Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Baikida Carroll was born on January 15, 1947 in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Harris. He spent his teens playing trumpet in the high school band with fellow band member Donny Hathaway and studying theory with mentor Vernon Nashville. As a member of the All-City Jazz Band, he first met and played with Lester Bowie, J.D. Parran and James Jabbo Ware.

Carroll went on to study at Southern Illinois University and the Armed Forces School of Music early in his career. Following this he became a member of the Black Artists Group in St. Louis, where he directed their free jazz ensemble. This group recorded in Europe in the 1970s.

During the Seventies the group would record in Europe, he would play with Albert King, Little Milton, Fontella bass and Tina Turner, and take master classes with Oliver Nelson, Thad Jones, Ron Carter, Mel Lewis, Phil Woods and Roland Hanna.

Carroll recorded four albums as a leader and over thirty as a sideman working with the likes as Sam Rivers, Steve Weisberg, Carla Bley, Steve Lacy, Anthony Braxton, Graham Parker, Oliver Lake, Nana Vasconcelos, Jack Dejohnette, Hamiett Bluiett, Howard Johnson, Jay McShann, Muhal Richard Abrams, Julius Hemphill and the Human Arts Ensemble among others.

Baikida also has an impressive list of credits in theatre working with the Mighty Gents, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The House of Bernarda Alba, Coontown Bicentennial Memorial Services and Have Our Say. He has been the recipient of several fellowships and awards and has sat on numerous boards pertaining to music and the arts.

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