Stafford James
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Stafford James (b. Apr. 24, 1946, Evanston, Illinois) is an American jazz bassist.
As a young man, James enlisted in the Air Force; after his discharge he studied at the University of Chicago with Rudolf Fahsbender. In 1969 he moved to New York City and studied under Julius Levine at the Mannes College for Music. Here he met Pharaoh Sanders, with whom he played his first jazz concerts in New York. James played with Monty Alexander and Sun Ra at the end of the 1960s as well. Soon after he worked with Alice Coltrane and Albert Ayler. He did the first road tour of the Broadway show "Hair" and toured Canada with them in 1970. In 1971 he met Melba Moore, and played with her as part of the David Frost Revue. Other performances in the early 1970s included gigs with Rashied Ali, Roy Ayers, Al Haig, Barry Harris, Andrew Hill, Andrew Cyrille, and Chico Hamilton.
In 1973 he toured Europe for the first time with Gary Bartz. In 1974, he was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. At the same time he met Betty Carter, sparking a lifelong friendship, and Woody Shaw. During this period, he started teaching at the United Nations International School in NYC. His first album as a leasder in 1975 on the Horo label featured Enrico Rava, Dave Burrell and Beaver Harris. In 1976 he founded a quintet, featuring bass, cello, saxophones, drums and percussion which also toured Europe. He met Dexter Gordon there whilst touring with Al Cohn and recorded Homecoming with him upon his return to the United States. He then toured Europe with John Scofield and performed on his album Rough House. After this he recorded his second album as a bandleader, The Stafford James Ensemble in 1978 featuring Frank Strozier, Harold Mabern and Louis Hayes.
In the early 1980s James toured Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, and South America. In 1983 he began collaborating with Jimmy Heath, and did more work with Woody Shaw, including a world tour with the United States Information Service. In 1986, he composed an Ethiopian Suite for two basses, string ensemble, drums and dancers for the Celebrate Brooklyn Festival Dance. That same year, he arranged compositions by Duke Ellington for an ensemble of himself, pianist Mulgrew Miller and cellist Akua Dixon. In 1987 he composed Sonatina for viola d'amore and double bass, premiered at Bates Recital Hall at the University of Texas, Austin and at the European Music Festival in Stuttgart in 1988.
In 1989 James moved to Paris, collaborating with Pharaoh Sanders, Barney Wilen and Lavelle in the Stafford James Project. In 1991 he played Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird on tour with the Ukranian National Orchestra. In 1994 he played in a trio with pianist Onaje Allen Gumbs and drummer Ronnie Burrage. He composed Les Alpes aux Carpates for solo bass, two pan flutes, string orchestra, women's choir, synthesizers and drums in 1995.
In 1998 he toured Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, and Italy in a quartet with Buster Williams, Miquel Diaz (later Don Alias), and Ronnie Burrage (later Jeff Boudreaux). In that same year he won the Civitella Ranieri Fellowship to compose new music for contrabass soloist and orchestra. In 1999 he was invited to Uzbekistan.
In 2001 he recorded his third cd "Le Gecko", in co-production with the WDR radio of Cologne, Germany. The cd also features Don Alias and Gene Jackson. During this period there were also recordings with Radio France and NPS radio of the Netherlands.
In 2005 he re-forms his seven piece string ensemble consisting of solo bass, rhythmic bass, string quartet and drums with tours in Austria, Germany and France. He also did corporate conferences on the "History of Jazz 1889 to the Present" ie; GTM-Bâtiment, GTPR and Chateau de Ermenonville. Also in 2005, the University of Chicago includes his compositions into the Regenstein Research Library.
In 2008, his new recording The Stafford James String Ensemble will be released on the PAO record label and features: Ralph Morrison, Sara Parkins, Jennie Hansen, Sebastian Toettcher and Douglas Sides.
