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Al McKibbon

Al McKibbon (January 1, 1919 – July 29, 2005) was an American jazz double bassist, known for his work in bop, hard bop, and Latin jazz.

In 1947, after working with Lucky Millinder, Tab Smith, J. C. Heard, and Coleman Hawkins, he replaced Ray Brown in Dizzy Gillespie's band, in which he played until 1950. In the 1950s he recorded with the Miles Davis nonet, Earl Hines, Count Basie, Johnny Hodges, Thelonious Monk, Mongo Santamaria, George Shearing, Cal Tjader, Herbie Nichols and Hawkins. McKibbon was credited with interesting Tjader in Latin music while he played in Shearing's group.

McKibbon has always been highly regarded (among other signs of this regard, he was the bassist for the Giants of Jazz), and continued to perform until 2004.

In 1999, the first album in his own name, Tumbao Para Los Congueros De Mi Vida, was released. McKibbon's second album, Black Orchid, was released in 2004 and was recorded at Icon Recording Studios, Hollywood, California. The album was Produced by Damon Martin, recorded by studio co-owner Andrew Troy and Assistant Engineer - Aaron Kaplan, 2nd Assistant Engineer - Pablo Solorzano. 'Black Orchid' was mixed by Robbie Adams. Al also wrote the Afterword to Raul Fernandez' book, Latin Jazz, part of the Smithsonian Institution's series of exhibitions on jazz.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 1, 1919 (Chicago), Died July 29, 2005 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1944 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D6VB-2337 10-in. 6/11/1946 Blues to end all blues J. C. Heard Orchestra ; Etta Jones Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D6VB-2338 10-in. 6/11/1946 Among my souvenirs J. C. Heard Orchestra ; Etta Jones Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D6VB-2339 10-in. 6/11/1946 Mean to me J. C. Heard Orchestra ; Etta Jones Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D6VB-2340 10-in. 6/11/1946 Osculate me, daddy J. C. Heard Orchestra ; Etta Jones Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-0643 10-in. 3/11/1947 (Go to sleep) my sleepy head Etta Jones Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-0644 10-in. 3/11/1947 I sold my heart to the junkman Etta Jones Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-0645 10-in. 3/11/1947 The richest guy in the graveyard Etta Jones Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-0646 10-in. 3/11/1947 Ain't no hurry, baby (with a guy like me) Etta Jones Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D8VB-4148 10-in. 12/29/1948 Guarachi guaro Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D8VB-4149 10-in. 12/29/1948 Duff capers Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra ; Dizzy Gillespie ; Dizzy Gillespie Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D8VB-4150 10-in. 12/29/1948 Lover, come back to me Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra ; Dizzy Gillespie ; Dizzy Gillespie Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D8VB-4151 10-in. 12/29/1948 I'm be boppin' too Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D9VB-0471 10-in. 4/14/1949 Swedish suite Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D9VB-0473 10-in. 4/14/1949 I should care Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra ; Johnny Hartman Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72094 10-in. 5/10/1944 You lovely you Tab Smith Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72095 10-in. 5/10/1944 I live true to you Tab Smith Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72096 10-in. 5/10/1944 Brown skin blues Tab Smith Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72097 10-in. 5/10/1944 All night long Tab Smith Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72177 10-in. 5/25/1944 Hurry hurry Lucky Millinder Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72178 10-in. 5/25/1944 Darlin' Lucky Millinder Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72179 10-in. 5/25/1944 I can't see for lookin' Lucky Millinder Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72180 10-in. 5/25/1944 Who threw the whiskey in the well Lucky Millinder Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72181 10-in. 5/25/1944 Lover man Lucky Millinder Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72602 10-in. 12/6/1944 I've been good to you Tab Smith Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72603 10-in. 12/6/1944 Loving you just the same Tab Smith Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72604 10-in. 12/6/1944 It's all over but the shouting Tab Smith Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72605 10-in. 12/6/1944 Sorry about the whole affair Tab Smith Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McKibbon, Al," accessed November 25, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/330772.

McKibbon, Al. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/330772.

"McKibbon, Al." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/330772

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