16 Facts About Archie Shepp

Archie Shepp was born on May 24,1937 and is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz.

Archie Shepp studied piano, clarinet and alto saxophone before narrowing his focus to tenor saxophone.

Archie Shepp studied drama at Goddard College from 1955 to 1959.

Archie Shepp played in a Latin jazz band for a short time before joining the band of avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor.

Archie Shepp participated in the sessions for Coltrane's A Love Supreme in late 1964, but none of the takes he participated in were included on the final LP release.

In 1965, Archie Shepp released Fire Music, which included the first signs of his developing political consciousness and his increasingly Afrocentric orientation.

Archie Shepp was invited to perform in Algiers for the 1969 Pan-African Cultural Festival of the Organization for African Unity, along with Dave Burrell, Sunny Murray, and Clifford Thornton.

Archie Shepp continued to experiment into the new decade, at various times including harmonica players and spoken word poets in his ensembles.

Archie Shepp writes for theater; his works include The Communist and Lady Day: A Musical Tragedy.

In 1971, Archie Shepp was recruited to the University of Massachusetts Amherst by Randolph Bromery, beginning a 30-year career as a professor of music.

Archie Shepp is featured in the 1981 documentary film Imagine the Sound, in which he discusses and performs his music and poetry.

Archie Shepp appears in Mystery, Mr Ra, a 1984 French documentary about Sun Ra.

The film includes footage of Archie Shepp playing with Sun Ra's Arkestra.

In 2002, Archie Shepp appeared on the Red Hot Organization's tribute album to Fela Kuti, Red Hot and Riot.

Archie Shepp appeared on a track entitled "No Agreement" alongside Res, Tony Allen, Ray Lema, Baaba Maal, and Positive Black Soul.

In 2004 Archie Shepp founded his own record label, Archieball, together with Monette Berthomier.