Santi Debriano

Santi Wilson Debriano (born 1955 in Panama) is a jazz bassist.

Early life and education[edit]

Debriano was raised in Brooklyn, having moved there with his family at age four. His father is known as a song composer in Panama. Debriano started playing jazz instruments as a teenager in Franklin K. Lane High School. From 1972 to 1976 he studied composition and politics at Union College in New York, then attended the New England Conservatory of Music and Wesleyan University.^[1]

Career[edit]

He worked with Archie Shepp in the late 1970s and early 1980s, then moved to Paris and played with Sam Rivers for three years. He returned to New York City and has since worked with Don Pullen, Sonny Fortune, Billy Hart, Larry Coryell, Chucho Valdés, Hank Jones, Randy Weston, Freddie Hubbard, and Attila Zoller. Other credits include work with Oliver Lake, Archie Shepp, David Murray, Elvin Jones, Kenny Clarke, Sam Rivers, Cecil Taylor, Kirk Lightsey, Randy Weston, Roy Haynes, Pharoah Sanders, Mal Waldron and others.^[2] He currently lives in Staten Island.^[3]

Debriano has led several of his own units, including small groups in the late 1980s and Circlechant, a world music-influenced ensemble which has had among its members Helio Alves, Will Calhoun, and Abraham Burton.^[1]

He leads an ensemble called Flash of the Spirit.^[4] Santi's latest release is titled "Ashanti".^[5]

Debriano was also the music director for arts at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, New Jersey, and was given an award for jazz education by New York University in 2001.^[1]

Discography[edit]

As leader[edit]

• Obeah (1987, Freelance)
• Soldiers of Fortune (Freelance, 1989)
• Panamaniacs (Evidence, 1997)
• Circlechant (HighNote, 1999)
• Artistic License (Savant, 2001)
• 3-Ololy (Bellaphon, 2006)
• Flash of the Spirit (Truth Revolution Records, 2021)
• Ashanti (Jojo Records, 2022)

As sideman[edit]

• Bill Barron: Live at Cobi's (SteepleChase, 1988-89 [2005])
• Baikida Carroll: Door of the Cage (Soul Note, 1994 [1995])
• Larry Coryell: Monk, Trane, Miles & Me (HighNote, 1999)
• Larry Coryell: Inner Urge (HighNote, 2001)
• Stanley Cowell: Back to the Beautiful (Concord, 1989)
• Sonny Fortune: Four in One (Blue Note, 1994), From Now On (Blue Note, 1996)
• Chico Freeman: Focus (Contemporary, 1994)
• Don Friedman: Red Sky Waltz (Alfa Music, 1996)
• Billy Hart: Amethyst (Arabesque, 1993), Oceans of Time (Arabesque, 1997)
• Louis Hayes: Louis at Large (Sharp Nine, 1996)
• Oliver Lake: Compilation (Gramavision, 1982–86)
• Oliver Lake: Virtual Reality (Total Escapism) (Gazell, 1992)
• Kirk Lightsey: Kirk 'n Marcus (Criss Cross Jazz, 1987) with Marcus Belgrave
• Charles McPherson: Come Play with Me (Arabesque, 1995)
• David Murray: Black & Black (DIW, 1991)
• David Murray: Long Goodbye: A Tribute to Don Pullen (DIW, 1996)
• Jim Pepper: Dakota Sound (Enja, 1987)
• Don Pullen: Sacred Common Ground (Blue Note, 1995)
• Charlie Rouse: Soul Mates (Uptown, 1988 [1993]) featuring Sahib Shihab
• Archie Shepp: Soul Song (Enja, 1982)
• Bob Thiele Collective: Louis Satchmo (1991)
• Larry Willis: Let's Play (SteepleChase, 1991)
• New York Unit: Tribute to George Adams (Paddle Wheel, 1992)

References[edit]

General references

• Craig Harris, Santi Debriano at Allmusic

Footnotes