David Baker

David Nathaniel Baker, Jr (21 December 1931 ? 26 March 2016) was an extraordinarily accomplished composer, author, conductor, and teacher; and among the most influential voices in contemporary American music in a career that spanned over five decades. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, David Baker grew up in the rich musical tradition of the black community, in the world of church and gospel music, blues and rhythm & blues, and jazz. He trained as a classical musician and composer at Indiana University, where he later became Distinguished Professor of Music and Chairman of the Jazz Department. Baker also served as conductor and artistic director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. A virtuoso performer on multiple instruments and top in his field in several disciplines, Mr. Baker taught and performed throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Over the course of his multifaceted career, David received numerous awards, including the The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Living Jazz Legend Award, National Association of Jazz Educators Hall of Fame Award, the James Smithson Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, and an Emmy Award for his musical score documentary For Gold and Glory. He served a number of times on the Pulitzer Prize Music Jury and was Chair of the Jazz Faculty of the Steans Institute for Young Artists at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, IL. His compositions total more than 2,000 in number, including jazz and symphonic works, chamber music, and ballet and film scores.

Titles:

• – Sonata for Tuba & String Quartet
• – Screemin Meemies
• – Duet for Alto Saxophones
• 1961 – Honesty
• 1968 – Piano Sonata No. 1
• 1969 – Concerto for Violin and Jazz Band
• 1970 – Five Short Pieces
• 1971 – Theme And Variations from Sonata for Piano And String Quintet
• 1971 – POP see x505015 Sonata for Piano and String Quintet
• 1971 – Sonata for Piano and String Quintet
• 1971 – Theme and Variations for Woodwind Quintet
• 1971 – Woodwind Quintet No. 1
• 1971 – POP see x505016 Theme And Variations from Sonata for Piano And String Quintet
• 1971 – Woodwind Quintet: From “The Black Frontier”
• 1975 – Give and Take
• 1975 – POP see x816506 Give and Take
• 1975 – Give and Take for Soprano and Mixed Sextet
• 1976 – Concerto for Two Pianos, Jazz Band, Strings, and Percussion
• 1976 – Contrasts
• 1976 – POP see x503046 Roots I
• 1976 – Roots I
• 1977 – Soft Summer Rain
• 1977 – Screemin’ Meemies
• 1978 – An Evening Thought
• 1979 – Jazz Suite
• 1980 – Sonata for Violin, Cello and Four Flutes
• 1980 – Sonata for Violin, Cello, and Four Flutes
• 1980 – POP see x662503 Sonata for Violin, Cello, and Four Flutes
• 1981 – Singers of Songs, Weavers of Dreams for Cello and Percussion
• 1981 – Six Poemes Noir
• 1981 – Suite for Unaccompanied Violin
• 1982 – Ethnic Variations on a Theme of Paganini
• 1985 – En Rouge et Noir for Flute, Piano, Double Bass and Drums
• 1985 – En Rouge et Noir
• 1985 – Suite for Horn and Jazz Combo
• 1985 – Suite for Horn and Jazz Combo–solo part
• 1985 – POP see x660501 Suite for Horn and Jazz Combo
• 1986 – Reflections on a Summer’s Day
• 1986 – POP see x665001 Suite for Horn and String Quintet
• 1986 – Through this Vale of Tears: In Memoriam: Martin Luther King, Jr. for Tenor or Soprano and Piano Quintet
• 1986 – Suite for Horn and String Quintet
• 1987 – Sonata for Jazz Violin and String Quartet
• 1987 – Quintet for String Quartet and Cello
• 1987 – Inspiration
• 1987 – POP see x505018 Sonata for Jazz Violin and String Quartet
• 1987 – Concerto for Trumpet, String Orchestra, and Jazz Band
• 1987 – Two Cello Quintet
• 1987 – Concerto for Cello and Jazz Band
• 1988 – Life Cycles for Tenor, Horn and Strings (piano reduction/soli parts)
• 1988 – Piece for Brass Quintet and Orchestra
• 1988 – Faces of the Blues
• 1988 – Life Cycles
• 1988 – Duo for Clarinet and Cello
• 1988 – Summer Memories
• 1988 – Homage: Bartok, Bird, Duke
• 1988 – Impressions
• 1989 – Jazz Dance Suite
• 1989 – Some Not So Plain Old Blues for Voice and Violin Soli with Mixed Sextet
• 1989 – Concertpiece for Viola and Piano
• 1989 – Concertpiece for Viola and Orchestra
• 1989 – Alto Saxophone Concerto “Lee Konitz”
• 1989 – Flute Sonata
• 1990 – Alabama Landscape
• 1990 – Images of Childhood
• 1990 – Clarinet Sonata
• 1990 – Witness: Six Original Compositions in Spiritual Style for Baritone and Double Bass
• 1990 – Piece for Solo Tuba/ Tuba Quartet
• 1990 – Sonata for Solo Cello
• 1991 – Blues (Deliver My Soul)
• 1991 – Sonata for Violin and Piano
• 1991 – Concert Piece for Trombone and String Orchestra
• 1992 – Roots II
• 1992 – Parallel Planes
• 1993 – Jazz Suite for Clarinet and Orchestra: Three Ethnic Dances
• 1993 – Shades of Blue
• 1996 – Heritage: A Tribute to Great Clarinetists
• 1998 – Refractions
• 2002 – Suite from The Masque of the Red Death Ballet
• 2006 – Concertino for Cellular Phones
• 2023 – Duo for Clarinet and Bass Clarinet