KNKX Jazz Tree takes you through the eras, from roots to budding new leaves, with a weekly deep dive into iconic artists, albums and instruments.

In this week’s show, we will highlight the bassist Henry Grimes on his birthday. Originally from Philadelphia, he played bass in the 50s and 60s with many big names like Gerry Mulligan, Sonny RollinsMcCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson and Billy Taylor.

As an artist, Grimes drifted into free jazz late in his active years with Don CherryCecil Taylor and Pharaoh Sanders. He was then away from music for a long time, living in California, and many thought he was dead. He was found and thanks to William Parker, he started plucking those strings again.

Parker gave him a green double bass named “Olive Oil,” and his comeback record was in 2005. In 2007, Grimes played violin alongside pianist Cecil Taylor at Lincoln Center.

Sadly, he died at age 84 from complications of COVID-19.

Listen to his healthy bass solo on this 1963 McCoy Tyner track:

Toward the end of the show, we’ll spotlight drummer and bandleader Brandon Sanders.

His grandmother, Ernestine Parker, managed a jazz club in Kansas City, where he was first exposed to the art form. Decades into his career, he has assembled a stylish set that includes a song with his grandmother’s namesake, “Miss Ernestine,” and a breathtaking cover of “Human Nature” featuring the singer Christie Dashiell.

We got a first look at Dashiell’s talents at KNKX when she joined the Willie Jones III Sextet for a version of “Goodbye blackbird“

Listen to it Jazz Tree, on air and online every Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Pacific Time). Listen to the last two weeks of Tree of Jazz On-Demand.