3 Bassist @ Newport Oregon Jazz Festival, John-Clayton, Mary Ann McSweeney & Essiet
AboutEssiet Okon Essiet first received critical acclaim more than a decade ago as a member of saxophonist Bobby Watson's post hard bop group Horizon He has long since established himself as one of New York's premier bassist. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, his parents having moved there from Nigeria, West Africa, the family later moved to Wisconsin where Essiet began his musical studies at age 10 on the violin. Four years, later he switched to the bass. As a child, and into his teens, his family moved often. His father worked for the US, as well as the Nigerian government, and his job took the family to many places including Europe, Africa and various cities in the US. His family finally settled in Portland, Oregon where he began studying jazz at the age of 14. Having traveled widely as a youngster with his family, he had an easy time adjusting to life on the road once he turned professional. More importantly, his early exposure to many cultures, languages, folkways and religions, fostered his world view of strength through diversity. "Some musicians are purist" says Essiet, "but I like to mix styles. I like many different types of cultures". His first big break came in 1982 when he met Chicago based percussionist Famoudou Don Moye, a founding member of such important collectives as the Art Ensemble of Chicago and The Leaders. Moye asked Essiet to join his quartet and during that same year the bassist met Abdullah Ibrahim, the famed South African pianist. Working with Ibrahim, Essiet toured the globe splitting his time between Europe and the US during the period from 1982 to 1986. Eventually Essiet settled in NYC. Two years later, he joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and remained in the group until the famed drummer/teacher's passing in 1990. During the next decade, the bassist began what has proven to be a significant freelance career.  In 1997, he was asked to join an incarnation of the Blue Note Allstars which included Greg Osby, Javon Jackson, Tim Hagens, Kevin Hays, and Bill Stewart. He has performed and recorded with such notables as Benny Golson, Johnny Griffin, James Moody, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Cedar Walton, Sam Rivers, George Adams, Pat Martino, Kenny Burrell, Jackie McLean, Frank Morgan, Kenny Barron, Louis Hayes, Ben Riley, Jimmy Cobb, Billy Higgins, Billy Hart, Art Farmer, Abby Lincoln, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Billy Cobham, Bennie Maupin, Al Foster, Eddie Henderson, Steve Turre, Jon Faddis, Bobby Watson, Victor Lewis, Kenny Garrett, Kenny Kirkland, Mulgrew Miller, Jeff "Tain " Watts, Mike Stern, Kevin Mahogany, Kurt Elling, Fort Apache Band, Danilo Perez, Claudia Acuna, Geri Allen, and Ralph Peterson to highlight only a partial list. In 1997, he was asked to join an incarnation of the Blue Note Allstars which included Greg Osby, Javon Jackson, Tim Hagens, Kevin Hays, and Bill Stewart. The Blue Note Allstars embarked on a number of tours including Canadian Festivals, US tours, Europe and Japan. In 2000 he joined Danilo Perez's Motherland project for 2 years touring the US, Europe and Central America. Currently, Essiet leads his own group called "IBO" named after a Nigerian tribe. It is a Nigerian jazz project which mixes jazz harmonies with West African rhythms.
Endorsements  Videos
3 Bassist @ Newport Oregon Jazz Festival, John-Clayton, Mary Ann McSweeney & Essiet Performances2019Jan 15-Feb 10 2019 European Tour with Vincent Herring & Soul Chemistry (Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Belgium, England, Spain & Denmark) Feb 16 Mid Atlantic Jazz Festival Rockville, MD with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy West Coast Tour with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy
March 6 Late night @ Fat Cat NYC with Craig Wuepper Quartet March 8 NYC Athletic Club with Mike Dirubbo Quartet March 14 Afro Cuban Jazz night @ Cantina in Southampton, NY with Claes Brondal (jam session) March 18 Zinc Bar NYC with Strings Attached (guitar group with Jack Wilkins, Mark Whitfield, Vic Juris & Ron Affif) March 22 & 23 Mezzrow NYC with George Cables Essiet Essiet Duo March 28-30 Smoke NYC with Eddie Henderson Quintet March 31 Sarah's Wine Bar Ridgefield CT with Jack Wilkins Trio April 1 Smoke NYC with Vincent Herring Quartet April 3 Late Night @ Fat Cat NYC with Craig Wuepper Quartet April 5,6 Jazz Forum Tarrytown, NY with Chico Freeman Group April 8 Smoke NYC with Jonathan Blake Trio April 12 Sound Bite NYC with Bruce Cox Quartet April 19-27 Russia & Europe Tour with Benito Gonzalez (Russia & Ukraine) April 30-May 2 Kenya with Sylwester Ostrowski & the Jazz Brigade May 10 Frankie & Johnnies NYC with Jeanne Gies & Jack Wilkins West Coast/Michigan Tour with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy
May 27 Zinc Bar NYC with Paul Bollenbeck & Ron Affif May 31 Kennedy Center DC with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy Australia/China tour with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy
June 21 Frankie & Johnnies NYC with Jeanne Gies & Jack Wilkins June 23 Avena NYC with Greg Gulia & Ron Affif June 26 Smalls NYC with Tadataka Unno Trio June 28 Side Door Old Lyme, CT with Michael Wolff & Mike Clark June 29 Jackson Room Queens, NY with Ed Jackson Quartet June 30 Jazz Forum Tarrytown, NY with Mike Clark Trio July 4-31 Japan tour with Vincent Herring August 3 Newport Jazz Festival Newport, Rhode Island with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy August 4-9 Teach @ Jazz Colony for the Brubeck Institute University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA August 10 Stritch @ San Jose Jazz Festival San Jose, CA with Sylvia Cuenca Quartet August 23 Province a Casino San Jose, CA with Mo Briseno Quartet August 24 Margaret Lesher Theater Walnut Creek, CA with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy August 29 Province a Casino San Jose, CA with Mo Briseno Quartet August 31 Fox Jazz Festival Appleton, Wisconsin with Brian Lynch Quartet Sept. 1 Riverfront Jazz Festival Stevens Point, Wisconsin with Brian Lynch Quartet Sept. 6 Dizzy's NYC with Josh Evans Quintet featuring Victor Lewis Sept. 7 Late Night @ Fat Cat NYC with Craig Wuepper Quartet Sept. 8 Maureen's Nyack Street Fair Nyack, NY with David Budway & Ben Perowsky Sept. 12 D'Anton Brooklyn, NY with Sam Kulok Trio Sept. 13 Rooftop Jazz on the Sky Queens, NY with Bryan Carrott Quartet Sept. 16 Cafe Henri Queens, NY with Sam Kulok & Victor Lewis Sept. 18 Smalls NYC with Charles Blenzig Trio Sept. 19 D'Antan Brooklyn, NY with Sam Kulok Trio Sept. 21 Long Beach Jazz Festival Long Beach, NY with Strings Attached Jack Wilkins, Vic Juris, Ron Affif, Vinnie Valentino & David Gibson Sept. 25 Blue Llama Ann Arbor, Michigan with Chico Freeman Group Sept 26-29 Jazz Showcase Chicago, Illinois with Chico Freeman Group Oct. 2 Smalls NYC with Charles Blenzig Trio Oct. 2 Late Night @ Fat Cat NYC with Craig Wuepper Quartet Oct. 3 D'Antan Brooklyn, NY with Sam Kulok Trio Oct. 5 The Parlor Room Northampton Jazz Festival Northampton, Massachusetts with Jack Wilkins & Mike Clark Oct. 6 Zinc Bar NYC Tribute to Yusef Lateef with JD Allen, George Cables & Victor Lewis Oct 8,9 Jazz Standard NYC with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy Oct. 10 Manchester Craftmen's Guild Pittsburgh, PA with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy Oct. 11,12 Side Door Old Lyme, CT with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy Oct. 13 Birdland Theater NYC with Paul Ricci Brazilian Group Oct. 14 Cafe Henri Brooklyn, NY with Sam Kulok & Victor Lewis Oct. 16 Blackstone Steakhouse Greenwich, CT with Nick Russo Group Oct. 17-20 Keystone Korner Baltimore, MD with Eddie Henderson Quintet Oct. 21 Cafe Henri Queens, NY with Sam Kulok & Victor Lewis Oct. 24-26 Clermont Ferrand, France & Umea, Sweden with Ralph Peterson & Messenger Legacy Oct. 27-Nov.6 Poland/Berlin tour with Sylwester Ostrowski & the Jazz Brigade Nov. 8,9 Smalls NYC with Mark Sherman, Vincent Herring & Tim Horner Nov. 10 Exit 0 Jazz Festival Cape May, NJ with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy Nov. 12 Late Night @ Fat Cat NYC with Craig Wuepper Quartet Nov. 14, 15 Mezzrow NYC with George Cables & Victor Lewis Nov. 16 Annenberg Center Philadelphia, PA with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy Nov. 17 Green Hill Kitchen Green Port LI, NY with Alberto Bengolea Group Nov. 18 Smoke NYC with Vincent Herring Quartet Nov. 21-25 Europe tour (Italy, Poland, London, & Bulgaria) with Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy Dec. 2 Cafe Henri Queens, NY with Sam Kulok Trio Dec. 13 Fat Cat NYC with IBO Essiet's African Jazz Band Dec. 28 Cafe Bohemia NYC with Steve Carrington Quartet 2020Jan. 3,4 2020 Smalls NYC with Mike Dirubbo Quartet Jan. 5 Zinc Bar NYC with Jeremy Pelt, Mike Dirubbo, Davis Whitfield & Rudy Royston Tribute to Albert Dailey Jan. 10 Jazz 966 Brooklyn, NY with Bruce Cox Group Jan. 12 1st Presbyterian Church Mt. Vernon, NY with Ray Blue Quartet Jan. 22 Special Club NYC with Miriam Waks Europe Tour with Vincent Herring & Soul Chemistry
Feb. 17 Smoke NYC with Vincent Herring Quartet Feb. 20 Air Train Festival Queens, NY with Ed Jackson Quartet Feb. 22 Unitarian Church NYC with Bryan Carrott Group Feb. 23 New Rochelle Library New Rochelle, NY with Ray Blue Group Feb. 27 Atlantic Grill Rye, NH with Ralph Peterson & Messenger Legacy Feb. 29 Elks Club Ossining, NY with Ray Blue Quartet March 1 Old Franklin School House Metuchin, NJ with Sylvia Cuenca Quartet March 9 Smoke NYC with Vincent Herring Quartet March 10 Jazz Standard NYC with Fintan O'Neill Quartet (children's series) March 11 Fine & Rare NYC with Klaus Mueller Essiet Essiet Duo
Discography
As Leader Shona (Essiet Okon Essiet) (Space Time Records 2015) With Bluesiana Triangle (Art Blakey Dr. John and David "Fathead" Newman) Bluesiana II (Windham Hill, 1991) With George Cables My Muse (HighNote, 2012) In Good Company (HighNote, 2015) The George Cables Songbook (HighNote, 2016) With Vincent Herring Ends and Means (HighNote, 2006) With Frank Morgan Reflections (HighNote, 2006) As Sideman Zimbabwe (Abdullah Ibrahim) (Enja 1983) South Africa (Abdullah Ibrahim) (Enja 1986) Triangular (Ralph Peterson Featuring Geri Allen) (Blue Note 1989) Chipin' In (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers) (Timeless 1990) One For All (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers) (Timeless 1990) Profile (Valery Ponomarev Featuring Joe Henderson) (Reservoir 1991) Present Tense (Bobby Watson and Horizon) (Columbia 1992) Taylor Made (Bobby Watson Big Band) (Columbia 1993) Midwest Shuffle (Bobby Watson and Horizon) (Columbia 1994) The Super Quartet (Louis Hayes) (Timeless 1994) Cartunes (Donald Brown) (Muse 1995) The Art of Jazz Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers) (In + Out 1995) Mutual Admiration Society (Joe Locke David Hazeltine Quartet) (Sharp Nine 1999) Tribute to the Trumpet Masters (Brian Lynch Quartet) (Timeless 2000) At This Point in My Life (Donald Brown) (Space Time 2001) French Kiss (Donald Brown) (Space Time 2002) Live in Europe (Charles Thomas) (Space Time 2002) Wurd on the Skreet (Donald Brown) (Space Time 2002) Autumn in New York (Donald Brown) (Space Time 2003) Horizon Reassembled (Bobby Watson and Horizon) (Palmetto 2004) Jam Session Vol. 11 (Charles Sullivan, Conrad Herwig, Gary Smulyan & Steve Slagle) (SteepleChase 2004) Jam Session Vol. 13 (Dick Oats, Jon Gordon, Billy Drewes & Andy LaVerne) (SteepleChase 2005) Live in Bollate (George Cables) (Musica Jazz 2006) Bamisphere (Gino Sitson) (Polyvocal 2007) Aurea (Geoffrey Keezer) (ArtistShare 2008) Mystic Journey (Azar Lawrence) (Furthermore 2010) Fast Forward to the Past (Donald Brown) (Space Time 2010) Latin Bird (TK Blue) (Motema 2011) Sweet & Lovely (Keith Brown) (Space Time 2011) The Traveling Man (Melton Mustafa) (2012) The Seeker (Azar Lawrence) (Sunnyside 2014) Passion Reverence Transcendence: Music of McCoy Tyner (Benito Gonzalez, Gerry Gibbs, Essiet Okon Essiet) (Whaling City 2018) Be Cool (Eddie Henderson) (Smoke Sessions 2018) I'm All Smiles (George Cables) (HighNote 2019) Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy: Legacy Alive Vol. 6 (Onyx Music Label 2019) Onward & Upward - Ralph Peterson (Onyx Music Label 2020) |
