Poetry. African American Studies. There is a fine line between self-emancipation and existential oblivion, as the life of Henry Grimes and the poems of SIGNS ALONG THE ROAD clearly illustrate. A master bassist who played with the likes of Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk and Gerry Mulligan, he also sent tremors through the free-jazz world with the definitive style of his bass work in pioneering ESP recordings by the Albert Ayler Group. And then came his free fall through the oft-cited but virtually nonexistent "social network." Henry Grimes disappeared from the public eye for decades, until a social worker and jazz enthusiast rediscovered him in L.A. in 2002. He has since returned to the stage again--with a breathtaking presence, to achieve worldwide success with his music and writing.

Author City: New York, NY USA

Henry Grimes is one of the greatest living bassists in jazz. He played with everyone from Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk to Cecil Taylor and Albert Ayler, before disappearing in the late 60s. Presumed dead for nearly 35 years, Grimes miraculously resurfaced in 2003, having spent decades working odd jobs in Los Angeles while writing poetry.

Reviews and Other Links
http://www.henrygrimes.com/
http://www.cosmoetica.com/B813-DF1.htm
http://eartripmagazine.wordpress.com/reviews-archive-recordings/re-issues-other-issue-3/