Charnett Moffett

A virtuosic bassist who is equally skilled on acoustic and electric, Charnett Moffett has been a better sideman than leader. His own recordings (for Manhattan, Blue Note, and Evidence) have had an excess of bass features while failing to develop a group sound. The son of drummer Charles Moffett, Sr. and the younger brother of drummer Codaryl, singer Charisse, trumpeter Mondre, and tenor saxophonist Charles Jr. (all of whom have guested on his records), Charnett started on bass early and appeared at age eight on a family record in 1974 for LRS. He later studied at Juilliard and was in Wynton Marsalis' quintet when he was 16, playing with the trumpeter regularly during 1983-1985. Moffett, who appeared on 17 records before he turned 20, has worked with Tony Williams, Slide Hampton, Mulgrew Miller, Monty Alexander, Sonny Sharrock, Stanley Jordan, David Sanborn, Arturo Sandoval, and Diane Reeves, among many others, and played regularly with Ornette Coleman during 1993-1995. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide