Cleveland Eaton: Difference between revisions

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Cleveland Eaton is scheduled to be inducted into the [[Alabama Music Hall of Fame]] on February 22, 2008. He was nominated to the [[Alabama Music Hall of Fame]] in 1993 and has a Bronze Star in the Walk of Fame. Eaton’s other numerous honors include his induction into the [[Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame]], the [[Playboy Jazz Poll]], Canada’s Cultural Enhancement Award and the Achievement Award at the Count Basie Tribute Concert.  He received the [[Governor’s Arts Award]] 1995 (Alabama) and the Don Redman Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
Cleveland Eaton is scheduled to be inducted into the [[Alabama Music Hall of Fame]] on February 22, 2008. He was nominated to the [[Alabama Music Hall of Fame]] in 1993 and has a Bronze Star in the Walk of Fame. Eaton’s other numerous honors include his induction into the [[Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame]], the [[Playboy Jazz Poll]], Canada’s Cultural Enhancement Award and the Achievement Award at the Count Basie Tribute Concert.  He received the [[Governor’s Arts Award]] 1995 (Alabama) and the Don Redman Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.


His recording of "Bama Boogie Woogie" became a phenomenal best seller in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Australia. He made over thirty recordings in his ten years with the Ramsey Lewis Trio, which included four gold singles, including "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water". There were four gold albums, including Solar Wind and Sun Goddess.  He performed on at least one Grammy-award winning album with the Count Basie Orchestra.
His recording of "Bama Boogie Woogie" became a phenomenal best seller in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Australia. In his ten years with the Ramsey Lewis Trio, there were four gold singles, including "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water" and four gold albums, including Solar Wind and Sun Goddess.  He performed on at least one Grammy-award winning album with the Count Basie Orchestra.


==Partial discography==
==Partial discography==

Revision as of 13:03, 31 October 2007

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Cleveland Eaton LPs.jpg

Cleveland Josephus "Sonny" Eaton II (born August 31, 1939 in Fairfield) is one of the greatest jazz bassists of all time. He is also a noted composer, arranger and producer. His 1975 recording "Plenty Good Eaton" is also considered a classic in the funk music genre.

Early Years

Eaton made a prodigious start as a child musician, mastering his mother's piano, the trumpet, and the saxophone before teacher John Springer introduced him to the tuba and string bass in high school. Eaton immersed himself in the working world. By the time he was in 9th grade, he was a star for Leon Lucky Davis and the All-Stars, and had bought his own new 1955 Victoria Spatz roadster with cash earned as a musician.

He played in a jazz group at the Tennessee State University in Nashville while earning his Bachelor of Music degree, then moved to Chicago, hooking up first with the Ike Cole Trio. After a while he was asked to join the Ramsey Lewis Trio, with whom he went on to make 30 recordings over the next 10 years.

In the mid-1970's Eaton began exploring fusion on his own, releasing a few recordings on the Black Jazz label and Ovation. In 1979 Eaton filled in for a couple of weeks with the Count Basie Orchestra, but quickly earned the position of "the Count's Bassist" and remained with the group for the next 17 years. 1979 also saw his induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

While touring with Basie's orchestra, Eaton recorded numerous albums and toured all over the world at breakneck pace. He moved back to Birmingham in 1985 and became director of the UAB Jazz Ensemble for UAB's Department of Music. He also formed several groups of his own, such as the Garden of Eaton, the Cleveland Eaton Orchestra, the R&B-flavored ensemble Cleve Eaton & Co. He has also performed with Robert Moore & the Wildcats, and currently tours as Cleve Eaton and The Alabama All Stars.

Over the course of his career, Eaton has penned over 300 songs and appeared on over 100 recordings. He has performed with Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, the Temptations. John Klemmer, Miles Davis, Henry Mancini, Smokey Robinson, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Walter Jackson and many others.

Eaton's wife Myra manages bookings for Cleve and others through her CeeMe Productions.

Honors

Cleveland Eaton is scheduled to be inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame on February 22, 2008. He was nominated to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and has a Bronze Star in the Walk of Fame. Eaton’s other numerous honors include his induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, the Playboy Jazz Poll, Canada’s Cultural Enhancement Award and the Achievement Award at the Count Basie Tribute Concert. He received the Governor’s Arts Award 1995 (Alabama) and the Don Redman Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.

His recording of "Bama Boogie Woogie" became a phenomenal best seller in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Australia. In his ten years with the Ramsey Lewis Trio, there were four gold singles, including "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water" and four gold albums, including Solar Wind and Sun Goddess. He performed on at least one Grammy-award winning album with the Count Basie Orchestra.

Partial discography

As leader

  • Eaton, Cleveland and the Kats (1973) Half and Half. Cleanthair Records 562
    • Rereleased as CBS/Gamble Records KZ-32077
  • Eaton, Cleveland (1975) The Eaton Menu. Black Jazz
  • Eaton, Cleveland (1975) Plenty Good Eaton. Black Jazz Records BJQD-20
    • Eaton, Cleveland (1975) "Chitown Theme" (7" single) Black Jazz Records BJ-1011
  • Eaton, Cleveland (1976) Instant Hip. Miracle/Ovation Records OV-1703
  • Eaton, Cleveland (1976) "Bama Boogie Woogie" (12" blue vinyl single) Ovation/Gull Records GULS-63
  • Eaton, Cleveland (1979) Bama Boogie Woogie. Miracle Records MLP 3001
  • Eaton, Cleveland (????) "Birmingham Train"/"I Don't Want to be Lonely Tonite" (7" single) Miracle Records M14
  • Eaton, Cleveland (1979) "Get Off"/"I'm Lonely Tonight" (maxi-single) Ovation Disco
  • Eaton, Cleveland and the Garden of Eaton (1980) Keep Love Alive. Miracle/Ovation Records OV-1742
  • Eaton, Cleveland (C.E. & Co.) (1983) Love and Dance. TBA Records
  • Eaton, Cleveland (Cleve Eaton) (1983) Raw "Live Jazz" Featuring Miss Funky Lu. TBA Records
  • Eaton, Cleveland I Promise Jesus. TBA Records
  • Eaton, Cleveland (and Friends) (1984) A Classic. Cleveland Eaton Enterprises
  • Eaton, Cleveland (Trio plus Voices) (1985) Vol. 1 Live. TBA Records
  • Eaton, Cleveland (Cleveland Eaton Orchestra) (1997) CEO.

with the Ramsey Lewis Trio

  • Wade in the Water (1966)
  • Dancing in the Street (1967)
  • Goin' Latin (1967)
  • Maiden Voyage (1968)
  • Another Voyage (1969)
  • Upendo Ni Pamoja (1972)
  • Funky Serenity (1973)
  • Sun Goddess (1974)
  • Solar Wind (1974)

with the Count Basie Orchestra

  • Strollin' with the Count (1980). Ovation
  • Kansas City Shout (1980). Pablo
  • Warm Breeze (1981).
  • 88 Basie Street (1983). Fantasy. (Winner 1984 Grammy Awards Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band)
  • Me and You (1983).
  • Fancy Pants (1983).
  • The Legend, the Legacy (1989)
  • George Benson/Count Basie Orchestra Big Boss Band (1990).
  • Best of the Count Basie Big Band (1991)
  • Live at El Morocco (1992).
  • Joe Williams/Count Basie Orchestra "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water" (1992)
  • Joe Williams/Count Basie Orchestra "Orchestra Hall, Detroit, November 20, 1992" (1992)

With Bunky Green

  • Playing for Keeps (1966)

with Gene Ammons

  • w/Dexter Gordon The Chase (1970)
  • w/James Moody Chicago Concert (1971)

Compilations

  • Santa's Bag: An All-Star Jazz Christmas "Christmas Blues" (1994) Telarc

Films

References

External links

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