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Click here to see Hiram Bullock at Pizza On The Park in 2006.
Click here to see Hiram Bullock at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival 2006.

11 September 1955 – 25 July 2008

Hiram Bullock passed away in Manhattan after suffering from throat cancer.
His life was celebrated at a Memorial on Tuesday August 5, 2008 at the SGI Buddhist Cultural Center in New York City.

Biography

Hiram Bullock was born in Osaka, Japan and came to America at the age of 2. As a child, he studied piano at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, playing his first recital at the age of 6. He learned to play the saxophone at age 11, and began playing the bass guitar in junior high school rock bands as a teenager. He switched to guitar at age 16, admittedly “to meet more girls”. Bullock attended the University of Miami music school, where he studied with Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorius, and where he met many of the musicians that he would play with throughout his professional career. One of his steady nightclub gigs was with the singer Phyllis Hyman, and this eventually led him to New York.

Over the course of his career, from his mid ‘70s run with The Brecker Brothers to his various stints as a “hired gun” for everyone from Gil Evans, David Sanborn to Billy Joel and James Brown, Hiram Bullock earned his reputation as a bona fide guitar hero. But all along, Bullock has also been developing his skills as a singer/songwriter and charismatic live performer. His style is not easily categorised, since his playing is a creative blend of rock, funk, blues, and jazz. It is easy to say, however, that his music is fun!

Almost immediately after arriving in the Big Apple, Bullock’s international career began. He first played with David Sanborn, meeting producer Phil Ramone and playing on many gold and platinum albums. His credits include: The Brecker Brothers, David Sanborn, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, Pete Townsend, Bob James, Sting, James Brown, Miles Davis, Kenny Loggins, Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand, Burt Bacharach, Roberta Flack, Spyro Gyra, Eric Clapton, Al Green and James Taylor to name a few.

Bullock gained a huge following as the barefoot guitar player on Late Night with David Letterman. From the inception of the show until 1984, he was a regular member of the World’s Most Dangerous Band, led by Paul Shaffer. Other television work includes being a member of the house band on Saturday Night Live, and working as the musical director on David Sanborn’s critically acclaimed Night Music show. He was also seen acting the part of a musician in Under Siege (starring Steven Segal); he wrote 6 of the internal songs in the film.

Bullock’s career as a solo artist began in 1983. He has produced all of his albums, which include many of his own songs. He is also known as a dynamic performer, who gives his all for the sake of the show.

Meeting the man himself

I was fortunate enough to have met Hiram on 27 December 2006 at Pizza On The Park in London. We clicked immediately. Hiram was a humble, gentle man who expressed a great interest in what I was doing. He smiled appreciatively when I reminded him of his ‘jump into the crowd antics’ with Everette Harp at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival in May of that year. I asked him if he had played with Everette before, as the two seemed so comfortable and natural. He laughed and said:

“No man, I am just a consummate professional that’s all!”

Hiram later emailed me to compliment me on the photographs I took at Pizza On The Park:

Robin

Thanks-great photos! I've been a bit busy. In fact, I'm only in town for one day between China and Moscow, so I just wanted to thank you for your work and the e-mail. Perhaps we'll get to do another shoot sometime in the future-I'd like that!

Peace,
Hiram