Jymie Merritt

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Jymie Merritt, born James Raleigh Merritt, was an American jazz bassist, bandleader and composer. He was born in 1926 in Philadelphia and died in 2020. His mother gave singing and piano lessons and led a choir. After his military service in the army he worked briefly in his father's real estate business. He was then inspired by a recording of Duke Ellington with the bassist Jimmy Blanton, and after a short flirtation with the clarinet he chose the double bass. He studied with Carl Torello, bassist of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Music and breakthrough

In the early 1950s he toured with Bull Moose Jackson and from 1955 to 1957 worked with the bluesman B.B. King. In 1957 he moved to New York and joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, together with Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons and Lee Morgan. He stayed until 1962. That year he founded his own group, the Forerunners, which he led, with interruptions, until his death. Later he played with Chet Baker, Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie.

Influence

Merritt was also a composer. His piece Nommo, recorded on Max Roach's Drums Unlimited (1966), earned him a nomination in the DownBeat critics' poll. Absolutions was on Lee Morgan's Live at the Lighthouse (1970). He is thus an example of a bassist who not only laid the foundation, but also wrote music of his own for the great names of hard bop and the jazz of the 1960s.

Listening

In School of Rock

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