Bassist
Composer
Teacher
Author
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Biography
American,
acoustic and electric bass player and
composer, born
in Providence, Rhode Island.
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 BerkleeCollege 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 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 and others.
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
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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, Freddie Cole, Donald Byrd,
Charlie Byrd, Joey Calderazzo,Cyrus Chestnut, Aaron Goldberg, Larry
Goldings and Cecil Payne are some of these artists.
Bruce has also
toured with Billy Eckstine, Maynard Ferguson, Marlena Shaw, Gary
Burton, Dave Brubeck, Jerry Bergonzi and others
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Teaching
Experience
• 1974 - present
private instructor
• 1976-
present professor at Berklee College of Music, Boston
• 1985 - present
Bruce has taught workshops with Berklee in Japan, Spain, Germany, Italy
and Santa Cruz de Tenerife and as a leader or with Jerry Bergonzi in
Australia and the U.S.
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