Jazz Library - Henry Grimes

Veteran bassist Henry Grimes has had two careers in jazz, first as one of the most influential bassists in the 1960s, and then after years of obscurity, he was rediscovered in 2003. In front of an audience at last year's Cheltenham jazz festival, Henry tells Alyn Shipton his remarkable story and presents his essential recordings. When Henry Grimes' bass was broken in the late 1960s, he gave up his career as one of New York's great players - working with Gerry Mulligan, Sonny Rollins, Cecil Taylor and Albert Ayler - and went into forced retirement from music, working in obscurity as a building supervisor. He was rediscovered in 2003 and made a remarkable return to his former eminence, working with the cream of New York's avant garde players including Marc Ribot, William Parker Jr. and David Murray. In this edition of Jazz Library recorded at the Cheltenham Town Hall during the 2009 Jazz Festival, Grimes tells Alyn Shipton his extraordinary story. (R).