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Sam Minaie

Iranian-American bassist, Sam Minaie, was born in Reno, Nevada and started piano lessons at age 8. At age 14, he switched to electric and upright bass and was granted numerous command performances in classical bass performance while beginning to also work professionally in all styles of music around the Reno/Tahoe area. Sam was granted a full scholarship and received a Bachelor of Arts in Classical and Jazz Performance at the University of Nevada, Reno. He then moved to Los Angeles where, under scholarship, he received a Masters of Fine Arts in Jazz Studies at California Institute of the Arts. At CalArts, Sam studied with Charlie Haden and African Ewe master, Alfred Ladzekpo as well as a broad range of other world music masters.While in Los Angeles, Sam quickly made a name for himself as one of the most sought-after bassists on the scene and moved to New York in May of 2009. He has toured extensively throughout several countries around the world and has been recorded on dozens of albums with artists including Peter Epstein, Ralph Alessi, Ravi Coltrane, Tigran Hamasyan, Peter Apfelbaum, John Ellis, David Ake, Mark Ferber, Gary Versace, Joe LaBarbera, Roy McCurdy, Bob Sheppard, Brian Lynch, John Beasley, Tootie Heath, Sara Gazarek, Larry Koonse, Patti Austin, Butch Morris, Vinny Golia, Adam Benjamin, Ben Wendel, Tim Ries, Tim Hagans, Kenny Werner, Vince Mendoza, Patrick Williams, New Century Players Ensemble, Alfred Ladzekpo’s Ewe Ensemble, Lian Ensemble (Persian Classical Music), Bill Holman Orchestra, and the Clayton/Hamilton Orchestra. As well as being a bassist, Sam has produced and mixed several albums, and is active as a session cellist. He has also played tuba in Charlie Haden’s Liberation Orchestra.

Sam is a co-leader and composer for Axis Trio and is currently busy touring around the world with 2004 Thelonious Monk Piano Competition Winner, Tigran Hamasyan.


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Album Review

Believers: Hard Believer

Read "Hard Believer" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero


Veterano della scena downtown newyorchese (da ricordare almeno il Dave Douglas Tiny Bell Trio, il quartetto Pachora con Jim Black, Chris Speed e Skuli Sverrisson, le collaborazioni con Carla Bley's Escalator Over the Hill, Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra, le registrazioni con Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band o il Paradox Trio con Matt Darriau, Rufus Cappadocia e Seido Salifoski) il chitarrista Brad Shepik si è nel corso degli anni sempre più avvicinato alle musiche del mondo. Tutto ciò senza rinnegare la ...

3
Album Review

Chris McCarthy: Add a Zero

Read "Add a Zero" reviewed by Paul Rauch


Chris McCarthy is a wonderfully lyrical pianist, and an unexpected joy to hear. “Unexpected" you might ask? Allow an explanation. He is imaginative, highly skilled and has gained a reputation of excellence on the New York scene. His accompaniment and solo strides on his acclaimed duo release, Life's a Gig (Fresh Sounds, 2024), with vocalist Vanisha Gould make her deep dive into old soul magic seem grounded, adorned with subtle and spacious harmony that keeps the music buoyant and free ...

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Album Review

Brad Shepik: Hard Believer

Read "Hard Believer" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


The first burst of noise from a recording can be telling, predictive of what will come. The Believers' Hard Believer title tune says as much. A guitar, bass and drums group, the music comes to life with some resonant metallic chords. The drums and bass push their weight around. It is assertive music laid down with a gentle and intricate touch. This “Hard Believer" is an introspective entity. Guitarist Brad Shepik, bassist Sam Minaie and drummer John Hadfield ...

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Album Review

Believers: Hard Believer

Read "Hard Believer" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Belief--the cornerstone of conceptual development and the impetus for any pursuit, artistic or otherwise--is central to the shared mission binding guitarist Brad Shepik, bassist Sam Minaie and drummer/percussionist John Hadfield in this aptly titled trio. Through their eponymous 2020 debut--a strong album that flew under the radar due to its pandemic-era release timing--these three established an aesthetic reflective of global influences and wide-ranging interests. And with this sophomore date, they further that outlook by branching out in numerous directions and ...

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Album Review

Brad Shepik: Human Activity: Dream of the Possible

Read "Human Activity: Dream of the Possible" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


All About Jazz is not an academic journal, but once in a while, a little academic insight may not hurt. Two psychologists from McGill University have published an interesting piece in Impact: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning produced by the College of General Studies at Boston University. In “Waking Up to No Sound: Music Psychology and Climate Action," Lindsey Fleming and Daniel Levitin write: “Music is a cultural universal and for ...

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Album Review

Brad Shepik: Human Activity: Dream of the Possible

Read "Human Activity: Dream of the Possible" reviewed by Katchie Cartwright


Brad Shepik's Human Activity: Dream of the Possible, featuring Layale Chaker (violin), Amino Belyamani (piano), Sam Minaie (bass) and John Hadfield (drums), is the guitarist and multi-instrumentalist's second album to respond to climate change. Composed as a single 10-movement work, a “narrative of hope," it follows his Human Activity Suite: Sounding a Response to Climate Change (Songlines Recordings, 2007). Shepik's aim is broad: “to inspire people to take any action they can to preserve and adapt in a sustainable way ...

Album Review

Phillip Golub: Abiding Memory

Read "Abiding Memory" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero


Pressoché sconosciuto dalle nostre parti, il poco più che trentenne Phillip Golub è musicista assai attivo nella sempre effervescente scena newyorchese. Eclettico, trasversale, dalla curiosità onnivora si muove con disinvoltura tra jazz, intrighi elettronici, libera improvvisazione e musica da camera, come testimoniano dischi e concerti. Per Abiding Memory si è scomodato un gigante del pianoforte come Vijay Iyer, scrivendone assai lusinghiere note di copertina. E l'ascolto delle dieci tracce conferma appieno l'eccellenza del risultato, perché Abiding Memory è ...

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Recording

Peter Epstein Joins With Ralph Alessi, Sam Minaie And Mark Ferber For First Songlines Release In Nine Years

Peter Epstein Joins With Ralph Alessi, Sam Minaie And Mark Ferber For First Songlines Release In Nine Years

Source: Cary Goldberg

Polarities, the New Album from the Peter Epstein Quartet, Will be Released on May 13 “...a wonderfully compelling and gripping album, on which instruments and sounds are of a rare expressive power." - Stef Gijssels, Free Jazz Blog, reviewing Epstein's previous release as a leader, Abstract Realism Saxophonist Peter Epstein may have slipped from public view a bit since leaving New York to take up a teaching position at the University of Nevada, Reno (where he is now the director ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Hard Believer

Shifting Paradigm Records
2025

buy

Add a Zero

Fresh Sound Records
2025

buy

Radio Afloat

In the Circle
2024

buy

Abiding Memory

Endectomorph
2024

buy

Human Activity: Dream...

Shifting Paradigm Records
2024

buy

Aire

Sunnyside Records
2023

buy

Dream of the Possible

From: Human Activity: Dream of the...
By Sam Minaie

Anxiety

From: Identity
By Sam Minaie

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