high school student, he frequently made his way to New York City to watch the legends perform. Once after hearing Cab Calloway, he went back stage to talk with the drummer and instead ran into Hinton. The Judge treated him to lunch, and the conversation persuaded Keter to switch to the bass, an instrument he "fooled around with."He was dubbed class musician, and just one year after graduating in 1947, Keter came to Washington D.C. and hooked up with Carmen Leggio at D.C.'s "7th & T." Two years later he went on the road with Earl Bostic's band, and in 1951 Keter was hired by Dinah Washington whose rhythm section included Wynton Kelly and Jimmy Cobb. Keter spent 5 years with Dinah and during this time participated in the classic Dinah Jams session that included Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Maynard Ferguson, and Clark Terry. He briefly left Dinah to work with Cannonball Adderly and as the house bassist for the D.C. jazz club "Abarts", and backed such artists as Gene Ammons, Art Farmer, Lucky Thompson, and Donald Byrd. After rejoining Dinah, he finally parted and began a long association with guitarist Charlie Byrd. Though largely unrecognized, it was Keter's bass intro on the Charlie Byrd/Stan Getz Jazz Samba album track "Desifinado" that opened American ears to Brazilian rhythms.During the 1960's, Keter worked and recorded with Bobby Timmons, Roberta Flack, Joe Williams, Johnny Hartman, Kenny Burrell, Herbie Mann, Billy Eckstine, and of course, Ella Fitzgerald. Keter first played with Ella in 1964 and stayed with her for a year before taking off once again to stay close to home and worked as the host bassist at "Blues Alley," and as part of the house trio for Channel 4's "Mark and Igna Show." Keter became Ella's full time bassist in 1971 and remained such until her career ended in 1993. Ella frequently told critics that Betts seemed to have a sixth sense about exactly what she needed -- that it was the bassist, not the drummer, who drove her music. Keter made the Washington, D.C. area his home from the 1950's until his passing in 2005. There, he engaged in educational projects in local preschools, universities, and schools for the arts, and conducted workshops for the Smithsonian, as well as the Wolf Trap Center. His ability to impart the joys of jazz to kids was only matched by his uncanny knack to educate and entertain adults. Those who knew him were lucky. Keter had a smile that could light up a room, and a sunny disposition to go with it. That, along with his bag full of jokes, and time honored advice, made anyone and everyone feel better. Keter is interned at Parklawn Cemetery in Wheaton, MD. I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4