Steve LaSpina
Encyclopedia
Steven Frank LaSpina is an American jazz
bassist. He plays both upright and electric bass.
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 has recorded extensively as a leader for Steeplechase Records
since the early 1990s.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
bassist. He plays both upright and electric bass.
LaSpina was born in Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
; his father and grandfather both played in dance bands. He attended the University of Illinois and DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
, and first began playing professionally in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the 1970s. He played with Bunky Green
Bunky Green
Bunky Green is an American jazz alto saxophonist and educator.-Biography:Vernice "Bunky" Green was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he played the alto saxophone, mainly at a local club called "The Brass Rail."...
, Larry Novak
Larry Novak
Lawrence R. "Larry" Novak is an American jazz pianist. He is the father of Gary Novak.Larry Novak was born in Chicago. He learned piano from age five and began playing jazz at 14. He studied at Loyola University Chicago and the University of Minnesota, followed by a stint playing in a military...
, Joe Daley
Joe Daley
For the professional golfer, see Joe Daley Thomas Joseph Daley is a former National Hockey League and World Hockey Association goalkeeper for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and Winnipeg Jets....
(1975-79), and Chet Baker
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
(1978). In 1978 he also began working with Marian McPartland
Marian McPartland
Margaret Marian McPartland, OBE is an English-born jazz pianist, composer, writer, and the host of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on National Public Radio, NPR.-Early life:...
, with whom he would collaborate until 1986. He moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1979 and played with Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis was an American drummer, jazz musician and band leader. He was born Melvin Sokoloff in Buffalo, New York to Russian immigrant parents....
's orchestra (1978-82), Stan Getz
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
(1986-87), Jim Hall
Jim Hall (musician)
James Stanley Hall is an American jazz guitarist.-Biography:Educated at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Hall moved to Los Angeles where he began to attract national, and then international, attention in the late 1950s...
(from 1988), Andy LaVerne
Andy LaVerne
Andy LaVerne is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.LaVerne studied at Juilliard School of Music, Berklee College, and the New England Conservatory, and took private lessons from legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans...
(from 1989), and Benny Carter
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
(latter half of the 1990s). Aside from these associations, LaSpina has played with Toots Thielemans
Toots Thielemans
Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans , known as Toots Thielemans, is a Belgian jazz musician well known for his guitar and harmonica playing as well as his whistling. Thielemans is credited as one of the greatest harmonica players of the 20th century...
, Joe Williams
Joe Williams (jazz singer)
Joe Williams was a well-known jazz vocalist, a baritone singing a mixture of blues, ballads, popular songs, and jazz standards.-Early life:...
, Dave Liebman
Dave Liebman
Dave Liebman is an American saxophonist and flautist. In June 2010, he received a NEA Jazz Masters lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts.-Biography:...
, Richie Beirach
Richie Beirach
Richard "Richie" Beirach is a jazz pianist and composer born in New York City.He initially studied both classical and jazz before entering the Berklee College of Music....
, Bob Brookmeyer
Bob Brookmeyer
Robert Brookmeyer is an American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer.-Biography:Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public attention as a member of Gerry Mulligan's quartet from 1954 to 1957. He later worked with Jimmy Giuffre...
, Al Cohn
Al Cohn
Al Cohn was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger and composer.-Biography:Alvin Gilbert Cohn was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was initially known in the 1940s for playing in Woody Herman's Second Herd as one of the Four Brothers, along with Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, and Serge Chaloff...
, Zoot Sims
Zoot Sims
John Haley "Zoot" Sims was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor and soprano.-Biography:He was born in Inglewood, California, the son of vaudeville performers Kate Haley and John Sims. Growing up in a performing family, Sims learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age...
, Pat Martino
Pat Martino
Pat Martino is an Italian-American jazz guitarist and composer within the post bop, fusion, mainstream jazz, soul jazz and hard bop idioms.-Biography:...
, and Tommy Flanagan
Tommy Flanagan
Thomas Lee Flanagan was an American jazz pianist born in Detroit, Michigan, particularly remembered for his work with Ella Fitzgerald...
. He has taught bass and improvisation at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and the College of St. Rose.
LaSpina has recorded extensively as a leader for Steeplechase Records
SteepleChase Records
SteepleChase Records is a jazz record label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time...
since the early 1990s.
Discography
- New Horizon with Marc CoplandMarc CoplandMarc Copland is an American jazz pianist and composer.Copland became part of the jazz scene in Philadelphia in the early 1960s as a saxophonist, and later moved to New York where he experimented with electric alto saxophone...
, Billy Drewes, Jeff HirshfieldJeff HirshfieldJeffrey Lee Hirshfield is an American jazz drummer.Hirshfield studied under Ed Soph. He worked for the Joffrey Ballet in 1976-77 and then played with Mose Allison . During the 1980s he worked with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan , Toshiko Akiyoshi , and Bennie Wallace...
, 1992 - Eclipse 1994
- When I'm Alone with Marc Copland, Billy Drewes, Jeff Hirshfield, 1995
- Story Time with Marc Copland, Billy Drewes, Jeff Hirshfield, Vic JurisVic JurisVictor E. Jurusz, Jr., known professionally as Vic Juris is an American jazz guitarist.Juris played with Lyn Christie early in the 1970s and made his first recordings with Eric Kloss in 1975. Soon after he joined Barry Miles 's group, remaining with Miles well into the 1980s...
, 1996 - The Road Ahead with Billy Drewes, Jim McNeelyJim McNeelyJim McNeely is a Grammy award winning jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.Jim was born in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Illinois, and moved to New York City in 1975. In 1978 he joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band...
, Vic Juris, Jeff Hirshfield, 1997 - When Children Smile with Dave Ballou, Billy Drewes, Jeff Hirshfield, Vic Juris, 1997
- Distant Dream with Billy Drewes, Fred HerschFred HerschFred Hersch is a contemporary American jazz pianist who has become a consistent and highly demanded performer on the international jazz scene....
, Jeff Hirshfield, Ben Moeder, 2000 - The Bounce with Dave Ballou, Billy Drewes, Jeff Hirshfield, 2001
- Remember When 2003
- Play Room with Dave Ballou, Billy Drewes, Jeff Hirshfield, Gary Versace, 2006