Bassist, Composer, Producer
The middle child in a family of musicians, Chicago-born Lonnie Plaxico inherited a gift for music that was discovered and nurtured early. By the age of twelve he had taught himself to play the electric bass, and he was soon venturing into Chicago's music scene, renowned for its mix of jazz, funk and blues. It was not long before the young musician made his first recording, featuring his family's band. At the age of just fourteen, having already performed alongside several prominent Chicago jazz figures, Lonnie Plaxico turned professional, playing the electric and acoustic bass with equal facility.
In 1980 Plaxico moved to New York and soon began to appear with such artists as Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon and Wynton Marsalis. His first extended tenure was with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers: between1983 and 1986, lonnie performed on twelve of Blakey's albums, including the Grammy Award-winning, New York Scene. In 1986 he joined Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, continuing with that group until 1993. Presently, Plaxico is the musical director and featured bassist for Cassandra Wilson; their critically acclaimed and award-winning collaboration has now spanned fifteen years.
Plaxico's recording and performance catalog is equally impressive for its caliber, depth and diversity. He has appeared with such luminaries as Sonny Sitt, Junior Cook, David Murray, Alice Coltrane, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Sample, Abbey Lincoln, and Dizzy Gillespie. Just as noteworthy are his performances with younger artists -- among them Steve Coleman, Rachelle Farrell and Dianne Reeves. lonnie has also recorded with Bill Cosby, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ravi Coltrane and Barbara Dennerlein, as well as his Grammy-winning collaborations with Art Blakey and Cassandra Wilson. He has also recorded many critically acclaimed albums as leader.
Lonnie Plaxico's musicianship is probably best expressed in his masterful integration of different forms --combining the rigorous technique of classical, the improvisation of jazz, and the rawness of funk into one exhilarating musical experience.
Geri Allen, Art Blakey, Tom Brown & Jimmy Owens, The Chilites, Steve Coleman, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, Junior Cook, Jack DeJohnette, Bobby Enrica, Rachelle Farrell, Sonny Fortune, Chico & Von Freeman, Dexter Gordon, Slide Hampton & The World of Trombones, Barry Harris, Antonio Hart, John Hicks, Jay Hogart, Thelma Houston, Hank Jones, Rodney Jones, Cyndi Lauper, Kirk Lightsey, Carmen Lundey, Junior Mance, Chuck Mangione, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Keiko Matsui, Ronnie Matthews, Mulgrew Miller, David Murray, David "Fat Head" Newman, Greg Osby, Dianne Reeves, Joe Sample & the Jazz Crusaders, Bud Shank, Woody Shaw, Melvin Sparks, Dakota Staton, Sonny Stitt, Clark Terry, Harold Vick, Jack Walrath, Cassandra Wilson, Allen Youngblood
School Daze (1988; Director: Spike Lee), Love Jones (1996; Director: Theodore Witcher)
Cassandra Wilson & George Benson - Montreaux Jazz Festival (1998), Art Blakey Documentary (1986), Branford Marsalis- Royal Garden Blues (1987), Three Bassists Documentary - featuring Cecil McBee, Satee Debriano and Lonnie Plaxico (1988), Rozalla - I love music (1993)
Television: David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Charlie Rose, The Today Show, The Morning Show, Joan Rivers Show
Movies: Junior (1994; Directed by Ivan Reitman, starring Arnold Schwartzenegger)
Major Jazz Clubs & Festivals (US & Abroad), Various Benefit Performances
Louis Armstrong Jazz Award (1978),
Charles Mingus & Fred Zimmermann Bass Competition (1980): Third Place Award and Most
Promising Young Bassist Award,
Listings: Grove's Dictionary of Music, The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Ibanez (Electric Bass), Labella (Strings), Patterson Basses (Electric Bass), Fodera (Electric Bass), Applied Microphone Technology (microphone) SWR amps and speakers.
| YEAR |
ARTIST |
SELECTION/TITLE |
| 2009 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Ancestral Devotion" |
| 2007 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Live At The Zinc Bar NYC" |
| 2006 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"So Alive" |
| 2003 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Rhythm and Soul" |
| 2002 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Live at the 5:01 Jazz Bar" |
| 2001 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Mélange" |
| 2000 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Emergence" |
| 2000 |
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers |
"Live at Ronnie Scott's [BBC Legends]" |
| 1999 |
Cassandra Wilson |
"Traveling Miles" |
| 1999 |
Teri Thornton |
"I'll Be Easy to find" |
| 1998 |
Ravi Coltrane |
"Moving Pictures" |
| 1998 |
Mark Ledford |
"Miles to Go" |
| 1998 |
Greg Osby |
"Zero" |
| 1998 |
Ray Andersen |
"Funkorific" |
| 1998 |
Lamont Johnson |
"241 East 3rd St." |
| 1997 |
Various Artists |
"Jazz Central Station" |
| 1997 |
Jackie Terrason/Cassandra Wilson |
"Rendevous" |
| 1996 |
Cassandra Wilson |
"New Moon Daughter"* - Grammy Award Winner |
| 1996 |
Cassandra Wilson |
"Songbook" |
| 1996 |
Barbara Dennerlein |
"Take Off" |
| 1996 |
Various Artists |
"Complete Rodgers & Hart Songbook" |
| 1996 |
Cecil Brooks III |
"Smokin' Jazz" |
| 1995 |
Regina Carter |
"Regina Carter" |
| 1994 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"With All Your Heart" |
| 1994 |
Jack DeJohnette |
"Extra Special Edition" |
| 1994 |
Talib Kibwe |
"Introducing Talib Kibwe" |
| 1993 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Short Takes" |
| 1993 |
Cassandra Wilson |
"Blue Light 'til Dawn"** - Grammy Award Nominee |
| 1993 |
Ron Jackson |
"A Guitar Thing" |
| 1993 |
Gust William Tsilis |
"Wood Music" |
| 1993 |
Ronald Shannon Jackson |
"Thinking of You" |
| 1993 |
Jim Payne |
"New York Funk, Vol.1" |
| 1993 |
Carola Grey |
"Noisy Mama" |
| 1993 |
Marvin Hannibal Peterson |
"One With the Wind" |
| 1992 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Iridescence" |
| 1992 |
Bud Shank |
"I Told You So" |
| 1992 |
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers |
"Live at Kimball's" |
| 1992 |
Don Byron |
"Tuskegee Experiments" |
| 1992 |
Cassandra Wilson |
"Jumpworld" |
| 1992 |
Cecil Brooks III |
"The Collective" |
| 1992 |
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers |
"The Best of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - Art Collection" |
| 1992 |
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers |
"New Year's Eve at Sweet Basil: Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers" |
| 1992 |
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers |
"Dr. Jekyl: Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers" |
| 1992 |
Lafayette Harris |
"Lafayette Is Here" |
| 1992 |
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers |
"Hard Champion" |
| 1991 |
Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition |
"Earthwalk" |
| 1990 |
Lonnie Plaxico |
"Plaxico" |
| 1990 |
Cindy Blackman |
"Code Red" |
| 1988 |
Jack DeJohnette |
"Audio Visualscapes" |
| 1987 |
Jack DeJohnette |
"Irresistible Forces" |
| 1987 |
Cassandra Wilson |
"Point of View" |
| 1984 |
Dizzy Gillespie |
"New Faces" |
| 1984 |
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers |
"New York Scene"* - Grammy Award Winner |
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