Jim Ferguson
Not Just Another Pretty Bass
© 1999 Jim Ferguson (608917316025)
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Jazz singer/bassist with a great quartet including Chris Potter on tenor sax.
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JAZZ VOCALIST/BASSIST JIM FERGUSON was born in Jefferson City, Missouri. His father was the music director in a large church in Columbia, South Carolina, so Jim’s training began like that of many jazz performers – at church. Jim sang in the children’s choir at four years old and also began piano lessons with the church organist. Singing was his main musical focus through high school, but just before graduation, Jim bought his first string bass.
IN 1969 JIM ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA to study voice. Graduate assistant George Naff started Jim playing walking bass lines. He received further tutelage from trumpeter Johnny Helms and guitarist Terry Rosen, veterans of the Woody Herman and Sammy Davis orchestras, respectively. Songwriter/pianist Loonis McGlohon hired Jim around 1978 to play bass for NPR’s, “The American Popular Singer”, with Eileen Farrell. Jim performed with Joe Williams, Marlene VerPlanck, Maxine Sullivan, David Allyn, and Julius LaRosa, as well as Bonnie Herman and Gene Puerling of The Singers Unlimited, and pianist, Marian McPartland.
IN 1979 JIM BEGAN LESSONS WITH MICHAEL MOORE IN NEW YORK CITY. Then Chuck Israels introduced Jim to Red Mitchell who had just returned to the United States after twelve years in Sweden. Jim spent many subsequent nights in an unofficial “graduate school” with Red at Bradley’s in Greenwich Village.
RETURNING TO SOUTH CAROLINA IN 1980 to complete his undergraduate work and a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in Jazz Performance, Jim met a young saxophonist named Chris Potter who had begun sitting in with local jazz groups. He already played well, though he was still very young.
AFTER GRADUATION, JIM MOVED TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. He has been active in Nashville’s country music industry as a background vocalist and/or bassist on recordings and television programs. Jim has worked with hundreds of country artists including Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers, Barbara Mandrell, Crystal Gayle, and Willie Nelson.
JIM HAS PERFORMED WITH A VARIETY OF JAZZ ARTISTS. These include Teddy Wilson, Kenny Burrell, Lenny Breau, Cal Collins, Phineas Newborn, Jr., Armen Donelian, Bill Kirchner, Rufus Reid, Jimmy Raney, The HiLo’s, Jay McShann, Conti Candoli, Gene Bertoncini, Attila Zoller, Steve Allen, Benny Goodman, Marian McPartland, and Mose Allison. Jim has recorded with Stephane Grappelli, Martin Taylor, Bill Mays, Al Jarreau, Chris Potter, Stephan Karlsson, Pat Coil, Jim White, Bob Shepherd, Scott Robinson, Jamey Simmons, Lorne Lofsky, Lenny Breau, Howard Alden, Richard Sudhalter, Barbara Lea, Bob Dorough, Joe Williams and Teresa Brewer.
JIM HAS APPEARED AT JAZZ FESTIVALS with Clark Terry, Red Rodney, Nat Adderly, Ken Waters, Richard Sudhalter, Jimmy McPartland, Jimmy Heath, Tommy Newsom, Lew Tabackin, Arnie Lawrence, Chris Potter, Ira Sullivan, Eddie Daniels, Nick Brignola, Bill Watrous, Urbie Green, Bucky Pizzarelli and John Pizzarelli, Jr., Charlie Byrd, Mundell Lowe, Derek Smith, Ross Tompkins, Don Thompson, Ed Soph, Harold Jones, Bernard Purdie, Bill Goodwin, Louie Bellson, Barbara Lea, Jackie Cain and Roy Kral, and Johnny Frigo.
IN 1996, Jim asked saxophonist Chris Potter, pianist Pat Coil, and drummer Jim White to work with him on his first CD project, “Not Just Another Pretty Bass” (AL 73160). In 1997 jazz artist Bill Kirchner brought Jim’s project to the attention of Anne de Jong and Challenge Records in Holland. “Not Just Another Pretty Bass” was released on June 1, 1999.
IN APRIL OF 2000, Chris Potter, Jim White, and pianist Stefan Karlsson joined Jim to record “Deep Summer Music” (AL 73201), Jim’s second CD release for Challenge/A-Records, released October 17, 2000.
JIM AND THE LEGENDARY GUITARIST, MUNDELL LOWE have just released their new recording, “Haunted Heart”. Jim and Mundell will be touring soon in support of this new release.
Jim has been interviewed by Bob Edwards for NPR’s “Morning Edition” and again for the Bob Edwards Show on XM Radio. He has been the featured guest on “Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz”, and he has been included in an episode of NPR‘s “Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson”.
Jim has been listed in Marquis’ Who’s Who In Entertainment since its first edition in 1989.
Jim has served on the National Board of Directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists since 1985. He has served three terms as a National Vice President of AFTRA and three terms as President of the Nashville Local of AFTRA. He currently serves as Chairperson of AFTRA’s National Singer’s Caucus. Jim also serves on the Board of Directors of the International Society of Bassists. He has performed for the Society’s last four Conventions, this year in Oklahoma City with Mundell Lowe. Jim has served as instructor of Jazz Bass and Jazz Voice at Middle Tennessee State University since 1998.