This 1968 broadcast of Jazz Omkring Midnat on Danish TV features Joe Farrel (tenor saxophone & flute), Jimmy Garrison (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums).
Jimmy Garrison was born on March 3, 1934 in Miami, Florida. He was an double bassist best known through his long association with John Coltrane from 1961–1967.
Jimmy formally joined Coltrane's quartet in 1962, replacing Reggie Workman. The long trio blues "Chasin' the Trane" is probably his first recorded performance with Coltrane and Elvin Jones. Garrison appeared on many classic Coltrane recordings, including A Love Supreme. In concert with Coltrane, Garrison would often play unaccompanied improvised solos, sometimes as the prelude to a song before the other musicians joined in.
Garrison also had a long association with Ornette Coleman, first recording with him on Ornette on Tenor and Art of the Improvisers. He and drummer Elvin Jones have been credited with eliciting more forceful playing than usual from Coleman on the albums New York is Now and Love Call.
Outside of the Coltrane and Coleman ensembles, Jimmy Garrison performed with jazz artists such as Kenny Dorham, Philly Joe Jones, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz, Jackie McLean, Pharoah Sanders, and Tony Scott, among others. After Coltrane's death, Garrison worked with Hampton Hawes, Archie Shepp, and groups led by Elvin Jones.
Jimmy Garrison passed away, at the age of 42, on April 7, 1976.
Jimmy Garrison's three children also work in the arts. Joy Garrison, Garrison's first daughter, sang alongside Barney Kessel, Cameron Brown, Tony Scott and many others. Matthew Garrison is also a bass guitar player. He has performed and recorded with Joe Zawinul, Chaka Khan, The Saturday Night Live Band, John McLaughlin, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, Steve Coleman, Whitney Houston, Pino Daniele, John Scofield, Paul Simon, Tito Puente and many others. Garrison's 4th daughter MaiaClaire Garrison is a dancer and choreographer who worked as a child acrobat with Big Apple Circus in New York.
