Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture > Video Oral History Gallery

Video Gallery Cataloging Data: Larry Ridley

Location

Schomburg-MIRS



Call #

Sc Visual VRA-189 Service copy. 

Sc Visual VRB-2022 Original of: VRA-189.



Author

Ridley, Larry, interviewee. 



Title

Oral history interview with Larry Ridley, 30 July 1996

[videorecording] / interviewer, James Briggs Murray.



Imprint

1996



Description

1 videocassette (1 hr., 38 min.) : sd., col. ; 1/2 in.

013800



Note

Title supplied; duration: 1 hr., 38 min.



Credits

Produced and directed by James Briggs Murray.



Note

Ridley performs Satin Doll on double bass with bow.



Recorded on July 30, 1996, at the Schomburg Center for Research

in Black Culture, Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project



Summary

The oral history interview with Larry Ridley, double-bass player

and jazz history teacher, begins with his childhood in Indiana.

Born September 3, 1937 in Indianapolis, Ridley began playing

violin at the age 3. He recalls having had fine music instructors 

and the influence of many musicians who lived in or passed

through the area. At age 5 Ridley began attending a neighborhood

music school and played violin in the elementary school orchestra

and into high school. When a sophomore in high school Ridley

switched to double-bass and decided he wanted to play jazz after

hearing Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown and Herb Ellis

in a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert. 



Ridley had his first road gig at age 16, and tells how he got

his first professional gig at the Turf Club in Indianapolis 

filling in for Monk Montgomery with Wes Montgomery and his band.

Ridley discusses the importance and benefits of using the bow

with the bass and the differences between the acoustic bass and

the Fender bass. Slam Stewart and Paul Chambers, among others,

influenced his attraction to the bass. Ridley then plays Satin

Doll using the bow. The late 1960's Ridley played with Duke

Ellington and describes his charisma, intelligence, talent and

tells of a particular performance at the Rainbow Grill in NYC.

Others he has played with: Ray Nance, Joe Venuti, and Stephane

Grappelli. Ridley recalls meeting Louis Armstrong at the Atlanta

Jazz Festival and talks about his stage persona and genius; 

on Dizzy, Ridley describes his incredible Knowledge of music,

how he stressed the importance of the piano, and his introduction

of the Afro-Cuban influence into jazz.



Ridley discusses his teaching and educational background: he has

taught jazz history for 25 years at universities in various

countries including Rutger's University, he received an M.A. in

cultural policy from the State University of New York, he has

worked for the National Endowment for the Arts as a panelist, and

was the national coordinator for the Jazz Artists in Schools

Program. Ridley expresses his viewpoints on the subsidization of

the arts in the U.S. and in Europe, the intent and purpose of

endowing the arts and humanties, and its surrounging controversy

during the Reagan Administration.



Ridley talks about his Jazz Legacy Ensemble and its objective

to perform and perpetuate the music of the masters. He concludes

the interview with his advice to young people to practice, do

research, and learn from the masters. 



Note

Reproduction. Originally produced: New York, N.Y. : Schomburg Center

for Research in Black Culture, the New York Public Library, 1996.

1 videocassette (MII) ; 1/2 in. VHS.



Use terms

Permission required to cite, quote and reproduce; contact

repository for information.



Biography/History

Larry Ridley is a double-bass player and teacher of jazz history.

Born September 3, 1937 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Ridley played

violin as achild and switched to double-bass in high school.

Ridley has performed and recorded extensively, worked for the

National Endowment for the Arts and other music education    

organizations; is currently teaching jazz history and performing

with his Jazz Legacy Ensemble.



Note

Forms part of: Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.

 Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project



In

Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project



Subject

Armstrong, Louis, 1900-1971 -- Influence. 

Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974 -- Influence. 

Gillespie, Dizzy, 1917- -- Influence. 

Grappelli, Stephane. 

Montgomery, Monk. 

Montgomery, Wes. 

Nance, Ray. 

Ridley, Larry -- Childhood and youth. 

Ridley, Larry -- Contributions in jazz education. 

Ridley, Larry -- Interviews. 

Venuti, Joe. 

Jazz Legacy Ensemble. 

National Endowment for the Arts Artists-in-Residence Program. 

Afro-American college teachers. 

Afro-American musicians. 

Bop (Music) -- History. 

Double-bass music (Jazz). 

Double-bass with jazz ensemble. 

Double-bassists -- United States -- Interviews. 

Jazz -- United States -- History. 

Jazz -- Indiana -- History. 

Jazz -- Study and Teaching. 

Jazz musicians -- United States -- Interviews.



Form/genre

Biographies. 

Interviews. 



Additional name

Murray, James Briggs, interviewer. 

Ridley, Larry Performer. 

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Louis Armstrong

Jazz Oral History Project. 

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. 



Donor



The Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project was funded by the

Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.