Gary King

Gary W. King (5 September 1947 – 23 July 2003; Middletown, New York) was an American jazz bassist, songwriter, composer and arranger, playing both upright and electric bass.
 

Early Life

King was born in Middletown, in New York's Orange County. Detailed public information regarding his family background and early musical education is limited, though he went on to become one of the most in-demand session bassists of the jazz-funk and soul-jazz era from the 1970s onward.

Career

King became closely associated with pianist and composer Bob James, serving as house bassist for James's Tappan Zee Records imprint and appearing on numerous recordings released through CTI Records more broadly.

Known for a distinctive, gritty tone often coaxed from a Gibson hollow-body instrument, alongside expansive harmonic and rhythmic sensibilities, King anchored sessions for a wide roster of artists, including George Benson, Grover Washington Jr., Idris Muhammad, Alphonse Mouzon, Stanley Turrentine, Lenny White, Gato Barbieri, Roberta Flack, Joe Farrell, Maynard Ferguson, Hubert Laws, Mark Colby, Steve Khan and Tom Scott.

His album credits include Gato Barbieri's Caliente! (1976), Ruby Ruby (1977) and Passion and Fire (1984), all on A&M Records; Kenny Barron's Innocence (Wolf, 1978); Ronnie Foster's Cheshire Cat (Blue Note, 1975); Eric Gale's Ginseng Woman (CBS, 1976); and Jim Hall's Concierto on CTI.

King also played bass on the Jacksons' 1978 album Destiny, notably contributing to the hit single "Blame It on the Boogie." His playing helped establish a widely imitated approach to groove-based bass that would come to influence the sound of modern smooth jazz, and his recorded work has continued to be sampled by producers in the hip-hop era.

Personal Life

He died in Bushkill, Pennsylvania, on 23 July 2003, at the age of 55.

King is remembered among musicians and bassists as a foundational figure of the CTI and Tappan Zee sound, whose distinctive tone and feel left a lasting mark on jazz-funk and smooth jazz bass playing.