Double Bass Donald Raphael Garrett

[Jeff Sheppard]

I lived with Raphael on Waller St in SF in 1967. I worked at night and every morning I'd fall asleep to Raphael playing softly in the living room. Sometimes I'd come home for lunch at 3 AM and in a darkened house I'd hear his girlfriend Susie snapping a pie pan by candle light and 6 people in our kitchen- Raphael playing the sax - not blowing into it - just slapping the pads gently. Raphael would play gigs with Pharaoh Sanders and McCoy Tyler and come home and play with us. I think he liked it cause we didn't know anything. I was 17. He made us bamboo flutes - which he somehow could get to be perfectly tuned. He had something called the Raphael Garrett Circus that same summer- they'd give him a room at the DeYoung that he would fill with percussion and wind instruments and people would just grab and ax and sit down and play. He loved the freedom of it. Raphael was Music. This morning I've been listening to an album that he made in Chicago in 85 at One Flight Up. Kahil El'Zabar's compositions - Raphael's distinctive thumb piano style on side one- its called 'Sacred Love'.

 

[DrayMiles]

I wish I'd spent more time with him, but he wasn't a well man at the time... But I'm glad I learned what I did. He had a presence, that's for sure...

 

[oliebrice]

inconstant sol: The Jazz Doctors- intensive care 1983, FLAC, lame

 

[damonsmith]

inconstant sol: The Jazz Doctors- intensive care 1983, FLAC, lame

I have that LP. Very special!

 

[oliebrice]

Not heard this yet, downloading as I type - but here's a bootleg of Garrett with Steve Lacy, Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink!
inconstant sol: STEVE LACY QUARTET "CHICAGO, 1986"

 

[Frankitoca]

I was wondering... Has anyone ever heard of a bassist named Donald Raphael Garrett? He used to play with Sun Ra and John Coltrane. I studied with him in Illinois in the late eighties for awhile. Unfortunately, he died in Champaign IL. in the early 90's. I was in Philly studying with Gerald Veasley, and he knew about Raphael. He's mentioned in a few biographies on Coltrane, but I can't find any records. I know the question is somewhat obtuse, but miracles can happen... or so I've heard.

He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 60's. I went backstage after the UC Berkeley Jazz Festival in 1968 and spoke some with him some. He was very friendly, and I remember him giving me a piece of the french bread loaf he was eating. Can't remember who he was playing with; perhaps he sat in with Bobby Hutcherson, because Miles and Cecil Taylor had Ron Carter and Alan Silva, respectively. I also spoke with Taylor, who also was very friendly. I was 19. Great memories.

 

[dhm]

This is a really impressive record. He takes some interesting arco solos and his time feel is really beautiful!

https://www.discogs.com/master/631739-Ira-Sullivan-And-The-Chicago-Jazz-Quintet-Bird-Lives

 

[bass player 53]

This is a really impressive record. He takes some interesting arco solos and his time feel is really beautiful!

https://www.discogs.com/master/631739-Ira-Sullivan-And-The-Chicago-Jazz-Quintet-Bird-Lives

Ira Sullivan and Red Rodney Quintet has had a stellar lineup of young lions through the years, including Gary Dial, Michael Formanek, and Jay Anderson.
Many others, for sure.