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About Ed Wise
Born
and raised in Houston, Texas, Ed Wise began his study
and love of the string bass at the age of twelve. At
fifteen, he discovered jazz and began a life-long
journey of the study, practice and performance of
America’s musical gift to the world. At age seventeen,
Ed was performing with Houston’s legendary tenor
saxophonist
Arnett Cobb and sitting in at local jam sessions
with visiting jazz greats
Sonny Stitt,
Rashaan Roland Kirk,
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and others.
Upon graduation from high school in
1973, Ed pursued his education at the world-renowned
University of North Texas (formerly North Texas
State University), earning a bachelor of music degree
and a master’s degree in jazz performance with a minor
in composition. As a graduate student, he conducted the
“4 O'Clock Lab Band” and was the bassist for the famous
“1 O'Clock Lab Band”. Ed also performed with guest
artists appearing at the school including trumpeters
Jon Faddis,
Tom Harrell, Conte Condoli, saxophonist
Frank Foster, clarinetist
Buddy DeFranco, trombonist
J.J. Johnson, and pianists
Kenny Barron,
Jim McNeely, and
Hal Galper. During his time in the Dallas area, he
gigged with local jazz artists including former Miles
Davis Quintet pianist
Red Garland, former Jazz Messenger Marcel Ivery and
tenor sax legend James Clay. As bassist for the
Dave Zoller trio, he backed up
Eddie Daniels,
Carl Fontana,
Jim Hall and other name artists. Also during this
time, Ed toured with New Orleans legend
Al Hirt, Texas R&B star
Delbert McClinton and the
Smothers Brothers. Performances with
Billy Eckstine,
Cab Calloway,
Frank Sinatra, Jr. and
Vic Damone rounded out his busy schedule. |
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In 1989 Ed Wise moved to Toronto,
Ontario, Canada where he continued as one of the busiest
bassists in Canada’s music center. In 1990, he toured with
the Concord (record label) All-Stars (pianist
Monty Alexander, trumpet legend
Harry "Sweets" Edison, tenor saxophonist
Scott Hamilton and
Bud Shank), performing at major jazz festivals across
Canada. In 1991, he worked with the great
Lee Konitz. During his time in Canada, Ed served on the
jazz faculty of the National Music Camp of Canada, teaching
and performing alongside
Frank Mantooth,
Pat LaBarbera and others.
1993 saw Ed heading back
south, this time to New Orleans, where he lived and worked
until August 29, 2005, the day Hurricane Katrina came to
town. While in the Crescent City, he performed with and
arranged for
Al Belletto's Big Jazz Band and sextet,
Connie Jones' Crescent City Jazz Band, pianist
Henry Butler, guitarist
Herb Ellis, and pianist/vocalist
Mose Allison. In 1995, Ed began a three-year stint as
professor of jazz bass and jazz combos at New Orleans’
Loyola University. In 2003, Ed served as
bandleader/bassist aboard the legendary steamboat
Delta Queen until his move to Philly following the
aforementioned hurricane. In December and July 2005, Ed
appeared with
Connie Jones Crescent City Jazz Band at the winter and
summer
Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy (where, in July, he became
engaged to Philly resident Liz Einsig). In March 2005, he
recorded his first, as-yet-unreleased CD featuring his own
arrangements for 8, 9 and 10-piece ensembles, playing
traditional New Orleans Dixieland-style jazz and swing. And
in the April 2005 issue of
New Orleans Magazine, Ed received the honor of
being named one of New Orleans’ “Jazz All-Stars”.
On November 3 of this year, Ed finished
his tenure with the Delta Queen Steamboat Company. On
November 6 he was in Baltimore, recording with banjo wizard
Buddy Wachter. And that evening, he was in Philly,
conducting his first rehearsal with Penn Jazz.
Since then, he has been working
constantly around Philadelphia, appearing at
Ortlieb's Jazzhaus and La Rose's Jazz Club, performing
with vocalist Nina Bundy, pianists Sam Dockery and Sid
Simmons, alto saxophonist Tony Williams and drummer Eddie
Jones.
Ed has four daughters and three
grandsons, all of whom live in Texas.
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