Giant of Jazz, Bassist Rufus Reid Quartet performs at Metuchen Public Library in a FREE concert on Sunday, April 28 at 2 PM in celebration of International Jazz Day and April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Seats are limited. Registration is a must at Eventbrite. Rufus’ Quartet includes: Roberta Piket, piano; Langston Hughes II, saxophones and Jerome Jennings, drums. Presented by Metuchen Arts Council, Metuchen Library and Friends of Metuchen Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Metuchen Public Library – 480 Middlesex Avenue, Metuchen, NJ. 732 632 8526.
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Rufus Reid, bassist, composer and educator, is a renaissance figure who has been active in the Arts since the 1970’s. He has 500 albums to his credit with 25 under his own name. He has recorded “with everybody” including Dexter Gordon, Andrew Hill, The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Quartet, Kenny Barron, Stan Getz, J.J. Johnson, Lee Konitz, Jack DeJohnette-- just to name a few.
Reid has written music for strings, chamber ensembles, solo bass, jazz ensembles of varying sizes and symphony orchestras and has hadthe privilege of having all of his compositions performed.
His reputation as an educator is equal to that of his musical achievements. His book The Evolving Bassist (Myriad Limited, 1974) remains the industry standard for double bass methodology. Rufus Reid and Dr. Martin Krivin created the Jazz Studies and Performance Bachelor of Music Program at William Paterson University. This program offered the first professional academically accredited Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies in the NY, NJ, CT tri-state area and is now recognized as one of the best jazz programs in the country.
Rufus Reid has received the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship and the MacDowell Colony Grantamong others. His 2014 release, Quiet Pride - The Elizabeth Catlett Project, received two Grammy Nominations for Best Large Jazz Ensemble and for Best Instrumental Composition. Rufus Reid continues to be “The Evolving Bassist.”
