Buell Neidlinger
b. 2 March 1936, Westport, Connecticut, USA. After studying piano, trumpet and bass, Neidlinger concentrated on teaching himself the last instrument more extensively. He led bands in high school, then attended Yale for a year, winding up as a disc jockey. In 1955 he relocated to New York, where he gigged with Coleman Hawkins, Tony Scott and Zoot Sims. He made his name with Cecil Taylor, negotiating the pianist's difficult compositions with astonishing aptitude; he was part of Taylor's famous residency at the Five Spot in 1957 and played with him in a 1960 staging of THE CONNECTION. Always one for a surprising career move, Neidlinger then worked in singer Tony Bennett's band for six months. Subsequent work included stints with Gil Evansand Steve Lacy. He studied music at Buffalo State University (1964-66), played with the Budapest Quartet at Tanglewood in 1965 and gave several recitals of works for solo bass by Sylvano Bussotti and Mauricio Kagel. In the late '60s he became a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1970 Neidlinger played bass on Frank Zappa's suite for violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, Music For Electric Violin And Low Budget Orchestra, brought in, according to Zappa, ‘because he's the only man I could think of who could play the bass part’. In 1971 he became professor of music at the California Institute of the Arts and was also busy in the Hollywood recording studios. Neidlinger's ability to relate to different kinds of music is only equalled by his interest in them: at various times he has played with Willie The Lion Smith, Roy Orbison, Barbra Streisand and Archie Shepp. He has several bands; Buellgrass provides a unique blend of country and jazz: an updated western swing; Thelonious plays Thelonious Monk tunes exclusively; String Jazz interprets Duke Ellington and Monk on saxophone, drums and various string instruments. Most of his releases are on the K2B2 label, which he co-runs with tenor saxophonist Marty Krystall, a playing associate of his for over 20 years. A caustic interviewee, Neidlinger has continually involved himself with the cutting edge of jazz and has an inimitable sound on his instrument.