Ben Riley

Ben Riley - © www.rochesterjazz.com

born on 17/7/1933 in Savannah, GA, United States

died on 18/11/2017 in West Islip, NY, United States

Ben Riley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Benjamin Alexander Riley Jr. (July 17, 1933 – November 18, 2017) was an American jazz drummer known for his work with Thelonious Monk, as well as Alice Coltrane, Stan Getz, Woody Herman, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ahmad Jamal, Kenny Barron, and as member of the group Sphere. During the 1970s he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet.

Biography

Benjamin Alexander Riley Jr. was born in Savannah, Georgia, and at the age of four moved with his family to New York City.[1] In high school he played in the school band, and after graduation he joined the army, where he was a paratrooper, and also played with the army band.

Upon leaving the army in 1954 he moved to New York, and in 1956 started playing jazz professionally. He played with such musicians as Randy Weston, Mary Lou Williams, Sonny Rollins, Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Billy Taylor, and Johnny Griffin. What made his name, however, were the four years spent playing, touring, and recording with the pianist Thelonious Monk. He was also in a trio around 1960 with Al Schackman on guitar and Ron Carter on bass that toured with Nina Simone.

Death

Riley died in West Islip, New York on November 18, 2017, aged 84.[2]

Discography

As leader

  • 1996: Weaver of Dreams (Joken) [3]
  • 2006: Memories of T (Concord) [3]
  • 2012: Grown Folks Music (Sunnyside) [3]

As sideman

With Noah Baerman

With Chet Baker

  • As Time Goes By (Timeless, 1986)
  • Cool Cat (Timeless, 1986 [1989])

With Bill Barron

  • Variations in Blue (Muse, 1983)
  • Live at Cobi's 2 (SteepleChase, 1885 [2006])
  • The Next Plateau (Muse, 1987 [1989])
  • Live at Cobi's (SteepleChase, 1988-89 [2005])

With Kenny Barron

  • Innocence (Wolf, 1978)
  • Golden Lotus (Muse, 1980 [1982])
  • Imo Live (Whynot, 1982)
  • Green Chimneys (Criss Cross Jazz, 1983)
  • The Only One (Reservoir, 1990)
  • Lemuria-Seascape (Candid, 1991)
  • Live at Bradley's (EmArcy, 1996 [2001])
  • Live at Bradley's II (Sunnyside, 1996 [2002])
  • Minor Blues (Venus, 2009)

With Gary Bartz

  • Episode One: Children of Harlem (Challenge, 1994)

With Ted Brown

With Ray Bryant

  • Live at Basin Street East (Sue, 1964)
  • Cold Turkey (Sue, 1964)

With Kenny Burrell

  • Listen to the Dawn (Muse, 1980 [1983])
  • Groovin' High (Muse, 1981 [1984])

With Ron Carter

  • Yellow & Green (CTI, 1976)
  • Piccolo (Milestone, 1977)
  • Peg Leg (Milestone, 1978)
  • Pick 'Em (Milestone, 1978 [1980])

With Alice Coltrane

  • A Monastic Trio (1968)
  • Ptah, the El Daoud (1970)
  • World Galaxy (1972)

With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

  • Afro-Jaws (Riverside, 1960)

With Ricky Ford

  • Manhattan Blues (Candid, 1989)
  • Ebony Rhapsody (Candid, 1990)
  • American-African Blues (Candid, 1991)

With Red Garland

  • Stepping Out (Galaxy, 1978)
  • So Long Blues (Galaxy, 1979 [1981])
  • Strike Up the Band (Galaxy, 1979 [1981])

With Bennie Green

  • Glidin' Along (1961)

With Johnny Griffin

  • Battle Stations (Prestige, 1960) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • Johnny Griffin’s Studio Jazz Party (Riverside, 1960)
  • Tough Tenors (Jazzland, 1960) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • Griff & Lock (Jazzland, 1960) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • The First Set (Prestige, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • The Tenor Scene (Prestige, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • The Late Show (Prestige, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • The Midnight Show (Prestige, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • Lookin' at Monk! (Jazzland, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • Change of Pace (Riverside, 1961)
  • Blues Up & Down (Jazzland, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
  • White Gardenia (Riverside, 1961)
  • The Kerry Dancers (Riverside, 1961–62)
  • Tough Tenor Favorites (Jazzland, 1962) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

With Michael Franks

  • Tiger in the Rain[4]

With Andrew Hill

  • Lift Every Voice (Blue Note, 1969)
  • Shades (Soul Note, 1986)

With Sam Jones

  • Down Home (Riverside, 1962)

With Junior Mance

  • Junior Mance Trio at the Village Vanguard (Jazzland, 1961)

With Ken McIntyre

  • Year of the Iron Sheep (United Artists, 1962)

With Thelonious Monk

  • It's Monk's Time (1964)
  • Monk (1964)
  • Live at the It Club (1964)
  • Straight, No Chaser (1967)
  • Underground (1968)

With Sonny Rollins

  • The Bridge (RCA Victor, 1962)
  • What's New? (RCA Victor, 1962)

With Sphere

  • Four in One (Elektra/Musician, 1982)
  • Flight Path (Elektra/Musician, 1983)
  • Sphere On Tour (Red, 1985)
  • Pumpkin's Delight (Red, 1986 [1993])
  • Four for All (Verve, 1987)
  • Bird Songs (1988)

With Jeremy Steig

  • Flute Fever (Columbia, 1964)

With Horace Tapscott

  • Dissent or Descent (Nimbus West, 1984 [1998])

With Roseanna Vitro

  • Listen Here (Texas Rose, 1984)

With Larry Willis

  • A Tribute to Someone (AudioQuest, 1994)

References

  1. ^ "Ben Riley Biography". Drummerworld. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  2. ^ West, Michael J. (November 18, 2017). "Ben Riley, a Jazz Drummer Who Made Accompaniment His Art, Has Died at 84". WBGO.
This page was last modified 18.02.2019 21:01:22

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