Rodney Whitaker

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Bedop

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Released: Jul 18, 2006

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Bedop
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Broadway
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General Info

Genre: Acoustic / Gospel / Jazz
Location EAST LANSING, Michigan, US
Profile Views: 67147
Last Login: 2/20/2012
Member Since 7/18/2006
Website http://www.music.msu.edu/professorsofjazz
Record Label Yes.........
Type of Label Major
Bio
Rodney Whitaker is a Michigan treasure and one of the world's renowned Jazz bass performers and educators. A Detroit native, he grew up in the city soaking in the sounds of jazz/classical music and working/studying with the finest musicians in the city--Marcus Belgrave, Kenneth Cox, Donald Walden, Randy Gelispie, Stephen Molina, Robert Gladstone, Francisco Mora-Catlett, Alma Smith, Shahidah Nurullah and many, many others. Building on his Detroit roots and enormous talent, Whitaker went on to earn an international reputation as one of the world's finest jazz double bass performers. He completed a seven-year tenure as bassist with Wynton Marsalis Sextet and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He has toured the world over the last twenty years, collaborating with legendary performers such as Dianne Reeves, Mulgrew Miller, Diana Krall, Terence Blanchard, Kathleen Battle, Cyrus Chestnut, Gerald Wilson, Carl Allen, Hank Jones, Marian McPartland, Johnny O'Neal, Kenny Burrell, Bob James, Benny Golson, Kenny Garrett, Branford Marsalis, the late John Lewis, Tommy Flanagan, Kevin Mahogany, Jon Carl Hendricks, Wycliffe Gordon, Jon Faddis, Vanessa Rubin, Betty Bebop Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Curtis Fuller, Donald Byrd, Dizzy Gilispie, Johnny Griffin, Joshua Redman, Cassandra Wilson, Pat Methany, Chick Corea and Roy Hargrove as well as with leading symphony orchestras. Now based in East Lansing, Whitaker continues to remember his Detroit roots, serving many of the city's talented students as Director of the Detroit Civic Jazz Orchestra, Musical Director for Jazz Education at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Director of the Jazz in the Studio Mentorship Program and summer jazz camp in cooperation with the Arts League of Michigan. Currently, he is on Michigan State University's faculty as Director of Jazz Studies and Professor of Jazz Bass and has built a leading jazz degree program and performing faculty, Michigan State University Professors of Jazz as the Artistic Director. His legacy of teaching promises to be distinguished, with former students currently performing with jazz greats such as Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Stephon Harris and many others. .... .. All of Rodney Whitaker's solo CD's can be listened to and purchased on Amazon.com...... .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ............ ..Get Your Own!.. | ..View Slideshow.... ....................Myspace Contact Tables.... .... ......This profile was edited with ..icedbun.com Editor..............
Members
Whitaker/Allen Project.. Rodney Whitaker.. Carl Allen.. Cyrus Chestnut.. Rodney Jones.. Steve Wilson.. .. .. Michigan State University Professors of Jazz.. Rodney Whitaker.. Wessell "Warmdaddy" Anderson.. Vincent Chandler.. Derrick Gardner.. Randy Gelispie.. Diego Rivera.. Rick Roe.. Sunny Wilkinson.. .. .. Rodney Whitaker's New York Quartet.. Myself & any of the cats I've performed with in the past, presently & so to be.. .. .. Message to All:.. My children, students and family members assist in the presentation and.. production of my "MySpace" account. I've received many friend requests.. that are nude or displaying nudity, and are more than I care to have.. displayed on my account. If there are any slightly nude or nude picutres.. on your account of yourself or anyone else, I'll be unable to approve you..as a friend. Thank you, Rodney Whitaker
Influences
God.. Pops & Moms.. Paul Chambers.. Sam Jones.. Ray Brown.. Ron Carter.. Oscar Pettiford.. Milt "The Judge" Hinton.. My family:.. (God, The Cookster, Rockey, Lang--"The Football"--Man ..32, Roz, E, G & Noni)--they're the driving force behind all that I was, all that I am & all that I am soon-to-be. .... ....
Sounds Like
Paul Chambers, Sam Jones.. .. .. .. Possible Killin' East Lansing Jazz Orchestra!!!!.. .. Saxophones-TBA.. .. Trombones-TBA.. .. Trumpets-TBA.. .. Rhythm Section-TBA.. .. .. .. width="425" height="350">.......... .. .. .. .. .. ......> .. .. .. width="425" height="350">.......... .. .. .. .. .. ......> .. .. .. width="425" height="350">.......... .. .. .. .. .. ......> .. TO: Fans of MSU Jazz Studies: .. Inside jazz: Everybody's Welcome and That's What Swingin' Is are now available on DVD. Visit www.insidejazz.org to order. .. Inside Jazz: Everybody’s Welcome, a video documentary featuring Rodney Whitaker and the MSU Professors of Jazz, guest artists Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz orchestra, Andrew Speight, Ursula Walker, Buddy Budson, and Joe Temperley is now available on DVD. Inside Jazz was premiered in March 2004 at the East Lansing Film Festival, winning 3rd place, and has been honored with a Gold Award from the Aurora International Film and Video Awards, and a CHRIS Award from the Columbus International Film and Video Festival. It has been broadcast locally, regionally and nationally. This program weaves together performances, interviews, classes, and jam sessions to shed light on the music, the musicians, and the love of jazz that is at the center of the jazz experience. .. From a review in the Lansing City Pulse by Laurence Cosentino: .. " All these scenes are recorded as if through a crystal-clear, floating mental window, unsmudged by current cliches of documentary filmmaking. Cameras don't lurch in every direction; there are no silly whooshing noises between shots.This production is first-class all the way. The film's pacing, editing and camerawork go beyond professionalism to show a profound sensitivity toward its unique subject matter." .. That’s What Swingin’ Is is a 1-hour master class DVD featuring trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and the music of Duke Ellington. Using humor, his extensive knowledge of jazz history and performance, and an unerring sense of what will bring jazz music alive, Marsalis engages a large audience of musicians and music lovers in a fast moving mix of music, teaching, and insight. The audience is treated to an audible transformation of the MSU Big Band I, as Marsalis cajoles and coaches greater expressivity and power from the young musicians. Marsalis also works with trumpeter Kris Johnson in Ellington's "The Shepherd", helping the young trumpeter understand the piece and it's history. Johnson's performance changes as Marsalis draws both power and subtlety out of the young artist. .. Both Inside Jazz: Everybody’s Welcome and That’s What Swingin’ Is can be viewed as television programs or can be explored chapter by chapter, providing valuable tools for jazz and musical education. Each is subdivided by theme and can be used in classes or by individuals interested in jazz. That’s What Swingin’ Is also has special features, including Wynton's thoughts on music and life recorded in a lively Q & A session following his Master Class. .. Both DVD's are recorded in digital video and stereo audio. .. Visit www.insidejazz.org to order. .. .. width="425" height="350">.......... .. .. .. .. .. ......>

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Bio:

Rodney Whitaker is a Michigan treasure and one of the world's renowned Jazz bass performers and educators. A Detroit native, he grew up in the city soaking in the sounds of jazz/classical music and working/studying with the finest musicians in the city--Marcus Belgrave, Kenneth Cox, Donald Walden, Randy Gelispie, Stephen Molina, Robert Gladstone, Francisco Mora-Catlett, Alma Smith, Shahidah Nurullah and many, many others. Building on his Detroit roots and enormous talent, Whitaker went on to earn an international reputation as one of the world's finest jazz double bass performers. He completed a seven-year tenure as bassist with Wynton Marsalis Sextet and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He has toured the world over the last twenty years, collaborating with legendary performers such as Dianne Reeves, Mulgrew Miller, Diana Krall, Terence Blanchard, Kathleen Battle, Cyrus Chestnut, Gerald Wilson, Carl Allen, Hank Jones, Marian McPartland, Johnny O'Neal, Kenny Burrell, Bob James, Benny Golson, Kenny Garrett, Branford Marsalis, the late John Lewis, Tommy Flanagan, Kevin Mahogany, Jon Carl Hendricks, Wycliffe Gordon, Jon Faddis, Vanessa Rubin, Betty Bebop Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Curtis Fuller, Donald Byrd, Dizzy Gilispie, Johnny Griffin, Joshua Redman, Cassandra Wilson, Pat Methany, Chick Corea and Roy Hargrove as well as with leading symphony orchestras. Now based in East Lansing, Whitaker continues to remember his Detroit roots, serving many of the city's talented students as Director of the Detroit Civic Jazz Orchestra, Musical Director for Jazz Education at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Director of the Jazz in the Studio Mentorship Program and summer jazz camp in cooperation with the Arts League of Michigan. Currently, he is on Michigan State University's faculty as Director of Jazz Studies and Professor of Jazz Bass and has built a leading jazz degree program and performing faculty, Michigan State University Professors of Jazz as the Artistic Director. His legacy of teaching promises to be distinguished, with former students currently performing with jazz greats such as Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Stephon Harris and many others.

All of Rodney Whitaker's solo CD's can be listened to and purchased on Amazon.com

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Myspace Contact Tables

..

This profile was edited with icedbun.com Editor

Member Since:

July 18, 2006

Members:

Whitaker/Allen Project
Rodney Whitaker
Carl Allen
Cyrus Chestnut
Rodney Jones
Steve Wilson

Michigan State University Professors of Jazz
Rodney Whitaker
Wessell "Warmdaddy" Anderson
Vincent Chandler
Derrick Gardner
Randy Gelispie
Diego Rivera
Rick Roe
Sunny Wilkinson

Rodney Whitaker's New York Quartet
Myself & any of the cats I've performed with in the past, presently & so to be

Message to All:
My children, students and family members assist in the presentation and
production of my "MySpace" account. I've received many friend requests
that are nude or displaying nudity, and are more than I care to have
displayed on my account. If there are any slightly nude or nude picutres
on your account of yourself or anyone else, I'll be unable to approve you
as a friend. Thank you, Rodney Whitaker

Influences:

God
Pops & Moms
Paul Chambers
Sam Jones
Ray Brown
Ron Carter
Oscar Pettiford
Milt "The Judge" Hinton
My family:
(God, The Cookster, Rockey, Lang--"The Football"--Man ..32, Roz, E, G & Noni)--they're the driving force behind all that I was, all that I am & all that I am soon-to-be.

Sounds Like:

Paul Chambers, Sam Jones

Possible Killin' East Lansing Jazz Orchestra!!!!

Saxophones-TBA

Trombones-TBA

Trumpets-TBA

Rhythm Section-TBA

.. width="425" height="350">

....>

.. width="425" height="350">

....>
TO: Fans of MSU Jazz Studies:
Inside jazz: Everybody's Welcome and That's What Swingin' Is are now available on DVD. Visit www.insidejazz.org to order.
Inside Jazz: Everybody’s Welcome, a video documentary featuring Rodney Whitaker and the MSU Professors of Jazz, guest artists Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz orchestra, Andrew Speight, Ursula Walker, Buddy Budson, and Joe Temperley is now available on DVD. Inside Jazz was premiered in March 2004 at the East Lansing Film Festival, winning 3rd place, and has been honored with a Gold Award from the Aurora International Film and Video Awards, and a CHRIS Award from the Columbus International Film and Video Festival. It has been broadcast locally, regionally and nationally. This program weaves together performances, interviews, classes, and jam sessions to shed light on the music, the musicians, and the love of jazz that is at the center of the jazz experience.
From a review in the Lansing City Pulse by Laurence Cosentino:
" All these scenes are recorded as if through a crystal-clear, floating mental window, unsmudged by current cliches of documentary filmmaking. Cameras don't lurch in every direction; there are no silly whooshing noises between shots.This production is first-class all the way. The film's pacing, editing and camerawork go beyond professionalism to show a profound sensitivity toward its unique subject matter."
That’s What Swingin’ Is is a 1-hour master class DVD featuring trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and the music of Duke Ellington. Using humor, his extensive knowledge of jazz history and performance, and an unerring sense of what will bring jazz music alive, Marsalis engages a large audience of musicians and music lovers in a fast moving mix of music, teaching, and insight. The audience is treated to an audible transformation of the MSU Big Band I, as Marsalis cajoles and coaches greater expressivity and power from the young musicians. Marsalis also works with trumpeter Kris Johnson in Ellington's "The Shepherd", helping the young trumpeter understand the piece and it's history. Johnson's performance changes as Marsalis draws both power and subtlety out of the young artist.
Both Inside Jazz: Everybody’s Welcome and That’s What Swingin’ Is can be viewed as television programs or can be explored chapter by chapter, providing valuable tools for jazz and musical education. Each is subdivided by theme and can be used in classes or by individuals interested in jazz. That’s What Swingin’ Is also has special features, including Wynton's thoughts on music and life recorded in a lively Q & A session following his Master Class.
Both DVD's are recorded in digital video and stereo audio.
Visit www.insidejazz.org to order.
.. width="425" height="350">