Steven Frank LaSpina (born March 24, 1954) is an American jazz bassist who plays both upright and electric bass.
Steve LaSpina was born in Wichita Falls, Texas; his father and grandfather both played in dance bands. He attended the University of Illinois and DePaul University, and first began playing professionally in Chicago in the 1970s. He played with Bunky Green, Larry Novak, Joe Daley (1975–79), and Chet Baker (1978). In 1978 he also began working with Marian McPartland, with whom he would collaborate until 1986.
He moved to New York City in 1979 and played with Mel Lewis's orchestra (1978–82), Stan Getz (1986-87), Jim Hall (from 1988), Andy LaVerne (from 1989), and Benny Carter (latter half of the 1990s). Aside from these associations, LaSpina has played with Toots Thielemans, Joe Williams, Dave Liebman, Richie Beirach, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Pat Martino, and Tommy Flanagan. He has taught bass and improvisation at New York University and the College of St. Rose. LaSpina is currently on the faculty at William Paterson University. [1] LaSpina has recorded extensively as a leader for Steeplechase Records since the early 1990s. [ citation needed ]
With Benny Carter
With Chris Connor
With Joe Diorio
With Jim Hall
With Morgana King
With Andy LaVerne
With Susannah McCorkle
With Marian McPartland
With Larry Schneider
With Jack Wilkins
With others
Billy Higgins was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.
Carl Allen is an American jazz drummer.
Louie Bellson, often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, arranger, bandleader, and jazz educator, and is credited with pioneering the use of two bass drums.
Howard Vincent Alden is an American jazz guitarist born in Newport Beach, California. Alden has recorded many albums for Concord Records, including four with seven-string guitar innovator George Van Eps.
Shirley Valerie Horn was an American jazz singer and pianist. She collaborated with many jazz musicians including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Toots Thielemans, Ron Carter, Carmen McRae, Wynton Marsalis and others. She was most noted for her ability to accompany herself with nearly incomparable independence and ability on the piano while singing, something described by arranger Johnny Mandel as "like having two heads", and for her rich, lush voice, a smoky contralto, which was described by noted producer and arranger Quincy Jones as "like clothing, as she seduces you with her voice".
William Allen Mays, known professionally as Bill Mays, is an American jazz pianist from Sacramento, California.
Jay Leonhart is an American double bassist, singer, and songwriter who has worked in jazz and popular music. He has performed with Judy Garland, Bucky Pizzarelli, Carly Simon, Frank Sinatra, and Sting. Leonhart is noted for his clever songwriting, often laced with dry humor. His compositions have been recorded by Blossom Dearie, Lee Konitz, and Gary Burton. His poetry is published both in, and outside of, the venue of song.
Warren Vaché is an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, and flugelhornist. He was born in Rahway, New Jersey, United States. He came from a musical family as his father was a bassist. In 1976, he released his first album. He has often worked with Scott Hamilton and has some popularity among swing audiences.
George Mraz was a Czech-born American jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stephane Grappelli, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Raney, Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, John Abercrombie, John Scofield, and Richie Beirach, among others.
Gary Smulyan is a jazz musician who plays baritone saxophone. He studied at Hofstra University before working with Woody Herman. He leads a trio with bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Kenny Washington.
Kenny Washington is an American jazz drummer and music writer born in Staten Island, New York. His brother is bassist Reggie Washington.
Jeffrey Lee Hirshfield is an American jazz drummer.
Victor Edward Jurusz Jr., known professionally as Vic Juris, was an American jazz guitarist.
Mickey Tucker is an American jazz pianist and organist.
Victor Lewis is an American jazz drummer, composer, and educator.
Peter Washington is a jazz double bassist. He played with the Westchester Community Symphony at the age of 14. Later he played electric bass in rock bands. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he majored in English Literature, and performed with the San Francisco Youth Symphony and the UC Symphony Orchestra. His growing interest in jazz led him to play with John Handy, Bobby Hutcherson, Harold Land, Frank Morgan, Ernestine Anderson, Chris Connor and other Bay Area luminaries. In 1986 he joined Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers and moved to New York City. Beginning in the 1990s, he toured with the Tommy Flanagan trio until Flanagan's death in 2001, and has played with the Bill Charlap trio since 1997. He was a founding member of the collective hard bop sextet One for All and is a visiting artist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
The recordings of American jazz saxophonist Stan Getz from 1944 to 1991.
Jesper Lundgaard is a Danish jazz bassist, bandleader, composer and record producer. Since his debut in the mid-1970s, he has been among the most prominent bassists in Danish jazz and as a sideman he has appeared on more than 400 albums both with Danish and leading American jazz musicians.
Chris Flory is an American jazz guitarist.
Benjamin Alexander Riley Jr. was an American jazz drummer known for his work with Thelonious Monk, as well as Alice Coltrane, Stan Getz, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ahmad Jamal, and as a member of the group Sphere. During the 1970s and 1980s he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet.