Bobby Hutcherson: A Jazz Profile by Steve Milne Throughout his prolific 35-year career, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson has proven to be one of the most innovative and endearing figures in contemporary jazz. His adventurous Blue Note recordings of the 1960s helped to expand the use of the vibes in jazz, by bringing together free-jazz melodic ideas with pure capacity for swinging. Today, Hutcherson's performance schedule keeps him globe-trotting most of the year, a testament to his international stature as one of the most innovative jazz artists of our time. The 55 year old musician and composer grew up in Pasadena, among the southern California jazz community. His older brother went to school with saxophonist Dexter Gordon and his sister, a singer who performed with many of the top local jazz musicians, dated saxophonist Eric Dolphy. Although he took a few piano lessons at a young age, it wasn't until he heard a Milt Jackson record that he began to take music seriously. Soon after picking up the mallets at the age of 15, Hutcherson was playing local dances and concerts. After several years of gigging in southern California, Hutcherson made the trip to New York in 1961 performing with Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley and Archie Shepp and recording with Tony Williams, Grant Green, and McCoy Tyner. From 1963 to the mid-70s Hutcherson appeared on a multitude of Blue Note recordings as a leader and a sideman playing daring repertoire ranging from straight ahead to Latin, avante-garde to fusion. His technical dexterity, notably his use of four mallets in some of his performances, enabled him to carry out ideas that would present insurmountable problems to lesser musicians. Hutcherson's 1995 release with long time collaborator McCoy Tyner, "Manhattan Moods" (Blue Note) was one of the year's best recordings. © KXJZ Radio, Sacramento CA Used by Permission