Gerald Cannon

Gerald Cannon (bassist) was born in Racine, Wisconsin, on March 15, 1958. He was initially inspired by his father, Benjamin, a guitarist, who bought him his first electric bass at the age of 10. He began playing in his father’s group, The Gospel Expressions, the beginning of an incredible musical journey. Gerald attended the University of Wisconsin--La Crosse, where he met legendary bassist Milt Hinton, prompting him to switch his major from physical education to music.

Gerald moved to Milwaukee and transferred to the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music’s college program, where he spent four years studying jazz bass, classical bass, and piano. He also studied art at Marquette University, which nurtured a lifelong love of painting, a serious passion he continues to pursue. Outside of school, Gerald became musical director and bassist for Milwaukee vocalist Penny Goodwin, who became a mentor to him. Gerald worked throughout the local jazz clubs and performed on weekends with pianist David Hazeltine at Chip & Py’s, a restaurant on Fifth Street just south of National Avenue, in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood.

At age 28, Gerald left for New York City and soon began earning his living playing bass in the subway and playing late-night sessions at the Blue Note with Winard Harper, Philip Harper, and Justin Robinson. He also worked with Dexter Gordon, the Cedar Walton Trio with Billy Higgins on drums, Jimmy Smith, Little Jimmy Scott, James Williams, Ed Thigpen, Frank Foster, and briefly with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. After a short stint back in Milwaukee, Gerald returned to New York in the early 1990s to work with vocalist and pianist Andy Bey and with Buddy Montgomery, who led a trio at Le Parker Meridien Hotel. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove heard Gerald working in a club one night and invited him to join his band. For the next seven years, Gerald performed with Roy at major festivals, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Cape Town Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, and Montreal Jazz Festival. He was part of the award-winning Crisol tour, performing with legendary Cuban percussionists José Luis “Changuito” Quintana, Miguel “Angá” Díaz, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, and pianist Chucho Valdés.

Following his tenure with Roy, Gerald joined drummer Elvin Jones and worked with him until his passing in 2004. He then spent almost 14 years as bassist and musical director for the McCoy Tyner Trio. Gerald has worked and recorded with countless jazz luminaries and also leads and records with his own groups. He has also devoted himself to passing the music on to the next generation, presenting master classes worldwide. He is the jazz bass instructor at The Juilliard School in New York and a professor of jazz bass at Oberlin College and Conservatory in Ohio.

Listen to Gerald play “Our Love Is Here to Stay” with alto saxophonist Sherman Irby, from his 2003 album Gerald Cannon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qhWDJd_qoI

More information can be found at: https://www.cannonmusicnart.com/