Gary George Peacock was born on May 12, 1935, and passed away on September 4, 2020. He was an American jazz musician who played the double bass. He released twelve albums under his own name and performed and recorded with many important jazz musicians, including experimental saxophonist Albert Ayler, pianists Bill Evans, Paul Bley, and Marilyn Crispell. He was also a member of Keith Jarrett’s “Standards Trio,” which included drummer Jack DeJohnette. The trio worked together for more than thirty years and created over twenty albums. Jack DeJohnette once said he admired Peacock’s “sound, choice of notes, and, above all, the light and lively way of playing.” Marilyn Crispell described Peacock as a “sensitive musician with a great harmonic sense.”

Early life

Peacock was born in Burley, Idaho, on May 12, 1935. His father worked as a business consultant for grocery stores, and his mother was a homemaker. He lived in Yakima, Washington, and attended Yakima Senior High School, which is now called A.C. Davis High School. His earliest musical experiences included playing piano, trumpet, and drums. At age 15, he attended a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert featuring Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, where he heard live jazz for the first time. Peacock graduated from high school in 1953. During a class performance, he described a meaningful moment: "I was playing the drums, and I felt as though I was being played rather than playing myself. I realized something important had happened… and I felt certain. From my feet to the top of my head, it was clear: 'This is the direction to go.'"

After graduating, Peacock attended the Westlake School of Music in Los Angeles but was later drafted into the Army. While stationed in Germany, he played piano in a jazz trio. When the group's bassist left, he switched to bass. Peacock recalled: "The bass player got married, and his wife did not want him to go out anymore. The band’s drummer said, 'You play bass.' I said, 'I don’t want to play bass…' Eventually, the band found a pianist, and I began playing the bass." He explained: "I seemed to learn quickly. Since I was in Germany and there were no other bass players nearby, I had many opportunities to play with musicians in Frankfurt and surrounding areas. The instrument felt natural. It was like a realization: 'This is it. This is good.'"

Career

After leaving the Army in 1956, Peacock stayed in Germany and played music with Hans Koller, Tony Scott, Bud Shank, Attila Zoller, and others before returning to Los Angeles. He remembered: "I had a scholarship offer from Westlake College of Music. I went to the school, but they told me, 'The school is closing.' I had to find work quickly. That ended my chance to study." At that time, his bass playing was influenced by Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, and Scott LaFaro, whom he became friends with. He soon became known as a bass player, performing with Barney Kessel and Art Pepper, and in 1962, he recorded with Don Ellis (Essence), Clare Fischer (First Time Out and Surging Ahead), and Prince Lasha (The Cry!). He also married fellow musician Annette Peacock (they later divorced) and began working with pianist Paul Bley, with whom he would record nine albums.

While in California, Peacock heard the music of Ornette Coleman. At first, he was not interested, but later he said, "It made me rethink my ideas about jazz improvisation and the rules of music. It opened the door for me to explore more music." He reflected on how his thinking changed:

In 1962, Peacock moved to New York, where he played with Bley and musicians like Jimmy Giuffre, Roland Kirk, George Russell, and Archie Shepp. He also joined Bill Evans’ trio, which included drummer Paul Motian, a long-time collaborator. The group recorded the album Trio 64 in December 1963. Peacock remembered that Evans’ "use of harmony was very good. The way he arranged harmonies made melodies sound believable and beautiful. His low playing style let the bass be heard as an important part of the music." In 1964, Peacock briefly joined Miles Davis’ quintet, replacing Ron Carter in April and May. He said:

He also said that Davis "paid close attention to everything happening. I could tell he was listening carefully. His focus and dedication were amazing. It was a great experience. Miles was a great teacher, even without teaching."

That year, he also appeared on Tony Williams’ debut album, Life Time.

In 1964, Peacock joined Albert Ayler’s trio, which also included drummer Sunny Murray. He toured and recorded with Ayler, appearing on the album Spiritual Unity. Regarding Ayler, Peacock said:

Peacock continued to record with Bley, Williams (Spring, which also included Herbie Hancock, Sam Rivers, and Wayne Shorter), and others until the late 1960s, when he began having health problems. He said:

At this time, he decided to stop playing music. He recalled: "I became interested in macrobiotics and Eastern philosophies and medicine. I practiced macrobiotics regularly and moved to Japan for two and a half years to study the language, history, and Oriental philosophy." Reflecting on learning Japanese, he said: "There are few personal pronouns in the language. This created a feeling of space inside and outside myself."

By 1970, while still in Japan, Peacock began playing again, recording Eastward in Tokyo with pianist Masabumi Kikuchi and drummer Hiroshi Murakami, followed by Voices the next year. During this time, he also recorded with Mal Waldron (First Encounter). In 1972, he returned to the United States and studied biology at the University of Washington, graduating in 1976. He resumed working with Bley, touring Japan and recording Japan Suite. In 1977, he recorded Tales of Another with Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette; together, they later formed the Standards Trio, known for playing jazz standards. This was followed by December Poems, which includes four solo bass pieces and two duets with saxophonist Jan Garbarek. From 1977 to 1983, Peacock also taught at the Cornish School of the Arts.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Peacock released many albums under his own name and performed and toured with Jarrett and DeJohnette. He also worked with a trio called Tethered Moon, featuring Masabumi Kikuchi and Motian, and recorded with Bley, Garbarek, Ralph Towner, and Marc Copland. Regarding the trio format, Peacock said:

In the following decades, Peacock continued to play and record in trio settings, as well as with Marilyn Crispell, Lee Konitz, and Bill Frisell, and with a new trio featuring Marc Copland and Joey Baron.

Death

Peacock passed away on September 4, 2020, at his home in Upstate New York. He was 85 years old, and the reason for his death was not made public.

Attitude toward music

In a 2007 interview, Peacock said:

He also said, "If someone wakes up each morning and thinks, 'I am still a beginner,' they are in a good place. If someone wakes up and believes, 'I have everything under control and can do anything I want,' I am not sure that is helpful." In a 2010 interview, Peacock explained, "If someone has experienced near-death situations or moments that felt like death, they understand life is not guaranteed. This makes me realize there are no guarantees in life. So, I ask myself, 'What kind of person do I want to be when I play?' This thinking helped me stay focused and fully present during performances."

Peacock also talked about how music connects to his daily practice of zazen (sitting meditation).

Discography

• Eastward (CBS/Sony, 1970) with Masabumi Kikuchi and Hiroshi Murakami
• Voices (CBS/Sony, 1971) with Masabumi Kikuchi, Hiroshi Murakami, and Masahiko Togashi
• Tales of Another (ECM, 1977) with Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette
• December Poems (ECM, 1978) with Jan Garbarek
• Shift in the Wind (ECM, 1980) with Art Lande and Eliot Zigmund
• Voice from the Past – Paradigm (ECM, 1982) with Tomasz Stanko, Jan Garbarek, and Jack DeJohnette – recorded in 1981
• Guamba (ECM, 1987) with Palle Mikkelborg, Jan Garbarek, and Peter Erskine
• Oracle (ECM, 1993) with Ralph Towner
• Just So Happens (Postcards, 1994) with Bill Frisell
• A Closer View (ECM, 1998) with Ralph Towner – recorded in 1995
• Now This (ECM, 2015) with Marc Copland and Joey Baron
• Tangents (ECM, 2017) with Marc Copland and Joey Baron

Tethered Moon Trio with Masabumi Kikuchi and Paul Motian

• First Meeting (Winter & Winter, 1997) – recorded in 1990–91
• Tethered Moon (King/Paddle Wheel, 1992)
• Triangle (King/Paddle Wheel, 1993)
• Tethered Moon Play Kurt Weill (JMT, 1995) – reissued on (Winter & Winter, 2005)
• Chansons d'Édith Piaf (Winter & Winter, 1999)
• Experiencing Tosca (Winter & Winter, 2004)

• Ghosts (Debut, 1964 [1965])
• Prophecy (ESP-Disk, 1964 [1975])
• Albert Smiles With Sunny (InRespect, 1964 [1996])
• New York Eye and Ear Control (ESP-Disk, 1964 [1965])
• Spiritual Unity (ESP-Disk, 1965)
• Spirits Rejoice (ESP-Disk, 1965)
• The Copenhagen Tapes (Ayler Records, 1964 [2002])
• The Hilversum Session (Osmosis Records, 1964 [1980])
• Holy Ghost: Rare & Unissued Recordings (1962–70) (compilation: Revenant Records, 2004)

• Virtuosi (Improvising Artists, 1976) with Barry Altschul – recorded in 1967
• Mr. Joy (Limelight, 1968)
• Paul Bley with Gary Peacock (ECM, 1970)
• Ballads (ECM, 1971)
• Turning Point (Improvising Artists, 1975)
• Japan Suite (Improvising Artists, 1977)
• Partners (Owl, 1989)
• In the Evenings out There (ECM, 1991)
• Annette (Hat ART, 1993)
• Not Two, Not One (ECM, 1998)

• My Foolish Heart (Jazz City, 1988) with John Abercrombie and Jeff Hirshfield
• All Blues at Night (Jazz City, 1989) with Tim Hagans and Bill Stewart
• At Night (Sunnyside, 1992) with Billy Hart
• Paradiso (Soul Note, 1995) with Billy Hart
• Softly (Savoy, 1998) with Mike Brecker, Tim Hagans, Joe Lovano, and Bill Stewart
• What It Says (Sketch, 2004)
• Modinha – New York Trio Recordings Vol. 1 (Pirouet, 2006) trio with Bill Stewart
• Voices – New York Trio Recordings Vol. 2 (Pirouet, 2007) trio with Paul Motian
• Insight (Pirouet, 2009)

With Marilyn Crispell

• Nothing Ever Was, Anyway: Music of Annette Peacock (ECM, 1997)
• Amaryllis (ECM, 2000)
• Azure (ECM, 2013)
• In Motion (Intakt, 2016)

• First Time Out (Pacific Jazz, 1962)
• Surging Ahead (Pacific Jazz, 1962)

• Once I Loved (Verve, 1992)
• From Ton To Tom (VideoArts Music, 1998)

• Standards, Vol. 1 (ECM, 1983)
• Standards, Vol. 2 (ECM, 1983)
• Changes (ECM, 1984)
• Standards, Vol. 3 (ECM, 1985)
• Standards, Vol. 4 (ECM, 1986)
• Standards, Vol. 5 (ECM, 1987)
• Standards, Vol. 6 (ECM, 1988)
• Standards, Vol. 7 (ECM, 1989)
• Standards, Vol. 8 (ECM, 1990)
• Standards, Vol. 9 (ECM, 1991)
• Standards, Vol. 10 (ECM, 1992)
• Standards, Vol. 11 (ECM,