{{Short description|American jazz cellist, composer, and producer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = David Eyges | image = | caption = | image_size = | landscape = | birth_name = David MacAulay Eyges | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|11|6}} | birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | instrument = Cello, electric cello | genre = Jazz | occupation = Musician, composer, record producer | years_active = Mid-1970s–present | label = MidLantic | website = | past_members = }}
'''David MacAulay Eyges''' (born November 6, 1950) is an American jazz cellist, composer, and record producer.
==Early life== Eyges was born in San Francisco on November 6, 1950.<ref name="AM">Arwulf Arwulf [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-eyges-mn0000642306/biography "David Eyges"]. AllMusic.</ref> His family settled in Belmont, Massachusetts, in 1953.<ref name="AM" /> He began playing the piano aged five and had cello lessons from age 11.<ref name="AM" /> In 1968–69 he studied at Boston University, and he was awarded a BA for cello studies by the Manhattan School of Music in 1972.<ref name="AM" /> Encounters with blues musicians in Cambridge, Massachusetts, were an important influence, as Eyges sought to transfer elements of their music to the cello.<ref name="AM" />
==Later life and career== "Eyges worked for a few years in various concert orchestras and theater ensembles, sometimes earning fees providing background music for commercials."<ref name="AM" /> His recording career began in 1974, with vibraphonist Bobby Paunetto.<ref name="AM" /> Eyges's debut album as leader – ''The Captain'' – came three years later.<ref name="AM" /> He married in 1976 and a son was born in 1984.<ref name="AM" /> Two further albums were released on his own label in the early 1980s – ''The Arrow'' (with Byard Lancaster) and ''Crossroads'' (with Lancaster and Sunny Murray).<ref>Milkowski, Bill (December 1, 2000) [https://www.jazztimes.com/archives/david-eyges-trio-crossroads/ "David Eyges Trio: Crossroads"]. ''JazzTimes''.</ref>
From 1987 Eyges specialized in playing a Tucker F. Barrett solid-body electric cello.<ref name="AM" /> He commented that, in addition to being able to produce a variety of colours from the instrument, it had two advantages over an acoustic cello: "volume, because playing an acoustic instrument with a fierce drummer just doesn't make it; and transportability, since I can safely put it in the baggage compartments of planes and trains."<ref>Shoemaker, Bill (April 1, 1998) [https://jazztimes.com/departments/hearsay/david-eyges/ "David Eyges"]. ''JazzTimes''.</ref>
Eyges's playing influenced later generations of creative cellists, who appeared from the 1990s.<ref name="AM" /> He formed MidLantic Records in 2002 and produced albums for the label, as well as continuing to play.<ref name="AM" />
==Playing style== Jon Pareles noted two facets of Eyges's playing in 1983.<ref name="NYT">Pareles, Jon (August 28, 1983) [https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/28/arts/jazz-daivd-eyges.html "Jazz: David Eyges"]. ''The New York Times''.</ref> When plucking, his trio (James Emery on guitar and Sunny Murray on drums) was bluesy and "Eyges treated his cello as a percussive instrument".<ref name="NYT" /> When bowing, "the pieces called for long-breathed melodies".<ref name="NYT" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Eyges, David}} Category:American jazz cellists Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Chiaroscuro Records artists Category:Black & Blue Records artists