About Me
Born in Shenandoah, Iowa, Charlie Haden began his life in music almost immediately, singing on his parents country & western radio show at the tender age of 22 months. He started playing bass in his early teens and in 1957, left Americas heartland for Los Angeles, where he met and played with such legends as Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, and Dexter Gordon.In 1959, Haden teamed with Ornette Coleman to form the saxophonists pioneering quartet (alongside trumpeter Don Cherry and drummer Billy Higgins). In addition to his still-influential work with Coleman, Haden also collaborated with a number of adventurous jazz giants, including John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Keith Jarrett, and Pat Metheny.In 1969, Haden joined forces with pianist/composer Carla Bley, founding the Liberation Music Orchestra. The groups self-titled debut is a true milestone of modern music, blending experimental big band jazz with the folk songs of the Spanish Civil War to create a powerfully original work of musical/political activism.
An acoustic bassist of extraordinary gifts, Hadens talents as a musicain have been in constant demand by his fellow artists. As a result, he has collaborated with a genuinely stunning array of musicians, including Hank Jones, Don Cherry, Dewey Redman, Paul Motian, Jack DeJohnette, Michael Brecker, Kenny Barron, and Pat Metheny (with whom Haden shared a 1997 Best Jazz Instrumental Individual/Small Group Grammy® Award for their Beyond the Missouri Sky) .Hadens love of world music has also seen him teaming with a variety of diverse international players, including Brazilian guitarist Egberto Gismonti, Argentinean bandoneon master Dino Saluzzi, and Portuguese guitar giant Carlos Paredes. In addition, Haden has explored diverse streams of American popular music with both his acclaimed Quartet West, as well as on such recent collections as 2002s inventive alliance with Michael Brecker, AMERICAN DREAMS.Charlie Haden who was invited to establish the jazz studies program at California Institute of the Arts in 1982, has earned countless honors from around the globe, including and the Los Angeles Jazz Society prize for Jazz Educator of the Year, two Grammy Awards (alongside a multitude of nominations), myriad Down Beat readers and critics poll winners, a Guggenheim fellowship, four NEA grants for composition, Frances Grand Prix Du Disque (Charles Cros) Award, Japans SWING Journal Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. Montreal Jazz Festivals Miles Davis Award.______________________________________________________
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**Please note that Myspace.com/charliehaden is administered and maintained by a fan of Charlie Haden. He will view/post comments/reply to messages as his schedule allows. For detailed information and/or to contact management/booking, and for updated tour schedule please visit Charlie's own website at www.charliehadenmusic.com. Thank you.
