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Avery Sharpe

Honesty. Clarity. Dignity. These are words that come to mind when you listen to the music of bassist-composer Avery Sharpe. In an age of ephemeral pop stars and flavor-of-the-month trends, Sharpe is a reminder of the lasting value of steadfast dedication and personal integrity. As the title of one of his tunes asserts, "Always Expect the Best of Yourself."

Sharpe was born in Valdosta, Georgia, on August 23, 1954. His first instrument was the piano. "I started playing when I was eight years old," he recalls. "My mother was a piano player in the Church of God in Christ, and she gave lessons to everybody in the family — I'm the sixth of eight children — but it didn't stick until it got to me." He moved on to accordion and then switched to electric bass in high school.

In 1972, Sharpe enrolled at the University of Massachusetts, where he majored in Economics and minored in music, and continued to play electric bass in gospel, funk, and rock groups. While at UMass, he met the jazz bassist Reggie Workman, who encouraged him to learn the acoustic bass. Sharpe adapted quickly to the big instrument, and within a few years he was performing with such notables as Archie Shepp and Art Blakey. Shepp and Max Roach, his professors at the time, had a major influence on him. Sharpe also performed in orchestra and chamber groups at UMASS, and completed one year of graduate school in Music Performance. In 1980, he auditioned with McCoy Tyner and won a spot in the pianist's group. He has worked with Tyner almost continuously since then, playing hundreds of live gigs and appearing on more than 20 records with him.

Sharpe's credits also include sideman stints with many other jazz greats, from Dizzy Gillespie to Pat Metheny, as well as leading his own groups. His first recording as a leader was the 1988 album Unspoken Words on Sunnyside Records, which was praised by critic Jim Roberts as "a diverse, challenging record that rewards repeated listening." In 1994, he recorded Extended Family, the first CD of a trilogy that includes Extended Family II: Thoughts of My Ancestors (1995) and Extended Family III: Family Values (2001). All three were released on Sharpe's own label, JKNM Records.

All of Sharpe' s recordings feature his distinctive original compositions, which draw from the full range of his musical background. "The most important thing is depth," he says. "You have to seek out what was happening before and try to understand it. In my music, I do things that are a little older as well as things that are contemporary. If I try to do just one type of music, that limits me. But the more bases I cover — the more experience I have in my life — the further I can go." He is equally adept at songs and longer compositional forms. In 1989, he wrote and conducted the soundtrack for the movie An Unremarkable Life; a decade later, his six-movement piece America's Promise debuted in a concert-hall performance that featured Sharpe's quintet and a gospel choir backed by the Springfield (Mass.) Symphony Orchestra. In the 1990's Sharpe was commisssioned by the Classical group Fideleo to write 3 extended works for them.

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45
Album Review

Felipe Salles: Tiyo's Songs Of Life

Read "Tiyo's Songs Of Life" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Talk about remarkable origins; the music on Tiyo's Songs of Life, performed by tenor saxophonist Felipe Salles' quartet, was written by Tiyo Attallah Salah-El while he was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole in a Pennsylvania prison. In spite of his circumstances, Salah-El never lost his love for life, an upbeat frame of mind that is ever-present in these nine sparkling originals. While imprisoned, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees and founded the Coalition for the Abolition ...

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Album Review

Felipe Salles, Zaccao Curtis, Avery Sharpe, Jonathan Butler: Tiyo's Songs Of Life

Read "Tiyo's Songs Of Life" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Embarking on an errant path in his youth led saxophonist Tiyo Attallah Salah-El to life in prison, without the possibility of parole. That is about as grim as it gets, but Salah-El, rather than giving in to defeat, turned himself into a behind-the-bars composer, author and activist. He passed in 2018, but his music came to the attention of saxophonist Felipe Sallas via prison abolitionist Lois Ahrens, who had befriended the imprisoned saxophonist Salaah-El, and even provided him with fifty ...

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Album Review

McCoy Tyner / Freddie Hubbard Quartet: Live At Fabrik

Read "Live At Fabrik" reviewed by Chris May


Warning! Highly Flammable Material! This superb album, recorded in Hamburg in 1986 and never previously released, ought to come with a caution, so incendiary is it. Strictly speaking, Live At Fabrik presents pianist McCoy Tyner's trio with bassist Avery Sharpe and drummer Louis Hayes and guest artist Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and flugelhorn. In actuality, Hubbard's power-packed presence transforms the unit into a co-led quartet, as the cover art acknowledges. The 2 x CD album is, in ...

Album Review

Avery Sharpe: 400: An African American Musical Portrait

Read "400: An African American Musical Portrait" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Sono passati quattrocento anni dal primo agosto 1619, quando una nave olandese sbarcò una ventina di africani nell'insediamento inglese di Jamestown in Virginia. Erano stati sottratti a un bastimento spagnolo diretto in America latina ma visto che erano stati battezzati--e il codice inglese proibiva di ridurre in schiavitù dei cristiani--lavorarono come servitori a debito. Una sorta di escamotage che fu spazzato via presto, diventando ufficiale schiavismo con la conquista della colonia inglese da parte degli Stati Uniti. Il ...

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Album Review

Avery Sharpe: 400: An African American Musical Portrait

Read "400: An African American Musical Portrait" reviewed by Troy Dostert


In 1619 the White Lion, a British privateer which had just successfully raided a Spanish slave ship, arrived in the Jamestown colony with its contraband cargo of twenty-some African slaves. Thus began the tumultuous legacy of the African American experience in North America—a four-hundred-year saga that bassist Avery Sharpe traces skilfully and poignantly on 400: An African American Musical Portrait. Sharpe has never been reluctant to acknowledge the forces that have shaped him musically and culturally. His Legends ...

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Album Review

Avery Sharpe: Running Man

Read "Running Man" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay


Avery Sharpe has an extensive history as a bandleader, a composer and a first-call bassist with musicians such as Yusef Lateef, and Pat Metheny. He was also McCoy Tyner's bassist for almost 20 years. No surprise, then, that Running Man is a rhythmically strong album of straight-ahead jazz tunes. The bassist's compositions move from funky, upbeat, tunes to gently lyrical ballads. Craig Handy's saxophone playing is key to the changing moods. “Running Man," dedicated to athlete Jesse ...

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Album Review

Avery Sharpe Trio: Live

Read "Live" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Creating an intriguing program and a well-balanced live set is an art form in and of itself. This becomes all the more challenging when dealing with small group formats, such as duo or trio settings. Bassist Avery Sharpe--best known for his work with McCoy Tyner in the '80s and '90s--proves to have exceptional skills in this department, in addition to his more obvious abilities as a supremely talented bassist and composer. This seven song program--recorded live at the Fraser Performance ...

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Performance / Tour

Avery Sharpe CD Release Celebration at Creole Restaurant in NYC on October 7th, 2011 and October 8th, 2011.

Avery Sharpe CD Release Celebration at Creole Restaurant in NYC on October 7th, 2011 and October 8th, 2011.

Source: Two for the Show Media

Please come down and join us at Creole Restaurant for a memorable night of great jazz music, food & atmosphere! Bassist, Avery Sharpe will be performing songs from his latest CD Running Man with the original recording artists: Onaje Allan Gumbs: Piano; Yoron Israel: Drums; Craig Handy: Sax; Maya Sharpe: Vocals. Avery Sharpe has a history with famous musicians such as McCoy Tyner, Archie Shepp, Yusef Lateef, just to name a few.This is a performance that you would not want ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz Bassist Avery Sharpe Performing on Cape Cod on Saturday, April 30, with Bart Weismann Jazz Group

Jazz Bassist Avery Sharpe Performing on Cape Cod on Saturday, April 30, with Bart Weismann Jazz Group

Source: MassJazz: Jazz in Massachusetts


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Recording

Bassist Avery Sharpe Releases New CD Titled the Avery Sharpe Trio Live.

Bassist Avery Sharpe Releases New CD Titled the Avery Sharpe Trio Live.

Source: Two for the Show Media

Avery Sharpe Trio Live @ Fraser Performance Studio at WGBH

JKNM Records AS89898 CD release: April 13th, 2010 The Avery Sharpe Trio Live is the new release from bass great and long time band mate of McCoy Tyner, Avery Sharpe. The recording is a live date from the WGBH Fraser Performance Studio on October 15th, 2008. Included on the new release are musical contributions from Avery Sharpe, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Oscar Hammerstein, McCoy Tyner and Yusef Lateef. Sharpe's trio is ...

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Radio

Recent Jazz Session Podcasts: Carl Allen, Terence Blanchard, Gene Ludwig, Bill Anschell, Avery Sharpe and More!

Recent Jazz Session Podcasts: Carl Allen, Terence Blanchard, Gene Ludwig, Bill Anschell, Avery Sharpe and More!

Source: Michael Ricci

In case you missed one of our recent Jazz Session Podcasts by Jason Crane, click any of the links below to tune in. We've posted 7 new interviews in the last 2+ weeks.

Enjoy!

Steve Kuhn (51:47) Posted: 2009-08-28 Steve Kuhn's new album, Mostly Coltrane (ECM, 2009), pays tribute to John Coltrane, with whom Kuhn worked for several weeks in the early 60s. In this interview, Kuhn talks ...

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Radio

The Jazz Session #75: Avery Sharpe

The Jazz Session #75: Avery Sharpe

Source: Michael Ricci


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Performance / Tour

Avery Sharpe Trio at Sweet Rhythm (NYC)on May 15th and 16th

Avery Sharpe Trio at Sweet Rhythm (NYC)on May 15th and 16th

Source: Two for the Show Media

Bassist/Composer & Bandleader Avery Sharpe will be performing with his Trio at Sweet Rhythm in New York City on May 15th & 16th, 2009 at 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM in celebration of their new Trio CD release Autumn Moonlight Avery Sharpe Trio: Avery Sharpe on bass
 Onaje Allan Gumbs on piano
 Gene Jackson on drums Sweet Rhythm, 88 Seventh Avenue South @ Bleecker St., NYC For more information call 212-255-3626 “Even ...

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Performance / Tour

The Avery Sharpe Trio Live in Brooklyn on May 9th

The Avery Sharpe Trio Live in Brooklyn on May 9th

Source: Two for the Show Media

Bassist/Composer & Bandleader Avery Sharpe will be performing with his Trio at The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music Concert Hall in Brooklyn, NY on May 9, 2009 at 8:00 PM in celebration of their new Trio CD release Autumn Moonlight Avery Sharpe Trio Avery Sharpe - bass Onaje Allan Gumbs - piano Winard Harper - drums “Even in these times of extraordinary bass players, Sharpe stands out." --Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times “"Long-time ...

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Education

Avery Sharpe: Jazz Trio Reaches out to Community

Avery Sharpe: Jazz Trio Reaches out to Community

Source: All About Jazz

The Avery Sharpe Trio, in conjunction with the Community Music School of Springfield, is offering Springfield-area children a unique chance to experience jazz music. The trio, consisting of Sharpe on bass, Winard Harper on drums and Onaje Allan Gumbs on piano, is in residence at the music school for a month. Sharpe is a Springfield native and accomplished musician who now conducts workshops and residencies around the world. He attended the University of Massachusetts, where he began working with many ...

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Performance / Tour

Avery Sharpe's Legends & Mentors Group Live at Cachaca in NYC on April 24th and 25th, 2008

Avery Sharpe's Legends & Mentors Group Live at Cachaca in NYC on April 24th and 25th, 2008

Source: Two for the Show Media

The Avery Sharpe Group will be performing in celebration of his new release “Legends and Mentors" at Cachaca Jazz Club in NYC on Friday and Saturday April 25th and 26th, 2008. Set Times both nights will be 9:00PM and 11:00PM. Avery Sharpe's Legends and Mentors Group: Avery Sharpe - Bass John Blake - Violin Joe Ford - Sax Onaje Allan Gumbs - Piano Jeff “Tain" Watts - Drums Avery Sharpe's ...

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Performance / Tour

Gene Jackson Trio (Tue) Titus Ribas Samba Jazz (Wed) Francisco Mela (Thu) Avery Sharpe (Fri-Sat) Jason Lindner (Sun) This Week at Cachaa

Gene Jackson Trio (Tue) Titus Ribas Samba Jazz (Wed) Francisco Mela (Thu) Avery Sharpe (Fri-Sat) Jason Lindner (Sun) This Week at Cachaa

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Cachaa 35 West 8th St (bet. 5th & 6th Aves.) NYC * tel 212-388-9099 sets at 9,11 & 1am * $20 Cover, $10 Minimum Now Serving Desserts and Gourmet Coffee Menus from selected restaurants available New York City's Newest Jazz Hang In The Heart of Greenwich Village This Week At Cachaca Mon Sept 24 Alain Mallet with David Finck Portinho Tues Sept ...

“Even in these times of extraordinary bass players, Sharpe stands out.”

--Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times

“The key to the thrusting power of Mr. Tyner’s current trio is the bassist, Mr. Sharpe... Alternating between acoustic and electric bass, [he] maintains such a commanding presence on both that he is a center around which everything else rolls.”

--John S. Wilson, the New York Times

“Heavy gospel influences are often evident in Sharpe’s original work. The way his solos slowly enlarge, like the sermons of a pulpit-thumping preacher, reflect the spirits of his childhood home.”

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Primary Instrument

Bass

Clinic/Workshop Information

Jazz Ensemble
The artist composes or arranges music especially for a jazz ensemble. The ensemble can be of any size, from a trio to a traditional big band. The ensembles are usually high school or college ensembles but are not limited to them. The artist rehearses and performs with the ensemble. The performance is conducted by either the artist or the ensemble’s own conductor. Children’s Jazz Ed./Demonstration
The history of Jazz is demonstrated through familiar children’s songs and cartoon themes. The workshop is a participatory activity utilizing African children’s songs and stories to show the roots of jazz

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Heshima Moja
bass, electric

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Live At Fabrik

Jazzline Classics
2022

buy

Tiyo's Songs Of Life

Tapestry Records
2022

buy

Powerless

Blue Canoe Records
2021

buy

400: An African...

JKNM Records
2019

buy

Running Man

JKNM Records
2011

buy

Live

JKNM Records
2010

buy

Toe Tappin' Tasty

From: Tiyo's Songs Of Life
By Avery Sharpe

Drive Time

From: Powerless
By Avery Sharpe

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