Wilbur Ware

Wilbur Bernard Ware (September 8, 1923 – September 9, 1979) was an American jazz double bassist.^[1] He was a regular bassist for the Riverside record label in the 1950s, and recorded regularly in that decade with Johnny Griffin, Kenny Dorham, Kenny Drew, and Thelonious Monk. He also appeared on records released by J.R. Monterose, Toots Thielemans, Sonny Clark, Tina Brooks, Zoot Sims, and Grant Green, among others.

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Ware grew up in Chicago where he taught himself to play drums, banjo, bass while playing at church. In the 1940s, he worked with Stuff Smith, Sonny Stitt, and Roy Eldridge.^[2] He recorded with Sun Ra in the early 1950s.^[1] Later in the 1950s, settling in New York City, Ware played with Eddie Vinson, Art Blakey, and Buddy DeFranco.^[2] His only album recorded as a leader and released during his lifetime was The Chicago Sound, from 1957 when he worked for Riverside.^[2] He made jazz instructional albums for Music Minus One. In 1958, Ware was one of 57 jazz musicians to appear in the photograph A Great Day in Harlem.^[3]

Ware was a member of the Thelonious Monk quartet from 1957 to 1958. He also performed and recorded in 1957 with the Sonny Rollins Trio at the Village Vanguard. Largely self taught, Ware had an unorthodox but highly unique and percussive approach to the bass.

Ware's addiction to narcotics resulted in his return to Chicago in 1963, and then to a period of incarceration. He was inactive musically for about six years.^[1] In 1969, Ware played with Clifford Jordan, Elvin Jones and Sonny Rollins.^[2] He died from emphysema in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1979.^[2]