Bruce Gertz

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, acoustic and electric bass player and composer Bruce Gertz began playing guitar at the age of ten. By age fourteen he changed to the bass guitar and started playing rock, blues and later jazz. While attending Berklee College of Music in Boston as a composition and arranging major, Bruce studied acoustic bass under John Neves and William Curtis. He began freelancing in the Boston area and soon built a reputation as a versatile player and soloist on both acoustic and electric bass. Gertz became associated with Bill Frisell, Mick Goodrick, Mike Stern, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Lovano, Billy Drewes, Jamie Haddad, Kenny Werner, Ted Lo, Theo Saunders, John Scofield and other top players in Boston through time. Later Bruce studied more advanced jazz improvisation with Charlie Banacos and also through association with Jerry Bergonzi. Bruce has also toured with Billy Eckstine, Maynard Ferguson, Marlena Shaw, Gary Burton, Dave Brubeck, Jerry Bergonzi, Joey Calderazzo, Christian Jacob, Adam Nussbaum, Makoto Ozone and others. Performance Experience: Being an established performer in New England, Bruce has accompanied many well known, jazz artists: Gil Evans,Danilo Perez, Junior Cook, Dave Brubeck, Bob Berg, Mike Stern,Charles McPherson, George Cables, Diane Schurr, Bobby Tucker, Tom Harrell, Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell, Lee Konitz, Jon Hendricks, Cab Calloway, Joe Williams, Oliver Lake, Mark Murphy, George Coleman, John Abercrombie, Gary Burton, George Garzone, Tim Hagans, Kenny Werner, Billy Hart, Mick Goodrick, Pat Metheny, Ted Curson, Eddie Harris, Eric Kloss, The Fifth Dimension, The Coasters, Freddie Cole, Donald Byrd, Charlie Byrd, Joey Calderazzo,Cyrus Chestnut, Aaron Goldberg, Larry Goldings and Cecil Payne are some of these artists.

Awards

Awards • 1987 Boston Music Awards - “Outstanding Bassist” • 1988 Boston Music Awards - “Outstanding Bassist” • 1990 Boston Music Awards - “Outstanding Bassist” • 1991 Boston Music Awards - “Outstanding Bassist” • 1992 Billboard Song Contest - Third Prize for the song, “Blueprint” • 1992 National Endowment for the Arts. "Jazz Performance Grant" • 1993 the album, “Blueprint” • 1995 the album, “Third Eye” • 1996 the album, “Discovery Zone” • 1997 the album, “Blueprint” all nominated for “Outstanding Jazz 1997-present, many more

Gear

Phil Jones Bass amps, Mooradian Covers, GK bass amps, Fishman, Full Circle pickup and David Gage, Realist Pickup. Thomastic Strings and D'Addario Strings

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