Earl May

Earl May was one of the most prodigious and prolific bassists of the postwar era, lending his rich, round sound to sessions headlined by jazz icons John Coltrane, Chet Baker, and Dizzy Gillespie. Born September 17, 1927, in New York City, May first gravitated to drums, but at 14 acquired an acoustic bass, later making his professional debut at the Bronx's 845 Club. While working an insurance job by day, he moonlighted across the New York club circuit, eventually catching the attention of drummer Connie Kay, who invited him to sit in behind the immortal Lester Young at Harlem's now-legendary Minton's Playhouse. After his stint with Young, May joined pianist Dr. Billy Taylor in 1951, finally quitting his insurance gig to play music full-time. The Billy Taylor Trio was a fixture at nightspots including the Hickory House, Birdland, and the Downbeat Club, and as their notoriety spread May was also invited to sit in with singer Gloria Lynne during her residency at the Copacabana. During the early '50s, May studied under pioneering jazz bassist Charles Mingus, an experience that greatly expanded both his craft and vision in addition to setting the stage for the 1957 Rudy Van Gelder-produced collaboration with Coltrane and drummer Art Taylor that yielded the now-classic Lush Life. By the end of the decade May ranked among the busiest bassists in jazz, backing Baker (Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner and Loewe), Herbie Mann (Live at the Village Gate), and Buddy Rich (The Driver). With the advent of the 1960s, May made the switch from acoustic to electric bass, coaxing from the instrument an usually warm and earthy sound. In addition to leading his own Earl May Quartet, he remained a first-call session player, now tailoring his approach to match a generation of soul-jazz greats like Stanley Turrentine, Shirley Scott, and Lou Donaldson. In the decades to follow May enjoyed significant tenures behind Dizzy Gillespie, Junior Mance, and Barry Harris. He also headlined a handful of sessions, including his 2006 swan song, Swingin' the Blues. May continued performing until just days before a massive heart attack claimed his life on January 4, 2008; he was 80 years old. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi