Ugonna Okegwo
Ugonna Okegwo | |
|---|---|
 Okegwo in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | March 15, 1962 London, England |
| Origin | Münster, Germany |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Bass |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Website | ugonnaokegwo |
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Ugonna Okegwo (born March 15, 1962) is a German-Nigerian jazz bassist and composer based in New York City.[1][2]
Biography
[edit]Born in London, Okegwo is the son of Christel Katharina Lulf and Madueke Benedict Okegwo. In 1963 the family moved to Münster, Germany, where Okegwo grew up.[3][4] As a youngster he enjoyed working with his hands and played the electric bass. At age 21, he took a class in violin-making and started playing the upright bass.[4]
In 1986 Okegwo moved to Berlin and studied with bassist Jay Oliver and pianist Walter Norris. He then joined trombonist Lou Blackburn's group for a tour in Europe and played with Joe Newman, Oliver Jackson and Major Holley.[1]
In 1989 Okegwo moved to New York City and worked with saxophonists Big Nick Nicholas, Junior Cook and James Spaulding. He worked with vocalist Jon Hendricks on a regular basis. He earned a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Long Island University, graduating summa cum laude in 1994. In the early 1990s Okegwo formed a trio with pianist Jacky Terrasson and drummer Leon Parker.[1][3] In 1997 he started to perform regularly in Tom Harrell ensembles.[4] He is a member of the Tom Harrell Quintet and the Mingus Big Band, and he is an associate instructor of music at Columbia University.[5][6][7]
In 2002, Okegwo released his first album as a leader titled Uoniverse. About creating music Okegwo said, producing a note is human and personal and "in a rhythm section, the bass is the center, creating something constantly."[4]
Okegwo has worked with a wide range of artists, including Kenny Barron, Michael Brecker, Benny Carter, Johnny Griffin, Wynton Marsalis, James Moody, Clark Terry, Pharoah Sanders,[3] Steve Wilson, Michael Wolff,[4] Bruce Barth, Steve Davis, Dario Chiazzolino, Lionel Hampton, Sam Newsome, Kurt Rosenwinkel and others.[8]
Discography
[edit]As leader
[edit]- Uoniverse (Satchmo Jazz, 2002)
As sideman
[edit]Credits partly adapted from AllMusic.[8] This list is incomplete.
- With Tom Harrell
- The Art of Rhythm (RCA Victor, 1998)
- Light On (HighNote, 2007)
- Prana Dance (HighNote, 2009)
- Roman Nights (HighNote, 2010)
- The Time of the Sun (HighNote, 2011)
- Number Five (HighNote, 2012)
- Colors of a Dream (HighNote, 2013)
- TRIP (HighNote, 2014)
- First Impressions (HighNote, 2015)
- Something Gold, Something Blue (HighNote, 2016)
- Moving Picture (HighNote, 2017)
- Oak Tree (HighNote, 2022)[9]
- Alternate Summer (HighNote, 2024)[10]
- With LaVerne Butler
- Love Lost and Found Again (HighNote, 2012)
- With Peter Zak
- The Decider (SteepleChase, 2009)
- With Dan Faulk
- Dan Faulk Songbook, Vol.1 (Ugli Fruit, 2002)
- With Jacky Terrasson
- Lover Man (Venus, 2002, Recorded 1993)
- Jacky Terrasson (Blue Note, 1994)
- Reach (Blue Note, 1996)
- Alive (Blue Note, 1998)
- What It Is (Blue Note, 1999)
- A Paris... (Blue Note, 2001)
- With Sam Newsome
- This Masquerade (SteepleChase, 2000)
- The Tender Side of Sammy Straighthor (SteepleChase, 2000)
- Global Unity (Palmetto, 2001)
- With Jon Hendricks
- Boppin' at the Blue Note (Telarc, 1994)
- With Wayne Escoffery
- The Humble Warrior (2020)
- With Riverside Trio
- Riverside (2022)[11]
- With Mark Sherman
- With Freedom (2023)[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Musician Profile – Ugonna Okegwo". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ "Can Ron Blake Retake Jazz's 21st Century Groove With Millennials?". Huffington Post. February 25, 2014. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians – Okegwo, Ugonna". jazz.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "Ugonna Okegwo builds jazz from the ground up". NJ.com. November 19, 2009. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ "Trumpeter Tom Harrell's quintet hits hard from the outset". Chicago Tribune. November 30, 2012. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ "Charles Mingus – Mingus Big Band". mingusmingusmingus.com. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ "Department of Music – Ugonna Okegwo". columbia.edu. Archived from the original on November 9, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b "Allmusic: Ugonna Okegwo – credits". Allmusic.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ Ed Enright (August 2022). "Tom Harrell – Oak Tree (album review)". DownBeat. Archived from the original on January 14, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Tom Harrell – Alternate Summer (album review)". jazztrail.net. November 21, 2024. Archived from the original on December 19, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "New Release from Oz Noy, Riverside". jazzguitartoday.com. January 21, 2022. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ Derek Ansell (September 9, 2023). "Mark Sherman: With Freedom". Jazz Journal. Archived from the original on June 20, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- American jazz composers
- British jazz composers
- British jazz double-bassists
- American jazz double-bassists
- Male double-bassists
- Jazz musicians from New York City
- Long Island University alumni
- Living people
- 1962 births
- 21st-century double-bassists
- 21st-century American male musicians
- American male jazz musicians