BOBBY HUTCHERSON
Genres: Hard Bop, Post Bop, Classic Fusion, Pop, Art Song, Folk • United States

BOBBY HUTCHERSON (27/01/41 – 15/08/16) New sounds in jazz are in abundance by way of technology as well as technique, but it is important to recognise those who have extended the sonic range of the art form. Though mainly known as a brilliant vibraphonist, Bobby Hutcherson skillfully developed the less fashionable marimba as a frontline voice. His deployment of the instrument in a number of dynamic small groups throughout his career enabled him to create a rich, varied sound palette, often imbuing his songs with deep African resonances in acoustic and electric settings. A Los Angeles native, Hutcherson was part of the generation of progressive 1950s West Coast musicians that included Carmell Jones, Curtis Amy and Eric Dolphy, and it was with the latter that Hutcherson would make one of his definitive artistic statements. His work on Dolphy’s groundbreaking 1964 album Out To Lunch! is exceptional, first and foremost because of read more...