Bob Cranshaw

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Bob Cranshaw (born in 1932) is an American jazz musician who has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a bassist of the first caliber. His career spans the heyday of Blue Note Records to his recent involvement in working through the Musicians Union to improve the lot of elderly musicians.

Cranshaw has a unique sound based on a steady, walking beat appreciated by jazz fans who seek his records out. In his years at Blue Note he accompanied many of the biggest names in jazz. He appeared as a sideman on three seminal jazz classics of the era: The Sidewinder with Lee Morgan, where he provides some electrifying solo work, Idle Moments with the legendary guitar genius Grant Green, and The Bridge with Sonny Rollins, with whom he has maintained a long musical association.

Although he lacks the name recognition of other bassists, he has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Jimmy Heath, Johnny Hodges,Grant Green, Jackie McLean, Thelonious Monk, James Moody, Lee Morgan, Wes Montgomery, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, George Shearing, Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, J. J. Johnson, Shirley Scott, Stanley Turrentine McCoy Tyner, and Joe Williams, among many others.

Along with Wes Montgomery's brother Monk, Cranshaw was among the early jazz bassists to trade his upright bass for an electric bass. Cranshaw was criticized for this by jazz purists, although he was forced to switch by a back injury incurred in a serious auto accident.

During the 1960s and 70s Bob played on Sesame Street. Throughout his long and distinguished career he has also performed on hundreds of television shows and film and television scores. Bob appears on The Blue Note Story, a 90-minute documentary of the famed jazz label.

Bob was also a founding member of the short-lived but superb jazz band, the MJT +3 (Modern Jazz Trio) that included Frank Strozier on alto saxophone, Harold Mabern on piano and Walter Perkins on drums. The Chicago-based group produced several superb listening albums, currently difficult to find. Another vintage Cranshaw jam, 1964 Blue Flames, featuring Shirley Scott, Stanley Turrentine and Otis Finch, is available from Prestige Records. Bob also played live shows for tap dancer Maurice Hines, along with friend and drummer Paul Goldberg.

Bob Cranshaw is one of the great living American jazz musicians like Sonny Rollins and Lou Donaldson who have made lasting contributions to jazz as an artform in the 50s and 60s and continue through the years to enrich our musical heritage.

Select discography

With Maurice Hines

• Maurice Hines: To Nat "King" Cole With Love (Arbors Records)

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