Jay Cave

Jazz bassist. Jay Mentzer Cave was born July 2, 1932. Died Dec. 8, 2018. From a family of classical musicians in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Jay was a child prodigy, and the youngest oboe soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony. Once he heard jazz records brought home by his brother Glen, Jay aimed to be an oboist jazz pioneer. That changed when he met jazz pianist and future mentor Rudy Black while attending Penn State. Rudy hired Jay for a gig playing bass before he'd ever laid a hand on one, inspiring a long and fulfilling career. This trio with Rudy and drummer Tony Mignone became regionally popular. Not long after, Jay toured the NY/PA/OH corridor as a duo with the legendary Nina Simone. Jay left for New Orleans at the invitation of club owner Joe Burton and then joined the Playboy Club house band, headed by Al Belletto. The great Al Hirt soon lured Jay away to tour for the following year. Favorite associations during this time included those with Red Rodney, Ralph Sharon, John Probst, Ellis Marsalis, James Black, Freddy Crane and Miles Davis. In 1969 Jay accepted an offer to join the Desert Inn orchestra in Las Vegas which required electric bass. He promptly bought an Ampeg fretless and mastered it in short order. Jay accompanied the headliners of the day and made lifelong friends playing in various orchestras and jazz outfits, among them Mouse Benati, Roger Rampton, Harvey Leonard, Roy James and Bill Callanan.