Larry Bunker


Lawrence Benjamin Bunker was an American jazz drummer, vibraphonist, and percussionist. A member of the Bill Evans Trio in the mid-1960s, he also played timpani with the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra.

Biography

Born in Long Beach, California, Bunker was a central figure on the West Coast jazz scene, one of the relatively few who actually were from the region. In the 1950s and 1960s he appeared at Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, and performed with Shorty Rogers and His Giants and others. At first he played primarily drums, but increasingly he focused on vibraphone and was later highly regarded for his playing of timpani and various percussion instruments.
A dependable and in-demand studio drummer and vibist, Bunker achieved particular distinction by recording with Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Diana Krall, and many other jazz greats. In 1952, he was the drummer in one of Art Pepper's first groups. In 1953 and 1954, Bunker played drums in some of the earliest of Gerry Mulligan's groups. From 1963 to 1965, he was, intermittently, the drummer in the Bill Evans trio. His work in movie soundtracks spanned over fifty years, from Stalag 17 and Glengarry Glen Ross to The Incredibles, and included soundtracks by John Williams, Henry Mancini, Quincy Jones, Miklós Rózsa, Jerry Goldsmith, Johnny Mandel, Lalo Schifrin and many other composers.
Bunker died of complications of a stroke in Los Angeles at age 76.

Discography

As LeaderLive at Shelly's Manne-Hole – as The Larry Bunker Quartette featuring Gary Burton
With Christina AguileraMy Kind of Christmas
With Chet BakerChet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman Pretty/Groovy West Coast Live – with Stan Getz
With Cheryl BentyneSomething Cool
With Tony BennettLong Ago and Far Away
With Michael Bolton
With Pat Boone
With Tim Buckley
With Gary BurtonSomething's Coming! The Time Machine
With Benny CarterAspects
With Rosemary ClooneyRosie Swings Softly
With Nat King ColeThe Nat King Cole Story Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer
With Natalie ColeUnforgettable... with Love Take a Look Holly & Ivy Ask a Woman Who Knows
With Harry Connick Jr.When My Heart Finds Christmas
With Buddy ColletteMan of Many Parts
With Bobby DarinLove Swings Winners Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile
With Neil DiamondTap Root Manuscript
With The 5th DimensionStoned Soul Picnic The Age of Aquarius Portrait Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes Individually & Collectively Living Together, Growing Together
With Billy EckstineBilly Eckstine's Imagination
With Bill EvansTime Remembered At Shelly's Manne-Hole The Bill Evans Trio "Live" Waltz for Debby Trio '65 Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra
With Clare Fischer
With Michael Franks
With The Four FreshmenThe Four Freshmen and Five Guitars
With Stan Getz
With Vince GillBreath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection
With Dizzy Gillespie
With Tramaine Hawkins
With Woody Herman
With Richard "Groove" HolmesSix Million Dollar Man
With Paul Horn
With Al Jarreau
  • We Got By
With Dr. JohnAfterglow
With Plas Johnson
With Stan Kenton
With Diana Krall
With Peggy Lee
With Lou Levy
With Jon Lucien
With Johnny Mandel
With Barry Manilow
With Shelly Manne
With Carmen McRae
With Gerry Mulligan
With Mark Murphy
With Walter Murphy
  • Walter Murphy's Discosymphony
With Oliver Nelson
With Robert Palmer
With Art Pepper
With Shorty RogersWherever the Five Winds Blow
With Kenny Rogers
With Linda Ronstadt
With Pete Rugolo
With The SandpipersCome Saturday Morning A Gift of Song
With Lalo Schifrin
With Diane Schuur
With Bud Shank
With Nina SimoneA Single Woman
With Frank SinatraSwing Along With Me Ring-a-Ding-Ding! Moonlight Sinatra Cycles A Man Alone Sinatra & Company Trilogy: Past Present Future
With The Singers UnlimitedFeeling Free Friends
With B. W. StevensonWe Be Sailin
With Donna Summer
With Lew Tabackin
With The Manhattan Transfer
With Mel Tormé¡Olé Tormé! Comin' Home Baby!
With U2
With Sarah VaughanSarah Vaughan with Michel Legrand
With Wendy Waldman'