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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZBLUIETT, Hamiet(b 16 September 1940, Lovejoy IL; d 4 October 2018, St Louis MO) Baritone saxophonist (also flute, clarinet) in contemporary black music. He played in the US Navy band '61; back in Brooklyn (East St Louis) he was a co-founder of BAG, the Black Artists Group. To NYC in '69, where he played wih Charles Mingus and Sam Rivers. He added a deep voice to Julius Hemphill's Coon Bid'ness '75, Sunny Murray's Applecores '78 on Philly Jazz, Don Pullen's A Well Kept Secret '80 on Shemp; also played on the long title cut on Lester Bowie's The Great Pretender '81; recorded with Abdullah Ibrahim when that pianist was still Dollar Brand (African Space Program '73, The Journey '77). 'Tranquil Beauty' was recorded by a septet including Don Moye in May '76 for the Wildflower series on Douglas (see Jazz). Bluiett's first own LP as a leader was Endangered Species '76, a quintet with Phillip Wilson on India Navigation; then there were six albums '77: Bars, a trio set with Moye, Marcello Melis on bass on Musica; Birthright, a solo blues concert recorded live; S.O.S. a live quartet set with Moye, Don Pullen and Fred Hopkins (the last two on India Navigation: two-CD reissue Im/Possible To Keep is by that quartet). Resolution on Black Saint added Billy Hart to make a quintet; Orchestra, Duo And Septet on Chiaroscuro had eleven playing 'Glory (Symphony For World Peace)', a duet with Pullen, and two pieces for septet. The sextet on Dangerously Suite '81 included vocalist Irene Datcher and Ebu '84 was a quartet, both on Soul Note. In late '76 he played what was supposed to be a one-off concert in New Orleans with former BAG members and alto saxists Julius Hemphill and Oliver Lake, and tenor saxist (and clarinetist) David Murray; they soon formed the World Saxophone Quartet and played all over the world for the next 30 years. Bluiett also led the Clarinet Family, with seven clarinets including Buddy Collette, plus Hopkins and Ronnie Burrage in the rhythm section; Live In Berlin With The Clarinet Family '84 was on Black Saint. Nali Kola '87 was on Soul Note, ten pieces including Hugh Masekela and African drums; You Don't Need To Know/If You Have To Ask '91 on Tutu saw a return to the baritone, with Hopkins and three others; Sankofa/Rear Garde '92 on Soul Note was a quartet. To the Mapleshade label for more albums: Young Warrior, Old Warrior '95 had young tenor saxist Mark Shim, Jack Walrath on trumpet, Larry Willis on piano, Keeter Betts on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums, everybody making room. Bluiett's Barbeque Band '95 was an audiophile's delight with no mixing or compression, putting the listener in the middle of a big funky rhythm section, Bluiett the only horn; Makin' Whoopie '96 was a trio with Betts, Rodney Jones on acoustic guitar, guests on some tracks. Bluiett's Baritone Nation was a quartet of baritone saxes: Bluiett, James Carter, Patience Higgins and Howard Johnson, plus Kahil El'Zabar on percussion, described by Ben Ratliff in The Times 8/2002 as 'rude, fresh and overwhelming, the kind of thing that's in short supply even in jazz's avant-garde.' |