Charlie Haden出身於1937年，自五十年代末期起就成名於爵士乐界。Haden的贝斯演奏除了速度与敏 捷度，还专注於音质与音色的拓展及音乐内容开创的可能性。Haden四十馀年来演奏的乐风相当多变宽广，除了个人挂名的专辑外，还有与Coleman节奏组合Don Cherry、Dewey Redman、Ed Blackwell等人延续Coleman音乐美学的Old and New Dreams，跟八十九十年代乐风偏怀旧舒缓的bop四重奏Quartet West，当然还有个人最欣赏的Liberation Music Orchestra。 热心接触或聆听Free Jazz的朋友应该都知道此乐派宗师Ornette Coleman奠定立论及美学基础的Free Jazz (A Collective Improvisation)专辑，当中Coleman运用两组四重奏同时於左右两声道演奏实验爵士乐语汇的可能性。其中左声道的贝斯是英年早逝的Scott LaFaro(与Bill Evans合作Waltz for Debby的那位)，负责右声道的贝斯演奏就是Charlie Haden。 Charlie Haden七十年代成立了以反战、反种族主义为己任的Liberation Music Orchestra ，并录制了个人领衔的首张专辑。八十年代后，尤其是在八九年54岁的Charlie Haden与美貌的Ruth Cameron结婚后，Charlie Haden的音乐由激进转为温和。by Chris KelseyAs a member of saxophonist Ornette Colemans early bands, bassist Charlie Haden became known as one of free jazzs founding fathers. Haden has never settled into any of jazzs many stylistic niches, however. Certainly hes played his share of dissonant music — in the 60 and 70s, as a sideman with Coleman and Keith Jarrett, and as a leader of the Liberation Music Orchestra, for instance — but for the most part, he seems drawn to consonance. Witness his trio with saxophonist Jan Garbarek and guitarist Egberto Gismonti, whose ECM album Silence epitomized a profoundly lyrical and harmonically simple aesthetic; or his duo with guitarist Pat Metheny, which has as much to do with American folk traditions as with jazz. Theres a soulful reserve to Hadens art. Never does he play two notes when one (or none) will do. Not a flashy player along the lines of a Scott LaFaro (who also played with Coleman), Hadens facility was limited, but his sound and intensity of expression were as deep as any jazz bassists. Rather than concentrate on speed and agility, Haden subtly explores his instruments timbral possibilities with a sure hand and sensitive ear. Hadens childhood was musical. His family was a self-contained country & western act along the lines of the more famous Carter Family, with whom they were friends. They played revival meetings and county fairs in the Midwest and in the late 30s, had their own radio show that was broadcast twice daily from a 50,000-watt station in Shenandoah, IA (Hadens birthplace). Haden debuted on the family program at the tender age of 22 months, after his mother noticed him humming along to her lullabies. The family moved to Springfield, MO, and began a show there. Haden sang with the family group until contracting polio at the age of 15. The disease weakened the nerves in his face and throat, thereby ending his singing career. In 1955, Haden played bass on a network television show produced in Springfield, hosted by the popular country singer, Red Foley. Haden moved to Los Angeles and by 1957 had begun playing jazz with pianists Elmo Hope and Hampton Hawes and saxophonist Art Pepper. Beginning in 1957, he began an extended engagement with pianist Paul Bley at the Hillcrest Club. It was around then that Haden heard Coleman play for the first time, when the saxophonist sat in with Gerry Mulligans band in another L.A. nightclub. Coleman was quickly dismissed from the bandstand, but Haden was impressed. They met and developed a friendship and musical partnership, which led to Coleman and trumpeter Don Cherry joining Bleys Hillcrest group in 1958. In 1959, Haden moved with Coleman to New York; that year, Colemans group with Haden, Cherry, and drummer Billy Higgins played a celebrated engagement at the Five Spot, and began recording a series of influential albums, including The Shape of Jazz to Come and Change of the Century. In addition to his work with Coleman, the 60s saw Haden play with pianist Denny Zeitlin, saxophonist Archie Shepp, and trombonist Roswell Rudd. He formed his own big band, the Liberation Music Orchestra, which championed leftist causes. The band made a celebrated album, Song for Ché, in 1969 for Impulse. In 1976, Haden joined with fellow Coleman alumni Cherry, Dewey Redman, and Ed Blackwell to form Old and New Dreams. Also that year, he recorded a series of duets with Hawes, Coleman, Shepp, and Cherry, which was released as The Golden Number (A&M). In 1982, the Liberation Music Orchestra re-formed The Ballad of the Fallen (ECM). Haden helped found a university level jazz education program at CalArts in the 80s. He continued to perform, both as a leader and sideman. In the 90s, his primary performing unit became the bop-oriented Quartet West, with tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, pianist Alan Broadbent, and drummer Larance Marble. He would also reconstitute the Liberation Music Orchestra for occasional gigs. In 2000, Haden reunited with Coleman for a performance at the Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival in New York City.