Clifford Jarvis

Clifford Jarvis, the son of Malcom “Shorty” Jarvis was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States,^[3] where he studied at Berklee College of Music in the 1950s.^[2]

Moving to New York City, he established himself in jazz between 1959 and 1966, by recording with bebop and hard-bop musicians including Randy Weston, Yusef Lateef,^[1] Freddie Hubbard, Barry Harris,^[1] Jackie McLean, John Patton, Chet Baker, Kenny Drew, Walter Davis, and Elmo Hope, and playing with Grant Green^[1] and Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

He worked and recorded with musicians associated with free jazz, including Sun Ra (from 1962 to 1976),^[1] Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Simmons, Alice Coltrane, and Archie Shepp.

During the 1980s, Jarvis moved to England,^[1] where he played with younger musicians including Courtney Pine. He also worked as a music educator at Chats Palace Arts Centre in London and Pyramid Arts Development in Dalston. Jarvis continued teaching until his death in 1999.^[4]

With Chet Baker

• Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner and Loewe (Riverside, 1959)

With Alice Coltrane

• Carnegie Hall '71 (Hi Hat, 2018)
• The Carnegie Hall Concert (Impulse!, 2024)

With Kenny Drew

• Ruby, My Dear (SteepleChase, 1977)

With Curtis Fuller

• Images of Curtis Fuller (Savoy, 1960)

With Barry Harris

• Newer Than New (Riverside, 1961)
• Chasin' the Bird (Riverside, 1962)

With Elmo Hope

• The Final Sessions (Evidence, 1966 [1996])

With Freddie Hubbard

• Open Sesame (Blue Note, 1960)
• Hub-Tones (Blue Note, 1962)
• Blue Spirits (Blue Note, 1966)

With Jackie McLean

• Right Now! (Blue Note, 1965)

With Archie Shepp

• Little Red Moon (Soul Note, 1985)
• Splashes (L+R, 1987)

With Sonny Simmons

• Burning Spirits (Contemporary, 1971)

With Jukka Syrenius Band

• Memories of tomorrow"( Finland, TCH-LP1, 1983)

With Sun Ra

• When Sun Comes Out (Saturn, 1963)
• Nothing Is (ESP, 1966)

With John Patton

• That Certain Feeling (Blue Note, 1968)

With Randy Weston

• Live at the Five Spot (United Artists, 1959)

With Harry Beckett

• Les Jardins Du Casino (ITM, 1993)