My teachers, friends, collegues...
as far as bassists-Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, Jimmy Garrison(all of it of course but especially the way he plays ballads), Charles Mingus, Isreal Crosby, Charlie Haden, Ed Schuller, Slam Stewart, Ralph Pena(if you haven't heard him you gotta check out Frank Sinatra Sextet Live in Paris 1962), Wilbur Ware, Jack Bruce, Sergio Brandao, so many more....
as far as other famous people-Stravinsky, Boulez, Mahler, Maurice Durufle, Debussy, Bach, Webern, George Crumb, Papo Angarica, Lazaro Ros, Abbilona Tambor Yoruba, Yoruba Andabo, Clave y Guanguanco, Coto, Vocal Sampling, Keith Jarrett, Paul Motian, Dewey Redman, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Dexter, Clifford Brown, Max Roach, Shirley Horn, Jeri Southern, Sarah, Ella, Carmen McRae, Tito Schipp, Elis Regina, Ana Lu, Paulo Braga, Jobim, Toninho Horta, Milton Naciemento, Djavan, Eric Clapton, Gimger Baker, Peter Green and also so many more...
the TV show Northern Exposure(trust me, it's more than just a show! :)
David Ambrosio, originally from the New York area, currently resides in NYC where he works as a freelance musician and educator. He is the co-leader of two collaborative bands, Grupo Los Santos and Neo Tradition, as well as being a part of many groups including George Schuller’s Circle Wide, the Matt Renzi Trio, Eri Yamamoto Trio, Vinnie Sperrazza Trio, Deanna Witkowski Quartet, Eric Rasmussen’s School of Tristano, Adriano Santos Quintet, Clay Giberson Trio, the Schumacher/Sanford Sound Assembly and the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra led by Jim McNeely and Michael Abene. He has also performed with such jazz greats as pianist Kenny Werner, legendary vibraphone/clarinet duo Terry Gibbs and Buddy DrFranco, George Garzone, Joseph Jarmon and Ralph Alessi.
With degrees in Classical composition and Jazz performance, David has a broad musical palate which only became intensified by some unique travel experiences in past years. In 2001 he had the opportunity to perform in Cuba with Grupo Los Santos and Max Pollack's Rumbatap as well as to work with Afro/Cuban folkloric music and dance ensembles. Soon after that experience his interest in Afro/Cuban bata drumming began and, consequently, for the past six years has been studying Bata with Carlos Gomez who, in addition to being an accomplished drummer, is a high priest of the Yoruba religion called a Babalawo or Priest of Ifa. Learning the intricate rhythms of the Bata drum is only a small part of the beauty and transcendence of this sacred music. David feels very fortunate to have a mentor to give him the teachings of this aural tradition and to be a small part of the fraternal brotherhood of the Bata.
David also had the opportunity on numerous occasions to tour in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in addition to performing and recording with members of the Uzbek Folk Instruments Chamber Orchestra Sogdiana and Kyrgyz folk musicians. His next project is to incorporate some of the instruments and music he brought back from that part of the world into his music. Please check out my pictures and videos of Central Asia and more on this site!
David is currently on faculty at the Queens College Center for Preparatory Studies in Music where he teaches young developing artists in both Jazz and Classical genres. He was also among the first clinicians to work for the Colden Center's City High School Jazz Residency Program, now known as the Kupferberg Performance Center, where he continues to share his music in schools where students have very little opportunity to explore Jazz music.
Hey, Dave good to hear from you! Hope you are doing well and staying busy. All's good here, teaching away and playing, I hear about you from time to time from various sundry characters we play with. later!
