Rodney Whitaker (born February 22, 1968) is an American jazz double bass player and educator.
Born in Detroit, Whitaker attended Wayne State University, and studied with Robert Gladstone, principal bass with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra , and trumpeter Marcus Belgrave .
He achieved recognition performing with Terence Blanchard's Quintet and then with Roy Hargrove. His own first album Children of the Light was released in 1996
His score for the film China , directed by Jeff Wray, was released on PBS in 2002.
In 2006, Whitaker was nominated for the Juno Award Traditional Jazz Album of the Year for Let Me Tell You About My Day , his album in collaboration with Phil Dwyer and Alan Jones. He has also been working with the pianist Junko Onishi .
Whitaker is professor of jazz double bass and director of jazz studies at Michigan State University 's College of Music. He has presented master classes at such institutions as Duke University , Howard University , University of Iowa , University of Michigan , the New School (NY), Lincoln Center, and the Detroit International Jazz Festival , and at the conferences of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE). He has also worked with Detroit Symphony Orchestra to develop a jazz education department, and conducts their Civic Jazz Orchestra, as well as being on the faculties of University of Michigan and Juilliard School .
Children of the Light (DIW , 1995) with Nicholas Payton, Wallace RoneyHidden Kingdom (DIW, 1996) with Carter, Ron BlakeThe Brooklyn Session: Ballads and Blues (Criss Cross , 1998) with Wycliffe Gordon, Stefon HarrisYesterday Today and Tomorrow (Sirocco Jazz, 1999) with Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Dianne Reeves Get Ready (Mack Avenue , 2007) with Carl AllenWork to Do (Mack Avenue, 2008) with Carl AllenWhen We Find Ourselves Alone (Mack Avenue, 2014)Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival – 2013 (Mack Avenue, 2014)Mora , Francisco Mora, AACE, 1986Wait Broke the Wagon Down , Wendell Harrison, Wenha, 1986Terence Blanchard , Terence Blanchard/Branford Marsalis, Sony/CBS, 1990Don't You Know I Care , Antonio Hart, RCA/Novus, 1991The Old & the New , Shawn "Thunder" Wallace, MiJaWa, 1991Simply Stated , Terence Blanchard, Columbia, 1992Of Kindred Souls w/ 4 Originals, Roy Hargrove, RCA/Novus, 1992A Portrait of You , Donald Walden, Jazz Works, 1992Vibe , Roy Hargrove, RCA/Novus, 1992It's All Right to Swing , Eric Reed/Wynton Marsalis, Mo Jazz, 1993Crusin' , Junko Onishi , EMI, 1993Jmukai Quintet , Mukai, EMI, 1993True Blue , Mark Whitfield, Verve/Polygram, 1994Monk's Modern Music , Rick Roe, Unknown, 1994With the Tenors of Our Time , Roy Hargrove, Verve/Polygram, 1994Approaching Standards , Roy Hargrove, BMG/Novus, 1994Roy Hargrove & Friends , Roy Hargrove, Verve/Polygram, 1995The Swing & I , Eric Reed, Mo Jazz, 1995Chicago, New York, Paris , Johnny Griffin, Verve/Polygram, 1995Family , Roy Hargrove, Verve, 1995Piano Quintet Suite , Junko Onishi, Blue Note, 1995My Generation , Teodross Avery, Impulse, 1995Collage , Keith Saxton, Kevin Hole, 1996Pursuance–The Music of John Coltrane , Kenny Garrett, Warner Bros., 1996Kevin, Mahogany , Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros., 1996A Grand Encounter , Dianne Reeves, Blue Note, 1996The Change Over , Rick Roe, Unknown, 1996Wholly Cat's , Russell Malone, 1996Live @ The Kerry Town Concert Hall , Phil Lasley, 1996Kamal , Kamal Sullivan, Arabques, 1996Penn's Landing , Clarence Penn, Criss Cross, 1996Tenor Time , Joe Lovano , Blue Note, 1997Jackie Mac's Bag, Milan Simich, Hip Bop, 1997 Collected Roy Hargrove, Roy Hargrove, Verve, 1998Collected Antonio Hart, Antonio Hart, Novus/BMG, 1998Foresight , Foresight, N2K, 1998Introducing Orin Evans , Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1998Dennis Jeter , Dennis Jeter, Jeter Productions, 1998Francisco Mora , Francisco Mora, Community, 1998Captain Black , Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1998Focusing the Vision , Vincent York, Vincent York, 1998Andrew Speight Quartet , Andrew Speight, ABC/EMI, 1998A Mingus & a Monk Among Us , Donald Walden, Jazz Works, 1998Bluestone , Joh Yamada, Alfa, 1999Slidin' Home , Wycliffe Gordon, Nagel/Heyer, 1999Live from Swing City , Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Sony, 1999Big Train , Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 1999Marciac Suite , Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 1999Grown Fold Bizness , Orin Evans, Criss Cross, 1999To Those We Love So Dearly , Victor Goines, Rosemary Joseph, 1999Title Unknown–Soon To Be Released , Alex Graham, 1999Double Duke , Joe Temperely, Naxos, 1999The Search , Wycliffe Gordon, Nagel/Heyer, 1999Live @ Blue Note , Jaz Sawyer & Irvin Mayfield, Half Note, 2000Uptown Lowdown "A Salute to D" , Nagel/Heyer/All Stars, Nagel/Heyer, 2000Watch What You're Doin' , Herlin Riley, Criss Cross, 2000Sweet Release , Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 2000Reflections & Change , Craig Handy , Sirocco Jazz, 2000Flow , Craig Handy, Sirocco Jazz, 2000A Portrait of Kevin Mahogany , Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros., 2000Hymn for Roscoe Mitchell , Stephen Rush Quartet, 2000Olive Tree , Walter Blanding, Criss Cross, 2000Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow , Rodney Whitaker, Sirrocco Jazz, 2001Play Penn , Clarence Penn Quintet, Criss Cross, 2001Introducing Peter Baits , Peter Baits, Criss Cross, 2001Introducing Milt Grayson , Milt Grayson, 2001All Rise , Wynton Marsalis, Sony, 2001Penns Landing , Clarence Penn–Criss Cross, 2003Dameronia –Donald Walden & The Detroit Jazz Orchestra–Jazz Works, 2003Louis Armstrong's Jazz Curriculum CD Series–LCJO–Warner Bros., 2003Introducing: Peter Baits – Peter Baits, Criss Cross, 2003We Got It – Matt Ray – Label Unknown, 2003E–Bop – Eric Reed – Savant, 2003Joyride – Wycliffe Gordon – Nagel/Heyer, 2003Flow – Craig Handy – Sirrocco Jazz, 2003Third Floor – Professors of Jazz @ MSU – MSU Jazz, 2003Freewheelin' – Jazz Compilation – Arkadia, 2003Hip Bop Essence – All Star – Hip Bop, 2003Soul Trinity –Volume One – Frederick Sanders – FreSan, 2003Winter Moon –Rodney Whitaker–Sirocco Jazz Ltd., 2004Let Me Tell You About My Day – 2004 Alan Jones, 2004Unforgivable Blackness –DVD–Wynton Marsalis/Ken Burns, 2004Sphere –Rick Roe–Unknown Records, 2005The Good Life –Alex Graham–Origin , 2005Here –Eric Reed–Max Jazz, 2006Shades of Green –Ron DiSalvio w/Jimmy Cobb–Label N/A, 2006World Trade Music –Francisco Catlett–Mora–Label N/A, 2006Get Ready –Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker–Mack Avenue, 2007Work to Do –Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker–Mack Avenue, 2008Maureen Choi Quartet –Maureen Choi Music, 2010