1. Eugene Joseph Wright was an American jazz bassist who was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet.
14 Facts About Eugene Wright
2.
Eugene Wright was a cornetist at high school and led the 16-piece band Dukes of Swing in his 20s.
3.
Eugene Wright was largely self-taught on bass until his early 30s, when he studied privately with Paul Gregory and others.
4.
Eugene Wright became more successful at the peak of the swing era, with bandleaders including Count Basie and Erroll Garner.
5.
Eugene Wright played with Lonnie Simmons, Gene Ammons, and Arnett Cobb in the late '40s and early '50s, then worked with Buddy DeFranco from 1952 to 1955, touring Europe with him.
6.
Eugene Wright played in the Red Norvo trio in 1955 and toured Australia with them.
7.
Eugene Wright was featured in a film short with Charlie Barnet.
8.
Eugene Wright remained with Brubeck until 1968, as part of the classic line-up with Paul Desmond and Joe Morello, and featured in the quartet's standards "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk".
9.
Eugene Wright recorded more than 30 albums with the group.
10.
Brubeck himself wrote that Eugene Wright "grounded the group", allowing them "to play other tempos and do polyrhythmic things and he wouldn't budge from this grounded beat".
11.
When Eugene Wright joined the group, concert promoters would not allow a Black musician alongside the rest of the White quartet, but Brubeck would refuse to perform without him.
12.
Eugene Wright became known as "The Senator" or "Senator Eugene Wright" among jazz musicians.
13.
Eugene Wright was the last surviving member of the classic Dave Brubeck Quartet line-up.
14.
Eugene Wright died at an assisted living facility in Los Angeles on December 30,2020, at the age of 97.