Photo: File:Milford Graves.jpg : Andy Newcombe Farnborough, UK…, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Drummers · 1941–2021

Milford Graves

American jazz drummer and percussionist (1941-2021)

Born: 20 August 1941
South Jamaica
Died: 12 February 2021
South Jamaica
Country: United States
Active: 1962–
Record labels: ESP-Disk
Discography: 10 albums

Biography

Milford Graves was a jazz musician who played drum kit. Milford Graves was born on 20 August 1941 in South Jamaica and died on 12 February 2021 in South Jamaica. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: ESP-Disk. The discography here lists 10 albums, from “Percussion Ensemble” (1965) to “Children of the Forest” (2023). Honours include Guggenheim Fellowship (2000).

Milford Graves (August 20, 1941 – February 12, 2021) was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, Professor Emeritus of Music, researcher/inventor, visual artist/sculptor, gardener/herbalist, and martial artist. Graves was noteworthy for his early avant-garde contributions in the 1960s with Paul Bley, Albert Ayler, and the New York Art Quartet, and is considered to be a free jazz pioneer, liberating percussion from its timekeeping role. The composer and saxophonist John Zorn referred to Graves as "basically a 20th-century shaman."

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Percussion Ensemble 1965 · ESP‐Disk’

Nommo 1967 · Live

Bäbi 1977 · IPS

Meditation Among Us 1977 · Kitty Records

Grand Unification 1998

Stories 2000

50th Birthday Celebration, Volume 2 2004 · Live

Space/Time • Redemption 2014

The Stone - April 22, 2014 2014 · Live

Children of the Forest 2023

Also plays on

Albums where Milford Graves is credited as a sideman

1968	Love Cry — Albert Ayler	drums (drum set)
1969	Black Woman — Sonny Sharrock	drums (drum set)
1974	Dialogue of the Drums — Andrew Cyrille \ Milford Graves	producer, bongos, darbuka, gong, whistle, other vocals
1984	Pieces of Time — Kenny Clarke, Andrew Cyrille, Milford Graves & Famoudou Don Moye	drums (drum set), bell, chimes, mridangam, percussion, shakers
1992	Real Deal — David Murray & Milford Graves	percussion, drums (drum set)
2008	Beyond Quantum — Anthony Braxton, Milford Graves & William Parker	percussion
2022	Historic Music Past Tense Future — Brötzmann, Graves, Parker	drums (drum set), vocals, performer