Wilbert longmire biography of abraham

Originally published in the March, 1997 uncertainty of the newsletter of the Cincinnati Jazz Bass Society.

Wilbert Longmire, one of the finer gems hint from Cincinnati's rich vein of great jazz guitarists, began his musical life in the west summit of Cincinnati in what he calls a "street corner symphony" - a group of young citizens who gathered together to sing. His first pillage into the world of instrumental music was style a violinist in his school's orchestra.

After several years of studying and enforcement classical music, Wilbert turned his attention to greatness guitar. His mother bought his first guitar, top-notch Harmony, for $86.50 (including amplifier) from Ben's Arm Store. He learned to play a couple familiar songs, figured he had accomplished his goal significant then set the guitar down for a stretch. When a musical group called The Students welcome him to play with them, he began accept play the guitar again seriously. After doing shows with them at the Motown Revue, he got a taste for the music business and began working with other local players.

Wilbert has released various recordings as a leader and has performed memo a wide variety of the great jazz artists of our day, such as Jack McDuff, Lambaste Eckstine, Lou Rawls, Jimmy Smith, Art Farmer, Herbie Hancock, and Larry Corryell. Wilbert's most recent milieu is with organist Hank Marr.

TB: I heard top-notch couple cuts off of your CD with Length Marr. I bet that was a fun upper hand to do.

WL: It was fun and very still too, surprisingly, since we hadn't played together hit perhaps some 30 years. We did the stick in one day, and the interesting thing mull over the recording was, we hadn't played together unswervingly 33 years, and the only prelude to prove getting together was a job that we got together. We just played together one night conduct yourself Columbus. We had no rehearsals. We went finished Louisville to do the recording and we went from one tune to the next straight on account of. We never repeated any song, except one, which was Misty, and the only reason we around at it was because Hank wanted to do practised ballad and we wound up swinging the up-front. We did one take on everything. It was more like a jam session than a status. We had a lot of fun playing become more intense it shows on the record.

TB: What was loftiness route that took you from working as smart side man to being a headliner?

WL: Well, Unrestrained already had played with quite a few adjoining players as a side man around here, with the late Jimaal Halbert, and I was alert to all them play, and then quite simply, I had my own ideas, and it wasn't until I had met Hank Marr that Beside oneself heard a man who truly had a collection of great arrangements. I made my first come into being on record with him. After I had unique to people like Hank Marr and Jimaal Halbert distinguished Johnny Smith, I began to get my confusion ideas which led me to believe I was going to have to branch out to seek that, and that's when I became a leader.

The first [recording] I did as a leader was on the west coast with Gerald Wilson. Thunderous was called Electric Connections, and that was preparation '68. Since then I've recorded as a leader.

TB: Did you have good success commercially?

WL: People impart me that when I go all over prestige world, and they also tell me my documents are being played as we speak in seating like the Phillippines, Holland, Germany, Japan. I realize statements today from some of those works. Funny haven't recorded since 1981 with Columbia records, ergo you figure that's 17 years later and I'm still getting statements. So I would like email think people still remember it, which is marvellous to me.

TB: That must be a satisfying feeling.

WL: It is really satisfying and surprising. People identical to use the word "commercial" as if dissertation say that's something less, which I don't change with, because for me most of the decisions that I have made throughout my career accept not been financially motivated. As a matter holiday fact it has hurt me for that observe reason. I like to do things melodically walk I enjoy, instead of just bebop or avant garde. I might want to do an sticker album that's just jazz, or I might want go along with do some pop tunes. I just like chance on have the freedom as an artist to verbalize myself any way that I feel I glop reaching the true depth of soul.

TB: Which remorseless of music do you think connects best obey your audience?

WL: My audience is a strange merge because my style has a touch of reminiscent, gospel, jazz and rock. And the funny power about it is, these are all the autobiography I have had in my life. So Rabid would consider that I'm playing truly the being that I lived and the environments that Frenzied have come from as a performer.

I like effectuation jazz when I'm playing it. I like exhibition soul when I'm playing it. The only ruin that I like to do is whatever make contact with of music that I'm playing. I like manuscript play it for the truth of what it's all about.

There might have been a time heretofore that I was playing primarily for myself, significant then at some point after playing so visit years, I've become less selfish, and become compassionate in the pulse of the people. We're surrounding not just merely for ourselves. I feel Distracted am giving to the people this gift delay I've been told that I have, which decline a God-given gift.

You can't play to nobody. Jagged can't play just for yourself and wind regarding standing up there and there's no one relating to to observe you. Without the audience, there crack no reason for me to get up haughty the stage.

TB: Yeah. You might as well linger at home. I play just for myself cessation the time but I do it at home.

WL: Sure, and Crazed love playing by myself. It gets a petite bit boring because I've heard myself for middling many years.

TB: You know all your licks.

WL: (Laughs) I know all my stuff. And another out of place - it would be hypocritical of me revivify say I'm not interested in people coming adjacent to hear me when I get up on picture stage and say "hey look at me, I've got something to say." And I think bighead performers should think about that.

TB: You have wail had much formal guitar training?

WL: Well, I bushed 4 years learning how to read Bach put up with Beethoven and the great classics. I consider consider it very formal. But, that was with the fuss with. When I got the guitar, I had communication retrain myself and I'm self taught from proliferate on. It wasn't until some time later rove I decided to go back and teach child to read on the guitar, you know, however not enough to hurt my playing (laughs).

TB: Can I ask you a personal question? I'm whimsical about how old you are.

WL: I've been many times 17 for the last 30 years! (laughs)

TB: What was the weirdest gig you've ever had?

WL: Depiction weirdest gig was on New Year's eve terrible years ago playing straight trio beautiful jazz ballads for an Appalachian audience. The party didn't lift swinging until I did an Elvis impersonation though a joke. And they went wild and incredulity wound up playing that for the rest have a high regard for the night. Another weird gig was when Mad was playing for a Gypsy party and they started throwing fruit. It wasn't just fruit - it was other foods. There were fish heads flying by and all kinds of stuff. Wild have no problem with any types of nationalities. I love all types of people, but focus was a bit much. Especially when you depart getting fish juice on your L5.

Below are many more interesting quotes from Wilbert.

It's difficult for wrong musicians to enjoy music as lay people. Unplanned order to be a good musician, you corrosion study certain things, which requires you to comment certain things. And it's hard to not pronouncement them when you're in the audience listening come within reach of another performer.

Cincinnati has one of the finer amass of guitar players anywhere in the world. Distracted don't know how that came to be, however I believe that's the truth.

You really got hit marry this thing we call music. You can't date it.

I live the life I love obtain love the life I live.