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Gregg August

Bassist Gregg August spans the classical,

avant-garde, jazz and Latin jazz worlds making him one of the most versatile musicians on the scene today. He is member of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Associate) as well as the American Composers Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic and Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Gregg is also the former Principal Bass of La Orquestra Ciutat de Barcelona and the Brooklyn Philharmonic.

As a jazz bassist Gregg is a member of the JD Allen Trio, having recorded 9 albums with the group, as well as Arturo O’farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, with whom he’s won 5 Grammy awards. In 2003 Gregg formed his own record label, Iacuessa Records, for which he has recorded three critically acclaimed albums of entirely his own orginal music: Four by Six ( 2012), One Peace (2007) and Late August (Iacuessa Records 2005).

In August of 2020 Gregg will release Dialogues on Race (Iacuessa Records), the result of a commission from the Jazz Gallery and Jerome Foundation. An extended suite for a 12 piece large jazz ensemble, plus 3 vocalists, strings and narrator, the extended work deals with the subject of race relations in the United States. He utilizes poems by Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Marilyn Nelson and others to create a musical conversation that is intended to help bring awareness and foster understanding on the issue of race.

Gregg has also composed many full length concert works, including “Una Rumba Sinfonica,” a commission from the Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute and Earshot, which was premiered by the Buffalo Philharmonic. He has performed and/or recorded with The New York Philharmonic, Steve Reich, The Bang on a Can All Stars, Alarm Will Sound, as well as Ornette Coleman, Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis and Ray Barretto. Gregg was on the Downbeat Magazine Critics’ Rising Star Poll in 2017, 2015 and 2013.

An adjunct professor at New York University and the University of Connecticut, Gregg has also been on faculty at the Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at MASS MoCA (North Adams, MA) since 2003.

Gregg received his bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music and his master’s from the Juilliard School.

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3
Album Review

New York Bass Quartet: Air

Read "Air" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


Bassist Martin Wind is the real deal. Although he may not have the profile enjoyed by some of the bold-faced names in the profession such as Christian McBride, Ron Carter or Esperanza Spalding, he has built his reputation as a skilled, versatile player since emigrating to the US in 1995 to study at the NYU jazz program. While Wind's discography is not lengthy, he has done some commendable work with Bill Mays and Frank Kimbrough. This release Air puts the ...

1
Radio & Podcasts

Gregg August, Sandy Evans, & Phelan Burgoyne

Read "Gregg August, Sandy Evans, & Phelan Burgoyne" reviewed by Maurice Hogue


Catching up this time out on a couple of great releases that I've been a little tardy in playing: bassist Gregg August's important Dialogues On Race Vol. 1 and Aussie saxophone powerhouse Sandy Evans' Postcards From The Anthropocene . The late drummer Paul Motian wrote lots of tunes and English drummer Phelan Burgoyne has collected a number of the previously unrecorded songs on his new Yazgol. Also from England are the historical free jazz quartet, Mujician, and Fred Frith Trio ...

2
Album Review

Joel Harrison: America at War

Read "America at War" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


"È tutta la vita che il mio paese conduce tragiche e futili invasioni straniere. Ho sentito che dovevo scrivere su questo fatto, infondere nella mia nuova musica la sua dolorosa eredità." Queste riflessioni aprono il nuovo disco di Joel Harrison, ritornato a sette anni di distanza da Infinite Possibility a guidare un ensemble orchestrale. La storia bellica degli Stati Uniti è piuttosto lunga: in 245 anni ha combattuto 123 conflitti militari vivendo solo 18 anni in completa pace. ...

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Album Review

David Bixler: Inside the Grief

Read "Inside the Grief" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Following his 2019 nonet offering, Blended Lineage (Red Piano), alto-saxophonist David Bixler, no stranger to the stress and strains of our collectively jagged, irregular days, sets out heroically to make sense of it all on Inside the Grief. And make sense of it all he does with six probing, conversational originals that manage to restore some balance of life and light into many of today's darkest recesses. Stripping it all down to a trio format, Bixler, bassist Gregg August and ...

3
Radio & Podcasts

Gregg August: How To Have That Difficult Conversation

Read "Gregg August: How To Have That Difficult Conversation" reviewed by David Bixler


Composer and Bassist Gregg August's Dialogues on Race was composed 10 years ago and was inspired by the election of Barack Obama combined with his discovery of the compelling story of Emmett Till. Now, a decade later a decision to step beyond the safety of the music was motivation to record it with the intention of facilitating a conversation on this sometimes awkward, sometimes difficult, yet vital discussion about race. This episode features music from Gregg August's GRAMMY-nominated ...

Album Review

JD Allen: Americana

Read "Americana" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Con questa profonda, austera e appassionata indagine sul blues, JD Allen intende ribadire la sua centralità nell'ambito della musica statunitense (“il blues è la porta d'ingresso -dice nelle note -per il passato e il futuro della musica americana; la fonte da cui gospel, jazz, rock, country, rhythm & blues e hip hop sono formulati. Lo spirito del blues, sia esso sottile o esplicito, riesce a manifestarsi in ogni genere di musica americana"). Non è una questione secondaria e ...

12
Album Review

JD Allen: Americana

Read "Americana" reviewed by Franz A. Matzner


JD Allen is an artist who always delivers. He is also an artist who takes risks, willing to explore his limitations, and then break them; to expose his vulnerabilities, and reflect upon their source and meaning. His experimentation is not obvious. It spirals inwards, orbiting the central axis of jazz, while traversing its various trajectories with elegance, depth, and intense regard to produce deeply personal statements that draw in audiences and listeners like moths to flame. His latest ...

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Performance / Tour

The Gregg August Large Ensemble Commissioned Series at Jazz Gallery April 10 and 11

The Gregg August Large Ensemble Commissioned Series at Jazz Gallery April 10 and 11

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

Two nights, April 10 & 11, 2009 -- sets at 9:00 & 10:30 pm The Jazz Gallery is proud to announce the fourth event of our Large Ensemble Commissions Series: two evenings with the brilliant bassist, composer and bandleader Gregg August, who will lead the Gregg August Large Ensemble in the premiere of a newly commissioned suite, “Dialogues on Race." Gregg August - bass, Sam Newsome - soprano saxophone, Jaleel Shaw - alto saxophone, J. D. Allen - tenor saxophone, ...

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Performance / Tour

Les Paul (Mon) Mingus Legacy (Tues) June 27-30 Keiko Matsui (Fri Late Nite) Gregg August (Sat Late Nite) Kendrick Scott Oracle at the Iridium Jazz Club

Les Paul (Mon) Mingus Legacy (Tues) June 27-30 Keiko Matsui (Fri Late Nite) Gregg August (Sat Late Nite) Kendrick Scott Oracle at the Iridium Jazz Club

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121 Sets At 8:00 & 10:00PM Except Saturday's 8:30 & 10:30 PM EVERY MONDAY LES PAUL AND HIS TRIO JOHN COLIANNI - PIANO - LOU PALLO - GUITAR, NICKI PARROTT - BASS MINGUS LEGACY EVERY TUESDAY Sets at 8:00 & 10:00PM Mingus Big Band Tuesday, June 26, 2007 Every Sunday The Iridium Jazz Brunch 11am-3pm ...

"An excellent debut recording by a very versatile musician. Gregg August will be around for a long while..." -Branford Marsalis

"Gregg August is one of the most versatile bassists in the business today, and his creativity and good taste, as well as his command of various musical styles is evident on this valuable collection of nothing but good music." —Paquito D'Rivera

"Every once in a while, from down a side road you've forgotten to keep an eye on, a musician will breeze in and captivate you with a reshuffling of all jazz elements you love: hard swing, deep groove, intrepid blowing, inspired charts...

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Air

LAIKA Records
2022

buy

Americana, Vol. 2

Savant Records
2022

buy

America at War

Sunnyside Records
2021

buy

Inside the Grief

Bixxlixx Music
2020

buy

Americana

Savant Records
2016

buy

(Give Me Some) G-String

From: Air
By Gregg August

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