Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Oscar Pettiford

A legendary master of the string bass, Oscar Pettiford (1922-60) starred with Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk before leading his own orchestra, on both bass and cello. Geoffrey Smith salutes a virtuoso renowned for his fluency, musicality and swing.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 5 Jun 2016 00:00
BBC Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Bob Brookmeyer

Next

Thelonious Monk

See all episodes from Geoffrey Smith's Jazz

Music Played

  • Oscar Pettiford

    Esquire Blues

    • Bass Hits.
    • TOPAZ.
    • 1.

  • Coleman Hawkins & Oscar Pettiford

    The Man I Love

    • Bass Hits.
    • TOPAZ.
    • 2.

  • Oscar Pettiford

    Pluckin' That Thing

    • Bass Hits.
    • TOPAZ.
    • 5.

  • Oscar Pettiford

    Be Bop

    • Bass Hits.
    • TOPAZ.
    • 16.

  • Duke Ellington

    Swamp Fire

    • Bass Hits.
    • TOPAZ.
    • 22.

  • Thelonious Monk

    It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

    • Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington.
    • Riverside.
    • 1.

  • Oscar Pettiford

    Bohemia After Dark

    • Nonet & Octet.
    • Fresh Sound Records.
    • 10.

  • Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford, Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford

    Tricrotism

    • Lucky Thompson Meets Oscar Pettiford.
    • Fresh Sound Records.
    • 8.

  • Oscar Pettiford

    Golden Touch

    • Quartet Quintet & Sextet in a Cello Mood.
    • Fresh Sound Records.
    • 15.

  • Oscar Pettiford

    Somewhere

    • Complete Big Band Studio Recordings.
    • Phono.
    • 14.

  • Oscar Pettiford

    Little Niles

    • Complete Big Band Studio Recordings.
    • Phono.
    • 16.

  • Sonny Rollins, Oscar Pettiford & Max Roach

    Freedom Suite

    • Freedom Suite.
    • Riverside.
    • 1.

Performers:

 Title:  Esquire Blues  
  Artist: Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: Leonard Feather 
  Album Title: Bass Hits 
  Label: TOPAZ Catalogue No: TPZ1017 
  Duration: 03’15 
  Performers: Cootie Williams, trumpet; Ed Hall, clarinet; Coleman Hawkins, tenor saxophone; Art Tatum, piano; Al Casey, guitar; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Sid Catlett, drums.

  
  Title:  The Man I Love  
  Artist: Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin
  Album Title: Bass Hits 
  Label: TOPAZ Catalogue No: TPZ1017 
  Duration: 05’59
  Performers: Coleman Hawkins, tenor saxophone; Eddie Heywood, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Shelly Manne, drums                                                                                                                 

  
  Title:  Pluckin' That Thing  
  Artist: Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: Oscar Pettiford 
  Album Title: Bass Hits 
  Label: TOPAZ Catalogue No: TPZ1017 
  Duration 02’30
  Performers: Bill Coleman, trumpet; Joe Eldridge, alto saxophone; Ike Quebec, tenor saxophone; Sammy Price, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Doc West, drums


  Title:  Be Bop  
  Artist: Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: Charlie Parker 
  Album Title: Bass Hits 
  Label: TOPAZ Catalogue No: TPZ1017 
  Duration: 03’08
  Performers: Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet; Trummy Young, trombone; Don Byas, tenor saxophone; Clyde Hart, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Shelly Manne, drums


  Title:  Swamp Fire  
  Artist: Duke Ellington 
  Composers: Hal Mooney 
  Album Title: Bass Hits 
  Label: TOPAZ Catalogue No: TPZ1017 
  Duration: 02’50 
  Performers: Taft Jordan, Shelton Hemphill, Cat Anderson, trumpet; Ray Nance, trumpet; Joe ‘Tricky Sam’ Nanton, Lawrence Brown, Claude Jones, Wilbur de Paris, trombone; Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, alto saxophone; Jimmy Hamilton, clarinet; Al Sears, tenor saxophone; Harry Carney, baritone saxophone; Duke Ellington, piano; Fred Guy, guitar; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Sonny Greer, drums; Francis Williams, Harold Baker, trumpet


  Title:  It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
  Artist: Thelonious Monk 
  Composers: Duke Ellington 
  Album Title: Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington 
  Label: Riverside Catalogue No: OJC-30128 
  Duration: 04’30
  Performers: Thelonious Monk, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Kenny Clarke, drums


  Title:  Bohemia After Dark
  Artist: Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: Oscar Pettiford,  
  Album Title: Nonet & Octet 
  Label: Fresh Sound Records Catalogue No: FSRCD453 
  Duration: 05’33
  Performers: Donald Byrd, Ernie Royal, trumpet; Bob Brookmeyer, trombone; Jerome Richardson, flute; Gigie Gryce, alto saxophone; Don Abney, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Osie Johnson, drums


  Title:  Tricrotism 
  Artist: Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: Oscar Pettiford 
  Album Title: Lucky Thompson Meets Oscar Pettiford 
  Label: Fresh Sound Records Catalogue No: FSR CD-424 
  Duration:  04’35
  Performers: Lucky Thompson, tenor saxophone; Skeeter Best, guitar; Oscar Pettiford, bass


  Title:  Golden Touch  
  Artist: Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: Quincy Jones 
  Album Title: Quartet Quintet & Sextet in a Cello Mood 
  Label: Fresh Sound Records Catalogue No: FSRCD452 
  Duration: 02’30
  Performers: Julius Watkins, French horn; Charlie Rouse, tenor saxophone; Duke Jordan, piano; Oscar Pettiford, cello & bass; Ron Jefferson, drums


  Title:  Somewhere  
  Artist: Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: Copeland
  Album Title: Complete Big Band Studio Recordings  
  Label: Phono Catalogue No: 870242 
  Duration: 04’00 
  Performers: Ray Copeland, Art Farmer, trumpet; Al Grey, trombone; Julius Watkins, Dave Amram, French horn; Gigi Gryce, alto saxophone; Benny Golson, tenor saxophone; Jerome Richardson, flute; Sahib Shihab, baritone saxophone; Dick Katz, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Gus Johnson, drums


  Title:  Little Niles  
  Artist: Oscar Pettiford 
  Composers: Randy Weston 
  Album Title: Complete Big Band Studio Recordings  
  Label: Phono Catalogue No: 870242 
  Duration: 04’40 
  Performers: Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Al Grey, trombone; Julius Watkins, Dave Amram, French horn; Gigi Gryce, alto saxophone; Benny Golson, tenor saxophone; Jerome Richardson, flute; Sahib Shihab, baritone saxophone; Dick Katz, piano; Betty Glamann, harp; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Gus Johnson, drums


  Title:  Freedom Suite  
  Artist: Sonny Rollins 
  Composers: Sonny Rollins 
  Album Title: Freedom Suite 
  Label: Riverside Catalogue No: OJCCD-067-2 
  Duration:  07’55
  Performers: Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Max Roach, drums.

 

Broadcast

  • Sun 5 Jun 2016 00:00
    BBC Radio 3

Podcast

  • Geoffrey Smith's Jazz

    Geoffrey Smith's Jazz - a weekly sequence exploring what makes great jazz great music