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 -2022 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 -2022 AACM New York City Chapter, Inc