Photo: Brianmcmillen / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Charlie Haden, born on August 6, 1937 in Shenandoah, Iowa, United States, was a composer, jazz musician and conductor. Death is recorded on July 11, 2014, at the age of 76. Awards on record include Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2013), Guggenheim Fellowship, NEA Jazz Masters and 1 more.
My Take
Haden is a figure I revere precisely because he elevated the humblest role in jazz into an art form. As a double bassist out of small-town Iowa, he reimagined what the instrument could do, sometimes shadowing the soloist, sometimes wandering free, liberating bass players from pure accompaniment. That spirit of melodic independence is what I love most about his playing. The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and NEA Jazz Masters honor confirm what listeners already felt. Though he passed in 2014, the warm, resonant tone of his strings lingers with me. He was quiet on the surface yet profoundly intense underneath.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Charlie Haden
- Name (Japanese)
- チャーリー・ヘイデン
- Reading
- ちゃーりー・へいでん
- Born
- August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Ox
- Origin
- Shenandoah, Iowa, United States
- Occupation
- composer / jazz musician / conductor / bassist / recording artist
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 2013 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Guggenheim Fellowship
- NEA Jazz Masters
- BBC Jazz Awards
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Charlie Haden born?
Born August 6, 1937.
When did Charlie Haden die?
Died July 11, 2014, aged 76.
Where was Charlie Haden from?
Charlie Haden was from Shenandoah, Iowa, United States.
What did Charlie Haden do?
Charlie Haden worked as composer, jazz musician, conductor, bassist, recording artist.
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