Coleridge Goode
{{Short description|British Jamaican-born jazz bassist (1914–2015)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Coleridge Goode
| image = Cooleridge_Goode.jpg
| caption =
| image_size =
| birth_name = Coleridge George Emerson Goode
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1914|11|29|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|10|02|1914|11|29|df=y}}
| death_place = London, England
| birth_place = Kingston, Jamaica
| instrument = Double bass
| genre = Jazz
| occupation = Double bassist
| years_active =
| label =
| past_member_of = Joe Harriott,
Michael Garrick
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}
George Coleridge Emerson Goode (29 November 1914 – 2 October 2015)[http://garycrosbybass.com/2015/10/04/rip-coleridge-goode-1914-2015/comment-page-1/ "RIP Coleridge Goode 1914-2015"], Gary Crosby website, 4 October 2015. was a British Jamaican-born jazz bassist best known for his long collaboration with alto saxophonist Joe Harriott. Goode was a member of Harriott's innovatory jazz quintet throughout its eight-year existence as a regular unit (1958–65). Goode was also involved with the saxophonist's later pioneering blend of jazz and Indian music in Indo-Jazz Fusions, the group Harriott co-led with composer/violinist John Mayer.
Biography
Goode was born in Kingston, Jamaica. His father was a choirmaster and organist who promoted classical choral music in Jamaica and his mother sang in the choir. As Goode recalled: "My name comes from my father putting on a performance of Samuel Coleridge Taylor's Hiawatha's Wedding Feast as a tribute to him.... I was born a year after."[http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/features/jazzwise-the-player/7176-coleridge-goode-double-bass "Coleridge Goode - Double Bass"], Jazzwise, 4 October 2007. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170408082357/http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/features/jazzwise-the-player/7176-coleridge-goode-double-bass |date=8 April 2017 }}.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11933929/Coleridge-Goode-double-bass-player-obituary.html "Coleridge Goode, double-bass player - obituary"], The Daily Telegraph, 15 October 2015. Goode came to Britain in 1934 as a 19-year-old student at the Royal Technical College in Glasgow (later the University of Strathclyde), and then went on to read for a degree in engineering at Glasgow University. He was already proficient as an amateur classical violinist but turned to jazz and took up the bass after hearing the music of such stars as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Louis Jordan. Abandoning his plans to return to Jamaica to work as an engineer, Goode decided to embark upon a musical career.
File:Martin Taylor and Coleridge Goode at launch of the Stephane Grappelli DVD, London, 2002.jpg (left) and Goode in London, 2002, at the launch of the Stéphane Grappelli DVD A Life in the Jazz Century]]
His primary early influences as a bassist were Walter Page, Slam Stewart and Jimmy Blanton. Moving to London in 1942, Goode subsequently worked with Johnny Claes, Eric Winstone, Lauderic Caton and Dick Katz, became a founder member of the Ray Ellington Quartet and recorded with Django Reinhardt in 1946, alongside Stephane Grappelli.John Stevenson, [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct/11/coleridge-goode "Coleridge Goode obituary"], The Guardian, 11 October 2015. Later Goode played in Tito Burns' sextet and led his own group, before being invited to join Harriott's new band in 1958. In 1967 he recorded with Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Ronnie Beer, and Laurie Allan on Gwigwi Mrwebi's Mbaqanga Songs. During the 1960s and 1970s, Goode worked extensively with pianist/composer Michael Garrick. Goode was still performing in the house band at Laurie Morgan's Sunday jam sessions at the King's Head in Crouch End into his 90s.[http://www.jazzservices.org.uk/index.php/british-jazz-on-youtube/item/226 "Coleridge Goode"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121224165332/http://www.jazzservices.org.uk/index.php/british-jazz-on-youtube/item/226 |date=24 December 2012 }}, The Jazz Site.
One of the finest jazz bassists who has worked in Europe, Goode is an important link to a proud heritage of Caribbean contributions to the music. His achievements through a long career have been an important inspiration for some leading contemporary black British jazz musicians. In 2002, his autobiography Bass Lines: A Life in Jazz, co-authored with his friend, the academic and jazz writer Roger Cotterrell, not only told his own story but provided poignant and vivid memories of the brilliant and tragic Harriott and of the birth of free form jazz in Britain.John Stevenson, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/coleridge-goode-bassist-and-singer-who-played-with-grappelli-and-reinhardt-a6705181.html "Coleridge Goode: Bassist and singer who played with Grappelli and Reinhardt"], The Independent, 23 October 2015.
Awards and recognition
On 18 May 2011, Goode was honoured with the Services to Jazz Award at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, held at the House of Commons.[http://www.dune-music.com/coleridge-goode-wins-servies-to-jazz-award "Coleridge Goode wins Services to Jazz Award"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130121194351/http://www.dune-music.com/coleridge-goode-wins-servies-to-jazz-award |date=21 January 2013 }}, Dune, 26 May 2011.
In 2014, the year Goode celebrated turning 100, a special performance was organised for him at the London Jazz Festival,Mike Hobart, [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/82a6ebec-5ea0-11e4-a807-00144feabdc0.html "Special celebrations at the London Jazz Festival"], The Financial Times, 7 November 2014. led by Gary Crosby.{{cite web|title = Celebrating 100 Goode Years: Happy Birthday Coleridge|publisher= Tomorrow's Warriors|date =29 November 2014|url = http://tomorrowswarriors.org/2014/11/29/celebrating-100-goode-years-happy-birthday-coleridge/|access-date =1 December 2014}} Goode died the following year, on 2 October 2015.[http://www.marlbank.net/news/3138-rip-coleridge-goode.html "RIP Coleridge Goode"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011160005/http://www.marlbank.net/news/3138-rip-coleridge-goode.html |date=11 October 2015 }}, Marlbank, 5 October 2015.Kevin Le Gendre, [https://www.jazzwise.com/news/article/great-brit-jazz-bassist-coleridge-goode-dies-aged-100 "Great Brit Jazz bassist Coleridge Goode dies aged 100"], Jazzwise, 5 October 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-coleridge-goode-musician-1492270|title=Obituary: Coleridge Goode, musician|newspaper=The Scotsman|first=Martin|last=Childs|date=20 October 2015}}
Personal life
Discography
With Michael Garrick
- Promises (Argo, 1965)
- Anthem (Argo, 1965)
- October Woman (Argo, 1965)
- Jazz Praises (Airborne, 1968)
- A Jazz Cantata (Erase, 1969)
- The Heart Is a Lotus (Argo, 1970)
- Mr Smith's Apocalypse (Argo, 1971)
- Troppo (Argo, 1974)
- Rising Stars with Shake Keane (Trunk, 2011)
- Prelude to Heart Is a Lotus (Gearbox, 2013)
With Joe Harriott
- Southern Horizons (Jazzland, 1960)
- Free Form (Jazzland, 1961)
- Abstract (Columbia, 1963)
- Movement (Columbia, 1964)
- High Spirits (Columbia, 1965)
- Indo Jazz Suite (Columbia, 1966)
- Indo Jazz Fusions (Columbia, 1967)
- Indo Jazz Fusions II (Columbia, 1968)
- Swings High (Melodisc, 1970)
- Journey (Moonlight Tunes, 2011)
With others
- Ray Ellington, The Three Bears (Avid, 2000)
- Jade Warrior, Kites (Island, 1976)
- Shake Keane, That's the Noise (Ace of Clubs, 1967)
- John Mayer, Etudes (Sonet, 1969)
- John Mayer, Indo Jazz Fusions (Somethin' Else, 1969)
- Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelly with the Quintet of the Hot Club of France (Ace of Clubs/Decca, 1964)
- Django Reinhardt, Django's Music (Pathe, 1974)
Further reading
- {{cite book |author1=Goode, Coleridge |author2=Roger Cotterrell | title=Bass Lines: A Life in Jazz | publisher=London: Northway Publications | year=2002 | isbn=978-0-9928222-3-1}}
- {{cite book|last=Kociejowski|first= Marius|title=God's Zoo: Artists, Exiles, Londoners|publisher=Carcanet|date=2014| chapter=The Happiest of All Stories - Coleridge Goode, Jazz Bassist}}
- Roger Cotterrell, "Coleridge Goode: A Tribute", Jazz Rag, issue 133, Autumn 2014, 12–13.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- Duncan Heining, [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coleridge-goode-100-not-out-coleridge-goode-by-duncan-heining.php "Coleridge Goode: 100 Not Out!"], AllAboutJazz, 9 December 2014.
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Category:Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica
Category:British men centenarians
Category:British jazz double-bassists
Category:British male jazz musicians
Category:Jamaican emigrants to the United Kingdom