Eddie Jones (March 1, 1929, Greenwood, Mississippi – May 31, 1997, West Hartford, Connecticut) was an American jazz double bassist.

Jones grew up in Red Bank, New Jersey, and played early in the 1950s with Sarah Vaughan and Lester Young.[1] He graduated from Red Bank High School in 1946 and graduated in 1951 from Howard University, where he majored in music.[2]

Jones taught music in South Carolina from 1951 to 1952, and became a member of Count Basie's orchestra in 1953, remaining there until 1962. He recorded frequently with this ensemble, and also played with Basie in smaller ensembles; these featured both Basie sidemen (Joe Newman, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Thad Jones, Ernie Wilkins) and others (Milt Jackson, Coleman Hawkins, Putte Wickman). Jones quit music in 1962 and took a job with IBM; he later became vice president of an insurance company. In the 1980s he returned to jazz and played on and off in swing jazz ensembles.

Discography

With Dorothy Ashby

With Count Basie

With Bob Brookmeyer

With Kenny Clarke

With Jimmy Cleveland

With Frank Foster

With Al Grey

With Coleman Hawkins

With Milt Jackson

With Hank Jones

With Thad Jones

With The Jones Brothers: Thad Jones, Hank Jones, Elvin Jones

With Joe Newman

With Paul Quinichette

With Zoot Sims

With Buddy Tate

With Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson

With Frank Wess

With Ernie Wilkins

With Lem Winchester

References

  1. ^ "Obituary: Eddie Jones", The Independent, June 2, 1997. Accessed February 18, 2024. "Jones's family home in Red Bank, New Jersey was two doors away from Count Basie's."
  2. ^ "The Count Comes Home; Basie Plays Jazz Concert Tonight at 8", Red Bank Register, March 9, 1961. Accessed February 18, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "Eddie Jones was graduated from Red Bank in 1946 and completed a five-year music major course at Howard University in 1951. He taught school for a year in Greensboro, N. C., before he joined with Count Basie."
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