Oscar Pettiford

   Oscar Pettiford was born on the 30th of September 1922 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma to his Choctaw mother and half Cherokee and half African America father. He was brother to thirteen other siblings. He was introduced to jazz early, singing and dancing in his family’s touring band (based in Oklahoma and Minnesota) until he was 12, when he switched to piano. Oscar has been noted as saying he didn’t like the way people were playing bass, so, in an attempt to improve it, he picked up bass. Oscar was a brilliant bass player, being admired by jazz artists such as Milt Hinton at the early age of fourteen. Then, in an ironic turn of events, Oscar gave up the bass, aged 19, as he believed he wouldn’t be able to make a living out of it. Only five months later, Oscar met Milt again, an event that jazz lovers must be thankful for. Milt convinced Oscar to pick up the bass again, which would soon be one of the best decisions Oscar could have made.

   In 1941, Oscar joined the Charlie Barnet band – known as Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra. Charlie played saxophone and, obvious thanks to the name, was the bandleader. One of their most famous songs was Skyliner. Two years later, Oscar found himself gaining wider public attention due to his hit with Coleman Hawkins – The Man I Love. It featured Coleman on tenor saxophone, Oscar on double bass, Eddie Heywood on piano and Shelly Manne on drums. This song was a huge success for all the artists featured, but especially Coleman. This song has been said to be “a prime example of his greatness and why he influenced countless jazz saxophonists.” Oscar features in a fun way with his vocalized gasps. Oscar also recorded with Earl Hines and Ben Webster at about this time. Earl Hines was a famous jazz pianist, working with people such as Dizzy Gillespie. You can find Oscar featured in Hines’ album Piano Man. Ben Webster was a tenor saxophonist who, thanks to his “unique melodic mastery”, has gained a foundation. In the trust deed, it reads “to support the insemination of jazz in Denmark,” as Denmark was where Ben died. A song made by Webster that features Oscar is Blue Skies. Alongside Ben and Oscar there is Johnny Guarnieri and David Booth. 

  Keeping his jazz career busy, he teamed up with Dizzy Gillespie – a great trumpeter, but also found playing piano and vocals – from 1943-1944. The two lead a bebop group that played in the well-known Onyx club. Bebop was the jazz style of the time, known for it’s fast tempo, improvisation and instrumental skills. It first came about during the first two years of America’s involvement with World War II. In 1945 Oscar met again with Coleman Hawkins to travel to California. They did this to feature in The Crimson Canary, a mystery movie, best known for its jazz soundtrack. His next big move was to work with the infamous Duke Ellignton, a brilliant pianist, from 1945-1948. Then he worked for Woody Herman, performing in his band from 1949-1950.

   During his time working with Woody Herman, Oscar played a practical joke on his bandleader by walking off stage in the middle of his solo and returning with a cello. This was the first of his cello performances, but it wouldn’t be his last. In 1949, Oscar broke his arm, which left him incapable of playing his bass. To fix his dilemma, he experimented with a cello, tuning it to fourths like a bass. He had turned it into a smaller bass that was an octave higher. Thanks to his ingenuity, he was able to perform during his recovery, with his arm in a sling. Even after his arm had recovered, he still kept his cello as a secondary instrument and even preformed with it sometimes. His first recording on the instrument was in 1950.

   In the 1950’s, Oscar began using his prominent leading skills to form his own sextet and three-piece band, which has been called “innovative” with its arrangements and instruments. Oscar was also the accidental discoverer of Julian Cannonball Adderly, who was a music teacher when a band member tricked Oscar into letting him into the band. Then, when Oscar requested a solo from him in quite a tricky piece, Adderly managed to perform well. He soon turned into a well-known name in jazz circles, famous for his alto and soprano saxophone playing. In this time, Oscar recorded expansively for labels such as Debut, Bethlehem and ABC Paramount.

   In 1958, Oscar moved to Europe, living in Copenhagen, Denmark. He lived here until his death on the 8th of September 1960, aged only 37. He passed away from a disease related to polio.

   Oscar Pettiford lead a great life, completing all these amazing achievements in only 37 years. Along with all of the above, he was also honored in countless jazz polls, including Esquire Gold Award (1944-45), Metronome poll (1945), and Down Beat Critics Poll (1953, 1955-57). Oscar can be called nothing less than brilliant. As if these acheivements weren’t enough, he also composed Blues in the Closet, Bohemia After Dark, Tricrotism, Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens, and Swingin' 'til the Girls Come Home. Oscar has been described as standing out as “one of the most-recorded bass-playing bandleader/composers in jazz” and as a “pioneer of the cello as a solo instrument in jazz.” His work has revolutionized the jazz world we know today, and opened up jazz to countless instruments.

 

Please note that all songs mentioned can be found in The Videos part of this website. And don't forget to check out the in-depth look of Blues in the Closet