Ted Dunbar

Earl Theodore "Ted" Dunbar (January 17, 1937 – May 29, 1998) was an American jazz guitarist, composer, and educator.
Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Dunbar trained as a pharmacist at Texas Southern University, but by the 1970s only did pharmacy work part-time. He was also a trained numerologist and had studied other aspects of mysticism. He became interested in jazz at the age of seven and in the 1950s he joined several groups while studying pharmacy at Texas Southern University. At one point he received accolades from Ebony and Down Beat. In the 1950s he became influenced by Wes Montgomery. In 1966 he moved to New York City and gained more experience. In 1972 he became one of the first jazz professors at Rutgers University and taught Kevin Eubanks, Vernon Reid and Peter Bernstein, as well as many others. He published four volumes on jazz.
Dunbar died in 1998 of a stroke.

As leader/co-leader

• In Tandem (Muse, 1975 [1980]) with Kenny Barron
• Opening Remarks (1978; Xanadu)
• Secundum Artem (Xanadu, 1980)
• Jazz Guitarist (1982; Xanadu)
• Gentle Time Alone (1992; SteepleChase)

As sideman

With Gene Ammons

• My Way (Prestige, 1971)

With Kenny Barron

• Peruvian Blue (Muse, 1974)

With Richard Davis

• Harvest (Muse, 1977 [1979])

With Gil Evans

• Svengali (Atlantic, 1973)

With Curtis Fuller

• Smokin' (Mainstream, 1972)

With Albert Heath

• Kwanza (The First) (Muse, 1973)

With Willis Jackson

• West Africa (Muse, 1973)

With Charles McPherson

• Siku Ya Bibi (Day of the Lady) (Mainstream, 1972)

With David "Fathead" Newman

• House of David (Atlantic, 1967)

With Don Patterson

• The Return of Don Patterson (Muse, 1972)

With Bernard Purdie

• Purdie Good! (Prestige, 1971)

With Sam Rivers

• Sizzle (Impulse!, 1975)

With Johnny "Hammond" Smith

• What's Going On (Prestige, 1971)

With McCoy Tyner

• Asante (Blue Note, 1970)

With Tony Williams

• Ego (1971)

Ted Dunbar wrote a series of books on tonal convergence that are inspired and related to the Lydian chromatic concept. This centerpiece of this series is entitled "A System of Tonal Convergence for Improvisors Composers and Arrangers".