Dave Bass

About me:

Dave Bass - vocals, sax, flute, clarinet, guitar, drums, composer, lyricist
www.davebass.com
www.youtube.com/DaveBassDotCom













I sing (lead & harmony), play saxes, (soprano, alto, tenor, bari), flute, clarinet, rhythm guitar, drums and 'composer's' piano. I also compose, write lyrics and arrange charts for my band.

I operate in many genres, though my backround is steeped in traditional jazz, because my father was a professional jazz guitarist and composer in New York City. I like to blend traditional and modern ideas - one foot in the past, one foot in the present.

I love many styles of music - jazz, Brazilian, blues, R&B, funk, intelligent pop, Turkish bellydancing - the list is quite varied. I am originally from Queens, New York, led one of the hardest-working most respected bands in Atlanta for over a decade, and have recently relocated to beautiful Los Angeles! Santa Monica, to be exact.

I have been working on a wonderful debut CD for over 5 years now, which is finally nearing completion. It will be available for purchase on www.davebass.com when done.
____________

My first love was actually poetry. I had my first writings published at 10, won numerous awards for writing in school and did a short stint as a freelance journalist for a big local Atlanta newspaper after college.

But music was ALWAYS a gigantic part of my life, from the time my first two cells divided! I landed my first professional gig at 15, then gained experience playing with big bands, jazz and blues combos, variety groups - even a country band, (shhh - don't tell anyone).

Somewhere along the way, music took over as my primary love and vocation. Before I made the transition to music full-time, I was heavily involved in restaurant management and consulting. I worked hard and climbed the ladder quickly. My experience in management was great, but I found it unfulfilling deep down inside, and left it to pursue music again.

I recently had the priviledge of playing songwriter Johnny Mercer in a musical about his life called "Love, Johnny," which let me stretch my acting and singing skills. I love acting. I built the website for the show; www.lovejohnny.com.

I love the creative process in all its forms. I like to sketch, build things and swing and Latin dance in my spare time, (when I HAD spare time!), and am an avid appreciator of good painting, sculpture, film, dance... and of course, writing, music, and acting.
____________

Hobbies:
A couple of years ago I got into photography. Favorite subject? People. The human figure is the greatest work of art, no contest. I love natural, unguarded moments on camera. I love shooting nature, too. I am always looking for my next photographic 'muse' - someone who wants to explore creating images of beauty. I like the works of Berko, Demarchalier, Testino, Joyce Tenneson, etc.

I also love to exercise - walk, bike, swim, yoga, rollerblade, basketball, frisbee, football, volleyball, working out. Haven't tried skiing, surfing or hang-gliding yet - but they're on my list. I am game for anything once - except bungee jumping, I think.
____________

Personal:
My life is SO unusual it could be a movie script. I have been blessed to experience a tremendous number of miracles and pains starting from an early age. The bottom line? God is great. The very act of being ALIVE is 100% gift. From the moment you wake up and take your first conscious breath every morning - thank God for it!

I have learned the key to success in anything is Divine Surrender. Not surrender in the worldly sense of 'Giving up and losing,' but DIVINE surrender as in 'Give up and win!' - letting God be God and you be you.

You see, we humans think we KNOW shit. We don't know shit. GOD knows shit. When we surrender to the Divine, everything can flow through us - life, creativity, relationships. Ego runs counter to this in every way. Ego is the ILLUSION of control. There is no control. There is only surrender or fighting surrender. ("Security is largely a figment of the imagination. Life is a daring adventure or it is nothing." Helen Keller). This is just my opinion of course, and you may think I'M full of shit. Then again... you may be one of those people who thinks they KNOW shit!
; )
____________

I am an intense & passionate person - a true triple Scorpio. I love to connect with people on a very deep level, whether in good conversation, music, art, laughter, making love not war, etc! And 'Integrity' is my favorite word in the English language.

I am very health conscious and am actually building a website to share my knowledge with the public. I don't smoke, rarely drink and don't use drugs. I don't even own asprin. Just don't feel the need for it. You could say I get high on Life.

That's it - come see a show!

Peace,
Dave
www.davebass.com