Joseph Jarman (September 14, 1937 – January 9, 2019)
While attending high school in Chicago in the early '50s, Jarman took up the drums under the tutelage
of the famous music teacher Walter Dyett. He switched to saxophone and clarinet while in the army.
Upon his discharge in 1958, he returned to Chicago. There, he joined pianist Muhal Richard Abrams'
Experimental Band (formed in 1961), alongside his future Art Ensemble compatriots Malachi Favors
and Mitchell. Jarman played in a hard bop sextet with Mitchell, and in 1965, he became one of the first
members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians.
Starting around 1967, Jarman was one of the first saxophonists to perform solo, a tactic also embraced
by other members of the AACM, notably Anthony Braxton. Jarman led his own group from 1966-1968,
which included bassist Charles Clark, drummer Thurman Barker, and pianist Christopher Gaddy, among
others. Separate editions of that band recorded a pair of albums for Delmark: Song for... (1966) and As if
it were the Seasons (1968).
In 1967, Lester Bowie recorded Numbers 1 & 2 for Nessa; on "2," the four musicians who would become
the Art Ensemble (Bowie, Mitchell, Favors, and Jarman) recorded together for the first time. In 1969,
that band would become Jarman's primary creative outlet. By then, the untimely deaths of Gaddy and
Clark had compelled Jarman to disband his own group. Jarman would continue with the Art Ensemble
until 1993. In that time, he also recorded under his own name, for the Black Saint, AECO, and India
Navigation labels. Upon leaving the Art Ensemble, Jarman virtually retired from music, in order to
devote himself more completely to spiritual matters. As the '90s progressed, however, he did continue
to perform and record, often as a guest with such musicians as Marilyn Crispell, guitarist/ composer
Scott Fields, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Lou Grassi.
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2005 -2023 AACM New York City Chapter, Inc
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Joseph Jarman (September 14, 1937 –
January 9, 2019)
While attending high school in Chicago in the
early '50s, Jarman took up the drums under the
tutelage of the famous music teacher Walter
Dyett. He switched to saxophone and clarinet
while in the army. Upon his discharge in 1958,
he returned to Chicago. There, he joined pianist
Muhal Richard Abrams' Experimental Band
(formed in 1961), alongside his future Art
Ensemble compatriots Malachi Favors and
Mitchell. Jarman played in a hard bop sextet
with Mitchell, and in 1965, he became one of
the first members of the Association for the
Advancement of Creative Musicians.
Starting around 1967, Jarman was one of the
first saxophonists to perform solo, a tactic also
embraced by other members of the AACM,
notably Anthony Braxton. Jarman led his own
group from 1966-1968, which included bassist
Charles Clark, drummer Thurman Barker, and
pianist Christopher Gaddy, among others.
Separate editions of that band recorded a pair
of albums for Delmark: Song for... (1966) and As
if it were the Seasons (1968).
In 1967, Lester Bowie recorded Numbers 1 & 2
for Nessa; on "2," the four musicians who would
become the Art Ensemble (Bowie, Mitchell,
Favors, and Jarman) recorded together for the
first time. In 1969, that band would become
Jarman's primary creative outlet. By then, the
untimely deaths of Gaddy and Clark had
compelled Jarman to disband his own group.
Jarman would continue with the Art Ensemble
until 1993. In that time, he also recorded under
his own name, for the Black Saint, AECO, and
India Navigation labels. Upon leaving the Art
Ensemble, Jarman virtually retired from music,
in order to devote himself more completely to
spiritual matters. As the '90s progressed,
however, he did continue to perform and
record, often as a guest with such musicians as
Marilyn Crispell, guitarist/ composer Scott
Fields, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer
Lou Grassi.
2005 -2023 AACM New York City Chapter, Inc