Edward Rudolph "Butch" Warren Jr. (August 9, 1939 – October 5, 2013) was an American jazz bassist who was active during the 1950s and 1960s.

Biography

Warren's mother was a typist at the CIA. His father, Edward Sr., was an electronics technician who played piano and organ part-time in clubs in Washington, D.C; his uncle, Quentin — actually the same age as Butch — played guitar. The Warren home was often visited by jazz musicians Billy Hart, Jimmy Smith, and Stuff Smith. The first time Butch Warren played bass was at home on an instrument left by Billy Taylor, who had played bass for Duke Ellington. Warren cited Jimmy Blanton, the innovative and virtuoso bassist with Ellington from 1939 to 1941, as his biggest inspiration.

Warren began playing professionally at age 14 in a Washington, D.C. band led by his father. He later worked with other local groups, including that of Stuff Smith, as well as with altoist and bandleader Rick Henderson at the Howard Theatre.

When he was 19, he sat in with Kenny Dorham to substitute for an absent bassist. A few days later, Dorham invited him to New York City, where he spent the next six months as a sideman at a club in Brooklyn.

Following the onset of his illness he played professionally only occasionally, including a regular gig at the jazz club Columbia Station in Washington D.C.

His only solo effort was captured on "Butch's Blues" but he was better known as a sideman on many albums, including Dexter Gordon's Go.

He died of lung cancer in Silver Spring, Maryland at the age of 74.

Discography

As leader

  • 2011: Butch Warren French Quintet - with Pierrick Menuau (saxophone), Pierre Christophe (piano), Mourad Benhammou (drums) and Jean Philippe Bordier (guitar)
  • 2021: Butch Warren & Freddie Redd: Baltimore Jazz Loft- with Matt Wilson (drums) and Brad Linde (tenor saxophone) Bleebop Records (recorded 2013)

As sideman

With Donald Byrd

  • 1961: Royal Flush
  • 1961: Free Form
  • 1963: A New Perspective

With Kenny Dorham

  • 1960: The Kenny Dorham Memorial Album
  • 1960: Jazz Contemporary
  • 1963: Una Mas

With Dexter Gordon

  • 1962: Go
  • 1962: A Swingin' Affair

With Jackie McLean

  • 1959: Vertigo
  • 1961: A Fickle Sonance
  • 1962: Tippin' the Scales
  • 1967: Hipnosis

With Hank Mobley

  • 1963: No Room for Squares
  • 1963: The Turnaround
  • 1963: Straight No Filter

With Thelonious Monk

  • 1963: Miles & Monk at Newport
  • 1963: Big Band and Quartet in Concert
  • 1963: Monk in Tokyo
  • 1964: It's Monk's Time

With others

  • 1961: Leapin' and Lopin – Sonny Clark
  • 1961: High Hope! – Elmo Hope
  • 1962: Takin' Off – Herbie Hancock
  • 1962: Preach Brother! – Don Wilkerson
  • 1962: Jubilee Shout!!! – Stanley Turrentine
  • 1962: Feelin' the Spirit – Grant Green
  • 1962: Exodus – Slide Hampton
  • 1963: Happy Frame of Mind – Horace Parlan
  • 1963: Exultation! – Booker Ervin
  • 1963: Page One – Joe Henderson
  • 1964: Holiday Soul – Bobby Timmons
  • 1965: The Walter Bishop Jr. Trio / 1965 – Walter Bishop, Jr.

References

  • Official site archived