Ed Blackwell

Ed Blackwell (October 10, 1929 – October 7, 1992) was an American jazz drummer.

Edward Blackwell was born in New Orleans, Lousiana. While album credits typically listed him as "Ed Blackwell," he preferred to be called Edward. Most of his close associates, including his wife, simply called him "Blackwell" most of the time.

Blackwell's early career began in New Orleans in the 1950's. He played in a bebop quintet that included pianist Ellis Marsalis and clarinetist Alvin Batiste. There was also a brief stint touring with Ray Charles. The second line parade music of New Orleans greatly influenced Blackwell's drumming style and could be heard in his playing throughout his career.

Blackwell first came to national attention as the drummer with Ornette Coleman's quartet around 1960, when he took over for Billy Higgins in the quartet's legendary stand at the Five Spot in New York City. He is known as one of the great innovators of the free jazz of the 1960s, fusing New Orleans and African rhythms with bebop. In the 70's and 80's Blackwell toured and recorded extensively with fellow Ornette Quartet veterans Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Dewey Redman in the quartet Old and New Dreams.

In the late 70's Blackwell became an Artist-in-Residence at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. Blackwell was a beloved figure on the Wesleyan Campus until he died. He and his drumming students would greet each other by one calling out "What it be like?" and the other responding "What it is!"

After years of kidney problems, Blackwell died in 1992.

Selected discography

The Ed Blackwell Project

• What It Be Like?
• What It Is!

Ed Blackwell Trio

• Walls-Bridges (Black Saint)

Ornette Coleman

• This Is Our Music
• Ornette On Tenor
• Ornette!
• Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation
• The Complete Science Fiction Sessions
• Beauty is a Rare Thing (Rhino/Atlantic)
• The Art Of The Improvisers (Atlantic)
• Twins (Atlantic)
• To Whom Who Keeps A Record (Atlantic)
• Live in Milano 1968 (Jazz Up)
• The Unprecedented Music Of Ornette Coleman (Lotus Passport)
• Friends And Neighbors-Ornette Live At Prince Street (Flying Dutchman)
• Broken Shadows (Columbia)
• Science Fiction (Columbia)
• The Belgrade Concert (Jazz Door)
• European Concert (Unique Jazz)
• Paris Concert (Trio)
• Skies Of America (Columbia)
• Stating The Case (Jazz Anthology)

John Coltrane and Don Cherry

• The Avant-Garde

Don Cherry

• Complete Communion (Blue Note)
• Symphony For Improvisers (Blue Note)
• Where Is Brooklyn? (Blue Note)
• El Corazon (ECM)
• Mu First Part (BYG Actuel)
• Mu Second Part (BYG Actuel)
• Broken Shadows (Moon)
• Relativity Suite (JCOA)
• Tamma with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell (Odin)
• Multikulti (A&M)
• The Montreal Tapes (Verve)

as Old And New Dreams

• Old And New Dreams (Black Saint)
• Old And New Dreams (ECM)
• Playing (ECM)

Yoko Ono

• Plastic Ono Band (Apple)

Marion Brown

• Vista (Impulse!)
• Awofofora (Disco Mate)

Eric Dolphy and Booker Little

• At the Five Spot, Vols 1 & 2
• Memorial Album (Prestige)
• Here and There (Prestige)
• Dash One (Prestige)

Dewey Redman

• Tarik
• Red And Black
• In Willisau (Black saint)
• The Struggle Continues (ECM)

Toudie Heath

• Kawaida (O'Be)

Hilton Ruiz

• Cross Currents (Stash)

Anthony Braxton

• Six Compostions: Quartet (Antilles)

Archie Shepp

• Further Fire Music (Impulse!)
• On This Night (GRP/Impulse!)
• The Magic Of Ju-Ju (Impulse!)

Jemeel Moondoc

• Judy's Bounce (Soul Note)

Art Neville

• What's Going On" (Specialty)
• That Old Time Rock 'N' Roll" (Specialty)

Old And New Dreams

• Old And New Dreams (Black Saint)
• Old And New Dreams (ECM)
• Playing
• Tribute To Ed Blackwell (Black Saint)

David Murray

• Ming's Samba

Joe Lovano

• From the Soul (Blue Note)
• Sounds of Joy (Enja)

Ray Anderson

• Every One Of Us (Gramavision)

Clifford Jordan

• Lee Morgan w/ Clifford Jordan Quintet-Live in Baltimore 1968 (Fresh Sound)
• In The World (Strata-East)

Karl Berger

• Karl Berger (ESP Disk)
• Tune In (Milestone)
• Just Play 1976 (Quark)
• Transit w/ Dave Holland (Black Saint)
• Crystal Fire (Quark)

Charles Brackeen

• The Music of Charles Brackeen-Rhythm X (Strata-East)

Anthony Davis

• Song for the Old World (India Navigation)

Steve Coleman

• Rhythm In Mind (RCA/Novus)

Jane Ira Bloom

• Mighty Lights (Enja)

Mal Waldron

• Live at the Village Vanguard (Pioneer)
• Plays Erik Satie (Baybridge)
• You and the Night and the Music (Paddle Wheel)
• The Git-Go: Live at the Village Vanguard (Soul Note)
• Seagulls of Kristiansundi: Live at the Village Vanguard (Soul Note)

David Murray

• Morning Song (Black Saint)
• Ming's Samba (Portrait)
• Death of a Sideman (DIW)

Jayne Cortez

• Everywhere Drums (Bola Press)