Internationally touring jazz bassist, educator, and five-time author Danny Ziemann will publish Topics in Jazz Bass Vol. 2: Soloing through Low Down Publishing on January 25, 2021. This is the fourth bass publication from Danny Ziemann, written for bassists looking to solo with freedom and authentic self-expression.
Bass players have long been the engine of a musical group, providing the necessary foundation for other musicians to play and sound their best. But now, more than ever, bassists are expected to step into the foreground and contribute solos on the level of their bandmates. Bassists can no longer say “that’s not my job,” or shake their heads “no” when asked if they’d like to solo.
“In all of my performing experiences, there are no exceptions made for me because I play the bass,” says Ziemann. “I’m expected to solo and contribute on the same level as my peers. The idea of soloing ‘not being part of the job’ — it being a taboo — is a misnomer. Bass players who don’t spend time exploring their solo voice miss out on a beautiful and necessary part of our tradition. We need to embrace all parts of the music.”
While bassists are primed to create great solos, there are unique challenges and opportunities inherent to the instrument that require a different approach to teaching and learning. Often what occurs is a disconnect between what bassists “know” about soloing and what they can do. After years of teaching, researching educational methods, creating video courses, and publishing walking bass books, Ziemann produced a resource written specifically for bassists to play compelling solos.
Ziemann says “Most bassists I work with remain stuck behind the intellectual barrier — thinking about theory, patterns, etc. — but don’t have the tools to tie their efforts together. This resource consolidates my experience performing, teaching, and researching about improvisation to provide bassists a resource that actually works.”
Ziemann’s prior publications are endorsed by major bass players in the jazz scene, including John Clayton, Rufus Reid, Larry Grenadier, Steve Swallow, Kristin Korb, and Marco Panascia. “Danny Ziemann has given considerable thought to the role of the bass in jazz, and has devised a practicing program sure to develop the skills you’ll need to provide what the music requires,” says legendary electric jazz bassist Steve Swallow. Bassist Larry Grenadier says Ziemann is an “extremely talented bassist full of creativity, enthusiasm, and the utmost respect for the tradition.”
About Danny Ziemann
For Danny Ziemann, being a musician was inevitable. He began learning music at age nine and discovered jazz bass a few years later. Love of music paved the way for Danny to earn two degrees from Eastman School of Music. In 2017, he was first bassist with Focusyear Artist Diploma Band in Switzerland. Then in Fall of 2018, he was interim professor of jazz bass at the Eastman School of Music.
He has played with such jazz luminaries as Jorge Rossy, Sheila Jordan, Bobby Militello, and Bill Dobbins. In addition to performing and teaching, he also records, produces educational video courses for the website Discover Double Bass, authors educational books, and founded Low Down Publishing, a company producing music education books. Outside of music, Danny is a self-proclaimed espresso aficionado and latte artist. He is currently based in Vienna, Austria.
By: Bass Magazine