andallthatsjazz + Musician in Balgowlah, NSW

SEEKING

ABOUT

Bass player and guitarist of 20+ years of experience, with pretty serious chops and musical knowledge to match. Need someone who can handle anything you throw at them harmonically, rhythmically, stylistically and swings hard with good stage presence through all of it? Message me.

Just moved back after 10 years overseas in UK/Canada, looking to join a band of pretty much any style to keep my musical chops in. All the better if it's musically interesting and wants to be more than just a I-IV-V rockathon.

Have been playing bass, predominantly jazz but many many other styles (indie, rock, pop, latin, afrocuban, funk, punk, blues, country . . .) for a long time, gigging regularly - I was semi-professional for 5 years in England. I'm also pretty handy on acoustic guitar, can play piano, can just about sing a tune and plonk on a banjo. On the guitar, I'm recently been boning up on my fingerstyle, happy playing solo stuff up to and including Tommy Emmanuel and Joe Robinson tunes.

I've played bands from duos up to orchestras, and have directed gigs, jam sessions and bands up to and including conducting a 25-person jazz orchestra. I've done plenty of arranging and composing, have a particular talent for polyrhythmic approach and integrating different styles (plus writing sh*t-hot bass lines).

Through the jazz playing, I've also got myself up to a university level of musical theory and history, and have learnt at least a couple of hundred tunes by heart. I can also read all styles of music, all clefs, and am happy to sight-read, sight-transpose or play by ear (within reason - anything non-diatonic may test me . . .)

Outside of music, a couple of other skills that may be of use: I speak French, can spin fire poi, and I'm a Doctor of Biochemistry.

Screen name:

andallthatsjazz

Member since:

Jan 29 2019

Active over 1 month ago

Level of commitment:

Committed

Years playing music:

25

Gigs played:

Over 100

Tend to practice:

More than 3 times per week

Available to gig:

2-3 nights a week

Most available:

Nights

Influences

Pretty much everything.

Predominantly jazz - Jimmy Blanton, Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, Scott LaFaro, Charles Mingus, NHOP, Dave Holland, Oscar Pettiford, Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke as bassists. Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Bill Evans, Sonny Stitt, Oscar Peterson, Chris Potter, Chick Corea, Antonio Carlos Jobim as composers/soloists.

I've played a bunch of acoustic material a la Colin Hay, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, The Whitlams, Old Crow Medicine Show, Mumford and Sons, what have you. Will also go more melodic-poppy with people like Missy Higgins, Regina Spektor, Paul Simon and so on.

I've played a bunch of rock stuff, starting from old-school punk and grunge when I was a young 'un and working through all the classics, from Led Zep, David Bowie, The Who, Pink Floyd, Stones, through more moderns like Ben Folds Five, Frenzal, Oasis, RHCP etc..

I'm particularly interested in bringing in alternative, post-modern, third-wave elements and pushing the limits of what's traditionally considered 'rock' - I'd love to join up with a band who're into Radiohead, GYBE, Arcade Fire, Philip Glass, Terry Riley, Dave Holland, Steve Reich and have heard of Schoenberg.

If that all sounds weird/strange/stupid/intimidating, just try me - I have, at various times, played in: an Australian country music band, a Green Day tribute act, a baroque choir, a Swiss traditional um-pah band, A Philip Glass-esque minimalist ensemble, Several brazilian/cuban ensembles, an African percussion ensemble . . . name it. I'll give it all a crack.

Instrument experience:

Bass Guitar:

Expert

Rhythm Guitar:

Advanced

Acoustic Guitar:

Advanced

Piano:

Moderate

Background Singer:

Intermediate

Banjo:

Intermediate

EQUIPMENT

- G&L JB2 electric bass
- Yamaha RBX350 fretless electric bass
- Crafter acoustic guitar
- banjo
- Various more unusual shit - couple of harmonicas, Mru pipes, ocarina...
- I also have several thousand pages of music from various sources.

Currently shopping up a double bass and a solid amp, had to sell my others when I left Canada.