Ted Dunbar
Encyclopedia
Ted Dunbar was a jazz guitarist, composer, and educator. He published four volumes on jazz. He trained as a pharmacist at Texas Southern University, but by the 1970s only did pharmacy work part-time. He was also a trained numerologist and had studied other aspects of mysticism. He became interested in jazz at age seven and in the 1950s he joined several groups while studying pharmacy at Texas Southern University
. At one point he received accolades from Ebony (magazine)
and Down Beat
. In the 1950s he became influenced by Wes Montgomery
. In 1966 he moved to New York City
and gained more experience. In 1972 he became one of the first jazz professors at Rutgers University
and taught Kevin Eubanks
, Vernon Reid
and Peter Bernstein
, as well as many others. He died in 1998 of a stroke.
With Sam Rivers
With McCoy Tyner
With Tony Williams
. This center piece of this series is entitled: "A System of Tonal Convergence for Improvisors Composers and Arrangers".
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
. At one point he received accolades from Ebony (magazine)
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
and Down Beat
Down Beat
Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...
. In the 1950s he became influenced by Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
. In 1966 he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and gained more experience. In 1972 he became one of the first jazz professors at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
and taught Kevin Eubanks
Kevin Eubanks
Kevin Tyrone Eubanks is an American jazz guitarist and composer who was the leader of the Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led The Primetime Band on the short-lived The Jay Leno Show.- Personal background :Eubanks was born into a musical family...
, Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid is an English-born American guitarist, songwriter, composer, and bandleader. Best known as the founder and primary songwriter of the heavy metal band Living Colour, Reid was named #66 on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.Critic Steve Huey writes, "[Reid's]...
and Peter Bernstein
Peter Bernstein (guitarist)
-Biography:Born in New York City on September 3, 1967, Peter began playing piano when he was 8 but switched to guitar when he was 13, learning the instrument primarily by ear. He studied Jazz at Rutgers University with Ted Dunbar, and Kenny Barron. He completed his degree at The New School in New...
, as well as many others. He died in 1998 of a stroke.
As leader
- Opening RemarksOpening RemarksOpening Remarks is a 1978 studio album by jazz guitarist Ted Dunbar, recorded for Xanadu Records.-Track listing:#"Entrance"#"Two Areas" - 9:08#"Hang In There" - 7:43#"Lazy Lane" - 4:41#"Never Again" - 5:23#"Tonal Search" - 8:06...
(1978; Xanadu RecordsXanadu RecordsXanadu Records was a jazz music record label specializing in bebop throughout the 1970s and 1980s founded by Don Schlitten, recording and issuing recordings by some legendary names in jazz music.-Discography:...
) - Jazz GuitaristJazz Guitarist (album)Jazz Guitarist is a solo studio album by jazz guitarist Ted Dunbar, recorded in 1982 for Xanadu Records.-Track listing:#"Winding Blues" - 4:05 #"Total Conversion" - 6:05 #"Trees and Grass and Things" - 4:07...
(1982; Xanadu RecordsXanadu RecordsXanadu Records was a jazz music record label specializing in bebop throughout the 1970s and 1980s founded by Don Schlitten, recording and issuing recordings by some legendary names in jazz music.-Discography:...
) - Gentle Time Alone (1992; SteepleChase Records)
As sideman
With Gil EvansGil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
- SvengaliSvengali (album)Svengali is a live album by jazz composer, arranger, conductor and pianist Gil Evans, recorded in 1973 by Evans with a orchestra featuring Ted Dunbar, Howard Johnson, Herb Bushler, David Sanborn, Billy Harper, Richard Williams, Trevor Koehler, and Hannibal Marvin Peterson...
(1973)
With Sam Rivers
Sam Rivers
Samuel Carthorne Rivers , is an American jazz musician and composer. He performs on soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, flute, harmonica and piano....
- SizzleSizzle (album)Sizzle is an album by American jazz saxophonist Sam Rivers featuring performances recorded in 1975 and released on the Impulse! label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Michael G. Nastos awarded the album 2 stars stating "Funky with electric touches...
(Impulse!, 1975)
With McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.-Early life:...
- AsanteAsante (album)Asante is an album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner released on the Blue Note label. It was recorded in 1970 and features performances by Tyner with Andrew White, Ted Dunbar, Buster Williams, Billy Hart, Mtume and Songai Sandra Smith providing vocals on two tracks...
(Blue Note, 1970)
With Tony Williams
- Ego (1971)
Author
Ted Dunbar wrote a series of books on tonal convergence that are inspired and related to the Lydian chromatic conceptLydian chromatic concept of tonal organization
The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization was written by George Russell and is the founding text of the Lydian Chromatic Concept , or Lydian Chromatic Theory . The work postulates that all music is based on the tonal gravity of the Lydian mode.-Deriving Lydian:Russell believed that...
. This center piece of this series is entitled: "A System of Tonal Convergence for Improvisors Composers and Arrangers".
External links
- Ted Dunbar discography at JazzDiscography.com