Eberhard Weber is a German double bassist and composer. As a bass player, he is known for his highly distinctive tone and phrasing. Weber's compositions blend chamber jazz, European classical music, minimalism and ambient music, and are regarded as characteristic examples of the ECM Records sound.

Early life

Weber was born on January 22, 1940, in Stuttgart Germany. His father was a music teacher which meant that Weber received classical music training growing up, beginning on the cello at 6 years old. He began to play the double bass in high school when he was 16 years old. His music teacher wanted someone to play the bass and Weber volunteered.

Early on in Weber's musical journey, he met pianist Wolfgang Dauner with whom he would work for many years throughout his career. They met while both were playing at the Düsseldorf Amateur Jazz Festival.

Post-stroke career

Weber was awarded the Albert Mangelsdorff-Preis in November 2009. A box set of his 1970s works was released by ECM Records the same month.

Weber's latest albums, Résumé (2012) and Encore (2015) comprise solos from his performances worldwide with The Jan Garbarek Group, overdubbed with keyboards/treatments by Weber, saxophone by Garbarek, and flügelhorn by Ack Van Rooyen.

His autobiography, Résumé, was published in 2015. An English translation by Heidi Kirk - Eberhard Weber: A German Jazz Story - was published in October 2021.

Influence

In 2021, the 13-minute recording Eberhard by the late Lyle Mays was posthumously released, revised from a 2009 composition debuted at Lawrence University and written as a tribute to Weber's influential compositional style. It was awarded a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition in 2022.

Discography

As leader

  • The Colours of Chloë (1974)
  • Yellow Fields (1975)
  • The Following Morning (1976)
  • Silent Feet (1977)
  • Fluid Rustle (1979)
  • Little Movements (1980)
  • Later That Evening (1982)
  • Chorus (1984)
  • Orchestra (1988)
  • Pendulum (1993)
  • Endless Days (2001)
  • Stages of a Long Journey (2007)
  • Résumé (2012)
  • Encore (2015)
  • Hommage à Eberhard Weber (2015)
  • Once Upon a Time (Live in Avignon) (2021)

Compilation albums

  • Works (ECM, 1985)
  • Rarum: Selected Recordings (ECM, 2004)
  • Colours (ECM, 2010) (reissue compiling Yellow Fields, Silent Feet and Little Movements)

As sideman

With Gary Burton

  • Ring (ECM, 1974)
  • Passengers (ECM, 1976)

With Kate Bush

  • The Dreaming (1982)
  • Hounds of Love (1985)
  • The Sensual World (1989)
  • Aerial (2005)

With Jan Garbarek

  • Photo with Blue Sky, White Cloud, Wires, Windows and a Red Roof (ECM, 1979)
  • Paths, Prints (ECM, 1981)
  • Wayfarer (ECM, 1983)
  • It's OK to Listen to the Gray Voice (ECM, 1985)
  • All Those Born with Wings (ECM, 1987)
  • Legend of the Seven Dreams (ECM, 1988)
  • I Took Up the Runes (ECM, 1990)
  • Twelve Moons (ECM, 1992)
  • Visible World (ECM, 1995)
  • Rites (ECM, 1998)

With Pat Metheny

  • Watercolors (ECM, 1977)

With Ralph Towner

  • Solstice (ECM, 1975)
  • Solstice/Sound and Shadows (ECM, 1977)

With Mal Waldron

  • The Call (JAPO, 1971)

With others

See "External links" below for a complete discography

  • Wolfgang Dauner, Dream Talk (1964), Free Action (1967), Output (1970), The Oimels (1970)
  • Hampton Hawes, Hamps' Piano (1967)
  • Baden Powell, Poema en Guitar (1968), Solitude on Guitar (1971)
  • Joe Pass, Intercontinental (1970)
  • Michael Naura, Vanessa (1974) & Call (1975)
  • Ernest Ranglin, Ranglypso (1976), MPS
  • Stephane Grappelli, Afternoon in Paris (1971)
  • The Singers Unlimited with Art Van Damme, Invitation (1973)
  • Benny Bailey Islands (1976)
  • Manfred Schoof Orchestra, Reflections (1983)
  • Graeme Revell, Body of Evidence: Motion Picture Soundtrack (1993)
  • United Jazz + Rock Ensemble, including The Break Even Point and United Live Opus Sechs

See also

  • Electric upright bass

References

  • Discography
  • Eberhard Weber on ECM Records