Walter Booker

Walter Booker
Background information
Birth name	Walter Booker
Born	(1933-12-17)December 17, 1933 Prairie View, Texas,U.S.
Died	November 24, 2006(2006-11-24)(aged 72) Manhattan, New York
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Double bass
Formerly of	Cannonball Adderley

Walter Booker(December 17, 1933 – November 24, 2006) was an Americanjazz musician.A native ofPrairie View, Texas,Booker was a reliablebassplayer and an underrated stylist. His playing was marked by voice-like inflections,glissandosandtremolotechniques.

Biography

Booker moved with his family toWashington, D.C.in the mid-1940s. He playedclarinetandalto saxin college with a concert band. In 1959 he began on bass while in theUS Armywhile serving in the same unit asElvis Presley.He worked withAndrew Whitein Washington after his discharge, playing in theJFK Quintetduring the early 1960s.

In 1964 Booker moved toNew York City,being hired byDonald Byrd.After that, he recorded and toured withRay Bryant,Betty Carter,Chick Corea,Stan Getz,Art Farmer,Milt Jackson,Thelonious MonkandSonny Rollins,before joining theCannonball Adderley Quintetin 1969, starting an association which lasted until Adderley's death in 1975. He then toured theUnited Stateswith theShirley Horn Trio,along withBilly Hartondrums.During the same time, Booker designed, built, and ran theBoogie Woogie Studioin NYC, a mecca for musicians from all over the world, and through the 1980s, he played and recorded withNat Adderley,Nick Brignola,Arnett Cobb,Richie Cole,John Hicks,Billy Higgins,Clifford Jordan,Pharoah Sanders,Sarah Vaughan,andPhil Woods.

Booker was married to thepianistBertha Hopewith whom he played in a trio that included drummerJimmy Cobb.Booker died in hisManhattan, New Yorkhome on November 24, 2006, at the age of 72.

Discography

As leader

• 2000:Bookie's Cookbook(withLeroy Williams,Cecil Payne,Marcus Belgrave,Roni Ben-Hur,Larry Willis)

As sideman

WithCannonball Adderley

• Country Preacher(Capitol, 1969)
• The Cannonball Adderley Quintet & Orchestra(Capitol, 1970)
• Love, Sex, and the Zodiac(Fantasy, 1970)
• The Price You Got to Pay to Be Free(Capitol, 1970)
• The Happy People(Capitol, 1970)
• The Black Messiah(Capitol, 1972)
• Inside Straight(Fantasy, 1973)
• Pyramid(Fantasy, 1974)
• Phenix(Fantasy, 1975)
• Music You All1976

WithNat Adderley

• Soul Zodiac(Capitol Records, 1972)
• Soul of the Bible(Capitol, 1972)
• Double Exposure(Prestige, 1975)
• On the Move(Theresa, 1983)
• Blue Autumn(Theresa, 1983)
• We Remember Cannon(In + Out, 1989)
• Autumn Leaves(Sweet Basil, 1990)
• Work Song: Live at Sweet Basil(Sweet Basil, 1990 [1993])
• Talkin' About You(Landmark, 1990 [1991])
• Mercy Mercy Mercy(Evidence)

WithNick Brignola

• Burn Brigade(Bee Hive, 1979)

WithRay Bryant

• Gotta Travel On(Cadet, 1966)

WithDonald Byrd

• Mustang!(Blue Note, 1966)
• Blackjack(Blue Note, 1967)
• Slow Drag(Blue Note, 1967)

WithJunior Cook

• Good Cookin'(Muse, 1979)
• On a Misty Night(SteepleChase, 1989)

WithArt Farmer

• The Time and the Place: The Lost Concert(Mosaic, 1966 [2007])
• The Time and the Place(Columbia, 1967)
• The Art Farmer Quintet Plays the Great Jazz Hits(Columbia, 1967)

WithRicky Ford

• Flying Colors(Muse, 1980)
• Interpretations(Muse, 1982)

WithJohn Hicks

• After the Morning(West 54, 1979)
• Some Other Time(Theresa, 1981)
• In Concert(Theresa, 1984 [1986])
• Inc. 1(DIW, 1985)
• Rhythm-a-Ning(Candid, 1989) withKenny Barron
• Single Petal of a Rose(Mapleshade, 1992)
• Gentle Rain(Sound Hills, 1994)

WithRonnie Mathews

• Legacy(Bee Hive, 1979)

WithDavid "Fathead" Newman

• Still Hard Times(Muse, 1982)

WithHarold Vick

• The Caribbean Suite(RCA Victor, 1966)
• Straight Up(RCA Victor, 1967)

Others

• Gene Ammons:Brasswind(Prestige, 1974)
• Kenny Barron:Kenny Barron / John Hicks Quartet - Rhymthm-A-Ning(Candid, 1989)
• Joe Chambers:The Almoravid(Muse, 1974)
• Stanley Cowell:Departure No. 2(Steeplechase, 1990)
• Stan Getz:What the World Needs Now: Stan Getz Plays Burt Bacharach and Hal David(Verve, 1968)
• Roy Hargrove:Family(Verve, 1995)
• John HicksandElise Wood:Luminous(Nilva, 1985–88)
• Andrew Hill:Change(Blue Note, 1966 [2007])
• Billy Higgins:The Soldier(Timeless, 1979 [1981])
• Milt Jackson:Born Free(Limelight, 1966)
• Clifford Jordan:Repetition(Soul Note, 1984)
• Pete La Roca–Turkish Women at the Bath(Douglas, 1967)
• Charles McPherson:Horizons(Prestige, 1968)
• Hank Mobley–Third Season(Blue Note, 1967)
• Lee Morgan:The Procrastinator(Blue Note, 1967)
• Pharoah Sanders:Pharoah Sanders Live...(Theresa, 1982)
• Archie Shepp:The Way Ahead(Impulse!, 1968)
• Wayne Shorter:Super Nova(Blue Note, 1969)
• Norris Turney:Big, Sweet 'n Blue– withLarry WillisandJimmy Cobb(Mapleshade Records,1993)
• Joe Williams:Joe Williams Live(Fantasy, 1973)
• Joe Zawinul:Zawinul(Atlantic, 1970)

As songwriter

• "Soli Tomba" on Cannonball Adderley Quintet albumCountry Preacher(1969)

External links

• All About Jazz
• Jazz TimesArchived2007-12-15 at theWayback Machine
• Obituary