Jazz Articles about Dave Bass

About Dave Bass

Album Review

The life of any jazz musician is precarious and the road to that life is often compromised by unexpected misadventures. Just ask pianist Dave Bass. After completing piano studies with renowned teacher Madame Margaret Chaloff, and composition with George Russell, he began playing firstly around San Francisco but subsequently moved to Southern California. One day on his way to a gig, Bass fell and so damaged his wrist that he was told he would never play piano again. Thus he ...

Album Review

Dave Bass: The Trio, Vol. 3

Read "The Trio, Vol. 3" reviewed by Troy Dostert

by Troy Dostert
May 1, 2023

For its third installment, pianist Dave Bass' regular working group has produced another worthwhile document drawing on Bass' many influences, and showing that he also has plenty of his own creativity to offer. Once again accompanied by bassist Kerry Kashiwagi and drummer Scott Gordon, and a few cameos from guitarist Barry Finnerty, the pianist proves his mettle as an agile and thoughtful interpreter of the jazz repertoire. Just a few bars into the beguiling opener, “As Long as ...

Album Review

Dave Bass: No Boundaries

Read "No Boundaries" reviewed by Rob Rosenblum

by Rob Rosenblum
May 22, 2020

While No Boundaries is technically led by pianist Dave Bass, it seems that the company is kind of burying the lead. The real headliner here is the multi talented Ted Nash. Nash certainly has a jazz pedigree, with both a father and an uncle who were top notch performers themselves. Nash has also been a frequent member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, led by Wynton Marsalis. The back story on Bass is that he was ...

Album Review

Dave Bass: No Boundaries

Read "No Boundaries" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki

by Chris M. Slawecki
November 29, 2019

In 2015, Dave Bass retired from the Office of the Attorney General of California after twenty years of service and returned to his first professional love—playing the piano, a career that a wrist injury forced him to abandon about thirty years ago. No Boundaries is the third release, and second for Whaling City Sound, in Bass' comeback. “My first two CDs were recorded while I was still working as a lawyer, during whatever vacation time I could amass," he explains. ...

Radio & Podcasts

Benny Goodman & Paul Chambers

by Joe Dimino
October 11, 2019

After a long break from the world of jazz, California-based Pianist & Composer Dave Bass is back with a new album that is charting very well called No Boundaries. That begins yet another look into jazz with Episode 616 and digging further into the modern and old worlds of jazz. On our journey to discover the new music out there, we profile Avishai Cohen, Doug Carn, Brandon Robertson and Ryan Keberle. And in between, we dip into the older worlds ...

Album Review

Dave Bass: NYC Sessions

Read "NYC Sessions" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
March 20, 2015

Life has a funny way of bringing us back to what we love. Need proof? Just look at Dave Bass. After starting on a musical path in Cincinnati, heading to Berklee for a spell, studying with George Russell and Madame Margaret Chaloff, touring with vocalist Brenda Lee, and setting up shop in the Bay Area, where he had an opportunity to perform with stars-to-be like Bobby McFerrin, Bass walked away from music. After fracturing his wrist and hearing that he ...

Album Review

Dave Bass Quartet: Gone

by AAJ Italy Staff
February 1, 2011

Dave Bass aveva una voglia matta di ritornare a suonare. Dopo esser stato uno dei protagonisti della scena di San Francisco, anni '70/'80, si era fatto notare alla corte di Bobby McFerrin. All'improvviso piantò tutti e tutto. Forse, la musica non gli dava più quelle necessarie soddisfazioni (proviamo a pensare anche in termini economici) che magari un'attività da professionista del diritto gli poteva garantire. Allora, al diavolo il jazz e tutto il music biz. Le aule dei tribunali lo riscaldavano ...