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David Basse

David Basse began his professional music career in 1969, when his parents trusted the neighbors to keep an eye on him while they vacationed in California. Basse seized that opportunity and turned it into a six-night gig at a local cocktail lounge with a band named “Carroll Lee and the Moonlighters”. This gig was the first small step in mastering many styles of drumming and subsequently learning to sing from the drumset. He stayed with Lee for the next three years, earning his way through high school and onto the road at age 17. In 1974, he landed in Kansas City, after gigs in Denver, Nashville, New Orleans, Winnipeg, a trip to LA and various teenaged forays throughout the United States.

In August of 1982 David Basse began his focus on jazz. He made a tough decision: attend his tenth high school class reunion, or take a much-needed gig at City Light, then a brand new Kansas City nightclub located at 7425 Broadway. Little did he know that that one night stand with vocalist Pricilla Bowman would turn into almost seven years, five nights a week at the nightclub and an opportunity to rub elbows with politicians, community leaders, and to jam with jazz royalty such as Johnny Griffin, Richie Cole, and Les McCann. The regular members of the band often included Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Carmell Jones, and Basse’s newfound mentor Ahmed Alaadeen.

Meeting drummer Bill Goodwin in 1985 led Basse to try his luck in the Los Angeles. Bill introduced David to pianist Mike Melvoin; a musician that David had idolized from Mike’s extensive studio work and on records by Tom Waits, Frank Sinatra and many others. Starting in 1992, Melvoin helped Basse establish himself in L.A. and to develop a body of original material that continues to grow to this day. West coast bands led by Basse featured Melvoin and other noted musicians such as bassist Andy Simkins, trumpeter Steve Huffstetter, trombonist Slyde Hyde, and drummer Earl Palmer.

In 2003 Basse funded and produced a recording that became a Grammy nominated project for Mike Melvoin. The duo traveled to the east coast and performed at the Deer Head Inn. This legendary nightclub is housed in a 150-year-old Inn in the Delaware River Valley, on the Appalachian Trail. Saxophonist Phil Woods lives just a few blocks from the Inn, as do many other celebrated artists and musicians. The recording project began when Goodwin brought Basse and Melvoin to Woods’ home for a rehearsal that featured many originals that Woods instantly dubbed, “The American songbook raised up a notch”.

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50
Album Review

David Basse: Uptown

Read "Uptown" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


West Coast singer Mark Winkler (Sweet Spot [Cafe Pacific Records, 2011]) heard David Basse and immediately signed him to his Cafe Pacific Records. Uptown is the first product of this partnership and, for the sake of the male jazz singer, does not come a moment too soon. There exists a huge disparity between female and male singers singing “serious" jazz. For the sake of context, the serious male jazz singers include Mark Murphy and Jon Hendricks (both in the autumn ...

117
Album Review

David Basse: Old Friends-New point

Read "Old Friends-New point" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Live from the New Point Grille in Kansas City September 9, 2001 David Basse's voice texture has a nodding acquaintance with Johnny Mercer, but his delivery is strictly his own. An ability to scat is his strong suit and it is displayed at it's best on this Disc. Angela Hagenbach will simply steal your heart away. Her low sultry voice combined with a clever vocalese style is the perfect counterpoint to Basse. Bobby Watson, on Alto, provides a ...

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248

Technology

David Basse and City Light Orchestra at Topeka's Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival

David Basse and City Light Orchestra at Topeka's Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival

Source: All About Jazz

KANSAS CITY USA -- When the producers of A&E’s controversial television series “City Confidential" needed to explore the Kansas City Jazz scene for a new production, they contacted and filmed veteran musician David Basse. For the past twenty years, Basse has been at the forefront of the music scene in this legendary jazz capitol. David Basse carries on a tradition started many years ago by icons Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Jay McShann. He has played ...

"I love the soul that is your voice." Maya Angelou David Basse's resonant voice is a signature of Kansas City's swingin' jazz and blues sound. Swedish critic Kaber Liden called him "The unbelievable combination of Mel Torme, Jon Hendricks, and Al Jarreau." Pitch Magazine named him Best Male Vocalist, stating "The winking gris gris of Dr. John, the ecstasy of Ray Charles, Basse adds a unique twist to his phrasing that makes him more than the sum of his influences."

David is a tireless and prolific one man promotional machine for the sound of Kansas City. He performed at the 2011 opening of the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and plans to return with Bobby Watson and the Kansas City Symphony in February 2013 for an exclusively-written tribute for jazz orchestra. A new video featuring David’s voice went viral on YouTube. A member of the Kansas Arts Commission, Ingram’s Magazine named Basse one of the 50 people to know in Kansas. He produces and hosts jazz programming for KPR, the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Station of the Year. He spoke with Scott Simon on NPR & KC Studio’s cover story on 12th Street Jump radio program; of which Basse is a founding member, celebrating public radio's weekly jazz, blues, and comedy jam. Producers of A&E's City Confidential filmed David Basse; he appeared with Dr. Billy Taylor on CBS Sunday Morning, and Barbeque America on PBS.

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Hero and The...

ASR Records
2013

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Uptown

Cafe Pacific Records
2012

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Old Friends-New point

City Light Entertainment
2002

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Videos

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