Chuck Webb by Alvin Carter Bey

CCHUCK WEBB

Chuck Webb is a tall, slim man known as the Uncrowned King because of his authority on the bass. Webb was born into a family with no instrumental or musical knowledge. His father was a store manager and his mother was a social service employee. He tried various instruments including clarinet, bass clarinet, and violin, before settling on electric bass. In the 1980s, he became a regular on the Chicago circuit.

Webb was born in July 1960, the year that Miles Davis presented Sketches of Spain (1960) to the jazz public. John Coltrane left Miles and released Giant Steps (1960) with his favorite bassist, Charles Mingus, who released Blues & Roots (1960).

Chuck was the only child of his upper middleclass family. Whatever he wanted he got with no hesitation from his family. His first bass clarinet was purchased by his mother for whom he wrote Mo-Mo’s Grove (2014). At ten years old, Chuck got the idea of becoming a musician, after seeing Jermaine Jackson of the Jackson Five who was a bassist and singer. He was fascinated by Monk Montgomery (1921-1982), whose music inspired Chuck to dig Jazz music.

Chuck’s professional musical career began with those he admired, as a teenager, including pianist Ramsey Lewis (1990-2000). He played gigs with vocalist Marlena Shaw, saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., who died as a young giant among his contemporaries, guitarist George Freeman, and pianist Ken Chaney. Chuck was a first-call bassist for many great musical artists.

Chuck’s education has been an asset to his musical success. He attended the University Lab High School and the University of Miami. Music education enabled Chuck to teach at the Chicago Columbia College and conduct private lessons in the Midwest. His marriage to another musician-singer Margaret Murphy, a retired Chicago Police officer who collaborates with Chuck musically. For Chuck, their marriage is the best thing to happen to both of them for many reasons, including the Jazz in them both. For sure, Chuck Webb is the Uncrowned King, above par.

https://chuckwebbmusic.com Al Carter Bey born in Chicago, when Bebop was new. He studied and played piano, but it is as a radio disc jockey and show producer that he is significant. Al is one of few blacks to make an impact in an otherwise overwhelmingly white critical establishment, jazz radio. The groundbreaking works of It Was Jug I Dug, a short book about tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons, is his most important work as a jazz writer. Al Carter Bey, known in and around Chicago as the “Impresario” works as a radio jazz D.J. at WDCB 90.9fm. On Chicago Jazz Spotlite, Al features artists who are native to or resided the vicinity of Chicago, past and present. His Jazz awareness dates back to the mid-1940’s, and Jazz at The Philharmonic (JATP). His cousin was a saxophonist JATP. Listening to his cousin playing the melodies of beautiful music, caught his ear and remain until the day. Alvin enjoys airing jazz, the original classical art music of America, Jazz, that is collective creativity, a music of swing, bop together, in the ears and minds of listeners from Al Carter Bey.