John Patitucci

John Patitucci
John Patitucci at Iridium, March 2007
Background information
Born	(1959-12-22) December 22, 1959 Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, educator
Instruments	Double bass, electric bass
Years active	1970s–present
Associated acts	Chick Corea Elektric Band, Chick Corea's Akoustic Band, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, Herbie Hancock, John Abercrombie, B.B. King, McCoy Tyner, Sting, Bon Jovi, Tony Williams, Wynton Marsalis, Alexia Vassiliou
Website	johnpatitucci.com
Notable instruments
Yamaha TRB JP2

John Patitucci (born December 22, 1959) is an American jazz double bass and jazz fusion electric bass player.

Biography

Patitucci was born in Brooklyn, New York, where he began playing the electric bass at age 10, composing and performing at age 12, as well as playing the acoustic bass at 15, and the piano one year later. After moving west, he studied classical bass at San Francisco State University and Long Beach State University.

Patitucci has released 12 albums as a leader. In addition to his solo work, he has played on albums by B.B. King, Chick Corea, Clare Fischer, Joanne Brackeen, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, John Abercrombie, George Benson, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Grusin, Natalie Cole, Roseanna Vitro, Sting, the Manhattan Transfer, Carly Simon, Was Not Was, Roby Duke, Bon Jovi, Queen Latifah, Everything but the Girl, Jellyfish and Twila Paris.

As a performer, he has played with his own band, and with Stan Getz, Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman, Randy Brecker, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, and Tony Williams. He was selected to be the bassist for the GRP All-Star Big Band. Some of the many pop and Brazilian artists he has played with include Carole King, Astrud and João Gilberto, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. Patitucci has worked with film composers such as Jerry Goldsmith, Ry Cooder, Henry Mancini, and John Williams.

Patitucci has led several projects of his own, in addition to playing with Chick Corea's Elektric Band and Akoustic Band. He is active in Wayne Shorter's quartet. The group won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Jazz Album for the album Beyond the Sound Barrier in 2006.

He has taught at music schools and workshops in several countries, and he was the Artistic Director of the Bass Collective, a school for bassists in New York City, and he is involved with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz and the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program. He was Professor of Jazz Studies at City College of New York. In June 2012 he launched the Online Jazz Bass School with John Patitucci. He currently teaches at Berklee College of Music as an Artist in Residence.

Awards

In 1986, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences voted Patitucci the MVP (Most Valuable Player) on acoustic bass. He has won two Grammy Awards (one for playing and one for composing). In addition, his first solo recording, John Patitucci, was number one on the Billboard Jazz charts. He has released five albums with the Concord Jazz label: One More Angel, Now, Imprint, Communion and Songs, Stories and Spirituals. Patitucci has won polls including: Best Jazz Bassist in Guitar Player Magazine's 1992, 1994 and 1995 Readers' Poll and Best Jazz Bassist in Bass Player Magazine's 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 Readers' Poll.

Patitucci was also a judge for the 8th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists.

Endorsements

Main article: Yamaha TRB JP2

He currently endorses Yamaha basses and has had two 6-string signature models bearing his name, the TRB-JP and the TRB-JP2. The TRB-JP2 features a solid maple neck with a 26-fret ebony fingerboard with custom abalone and mother-of-pearl position markers and a 35"-scale length. Other refinements include a sandwiched body made of multiple layers of figured maple, alder and ash, a "slap" cut-out near the lower bout, gold hardware, die-cast tuners with pearloid buttons, a solid brass bridge and a pair of Alnico V double-coil humbucking pickups with an active 3-band EQ tuned to his specifications. The original TRB-JP sports the same features and specifications as the TRB-JP2, except it has a 24-fret neck with a standard 34"-scale length.

Discography

John Patitucci

• Released: 1987
• Label: GRP Records
• Producer: Chick Corea

On the Corner

• Released: 1989
• Label: GRP Records
• Producer: John Patitucci

Track Listing
No.	Title	Length
1.	"On the Corner""	4:04
2.	"Avenue "D""	4:11
3.	"Venetian Moonlight"	4:46
4.	"A Better Mousetrap"	3:02
5.	"Vaya Con Dios"	4:58
6.	"Kingston Blues"	4:40
7.	"Painting"	5:11
8.	"Strength to the Weak"	5:16
9.	"Flatbush Ave"	4:09
10.	"The Storyteller"	6:31
11.	"Bertha's Bop"	6:53

Sketchbook

• Released: 1990
• Label: GRP Records
• Producer: John Patitucci

Track Listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Spaceships"	John Patitucci	4:38
2.	"Joab"	John Beasley	6:10
3.	"If You Don't Mind"	John Patitucci	5:09
4.	"Scophile"	John Patitucci	5:49
5.	"Greatest Gift"	John Patitucci	3:57
6.	"From a Rainy Night"	David Witham	3:05
7.	"Junk Man"	John Beasley, John Patitucci	5:02
8.	"Two Worlds"	John Patitucci	5:17
9.	"Backwoods"	John Patitucci	3:17
10.	"They Heard It Twice"	John Patitucci	4:10
11.	"'Trane"	John Patitucci	5:16
12.	"Through the Clouds"	John Patitucci	4:28
Total length:			42:01

Heart of the Bass

• Released: 1992
• Label: Stretch Records
• Producer: John Patitucci & Chick Corea

Track Listing
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Concerto Movement No. 1: Westward Expansion"	8:59
2.	"Concerto Movement No. 2: After the Storm"	8:35
3.	"Concerto Movement No. 3: Mardi Gras"	8:16
4.	"Heart of the Bass"	4:32
5.	"Four Hands"	4:05
6.	"Mullagh"	2:56
7.	"Miniature No. 1: Ivory Tower"	2:08
8.	"Miniature # 2: Lonely People"	3:13
9.	"Miniature No. 3: Still Life"	3:17
10.	"Miniature No. 4: Marionette""	3:33
11.	"Miniature No. 6: Butterfly"	2:03
12.	"Miniature No. 5: Vision"	3:12
Total length:		54:49

Another World

• Released: 1993
• Label: GRP Records
• Producer: John Patitucci

Track Listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ivory Coast, Part I"	John Patitucci	1:20
2.	"Ivory Coast, Part II"	John Patitucci	4:50
3.	"Another World"	John Patitucci, Armand Sabal-Lecco	4:56
4.	"My Summer Vacation"	John Beasley	5:33
5.	"Soho Steel"	John Patitucci	3:49
6.	"I Saw You"	John Patitucci	4:25
7.	"Hold That Thought"	Jeff Beal, Ray Griff, John Patitucci, Tommy Rocco	4:53
8.	"Norwegian Sun"	John Patitucci	3:58
9.	"The Griot"	Armand Sabal-Lecco	4:05
10.	"Showtime"	Armand Sabal-Lecco	3:30
11.	"Peace Prayer"	John Patitucci	3:18
12.	"Shanachie"	Jeff Beal	4:57
13.	"Until Then"	John Patitucci	2:33
Total length:			52:07

Mistura Fina

• Released: 1995
• Label: GRP Records
• Producer: John Patitucci

Track Listing
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mistura Fina"	5:39
2.	"Bate Balaio (Rockson do Pandeiro)"	4:03
3.	"Puccini"	4:37
4.	"Samba Novo"	5:47
5.	"The Four Loves"	4:09
6.	"Assim Nao Da"	6:51
7.	"Joys And Sorrows"	5:58
8.	"Agua Mae Agua (Water Mother Water)"	4:07
9.	"Soul Song"	5:46
10.	"Varadero"	3:09
11.	"Long Story"	4:23
12.	"Barra Da Tijuca (Tijuca Bay)"	5:11
13.	"Samba School"	2:01

One More Angel

• Released: 1997

Now

• Released: 1998
• Label: Concord Records
• Producer: John Patitucci

Track Listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Now"	John Patitucci	9:11
2.	"Grace"	John Patitucci	8:55
3.	"Out of the Mouths of Babes"	John Patitucci	6:17
4.	"Hope"	John Patitucci	6:03
5.	"Labor Day"	John Patitucci	9:30
6.	"Espresso"	John Patitucci	8:59
7.	"Forgotten but Not Gone"	John Patitucci	7:40
8.	"Search for Peace""	McCoy Tyner	5:27
9.	"Giant Steps"	John Coltrane	4:31
10.	"Miya"	John Patitucci	3:52
Total length:			70:25

Imprint

• Released: February 1, 2000
• Label: Concord Records
• Producer: John Patitucci

Track Listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"King Kong"	John Patitucci	8:37
2.	"Postcard"	John Patitucci	6:44
3.	"Little Steps"	John Patitucci	7:13
4.	"Joan"	John Patitucci	6:46
5.	"Maroon Bells"	John Patitucci, Sachi Patitucci	0:41
6.	"Imprint"	John Patitucci	11:21
7.	"The Well"	John Patitucci	5:51
8.	"Essay"	John Patitucci	9:03
9.	"Japanese Folk Song"	John Patitucci	5:24
10.	"Afro Blue"	Mongo Santamaria	5:37
Total length:			67:17

Communion

• Released: August 14, 2001
• Label: Concord Records
• Producer: John Patitucci

Track Listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bariloche"	John Patitucci	4:44
2.	"Calabria"	John Patitucci	6:19
3.	"Choro Luoco"	John Patitucci	4:40
4.	"Isabella"	John Patitucci	8:02
5.	"Communion"	John Patitucci	6:44
6.	"Misterioso"	Thelonious Monk	4:19
7.	"Valentine"	John Patitucci	6:10
8.	"The Sower"	John Patitucci	7:05
9.	"Soul Eyes"	Mal Waldron	3:44
10.	"Bohemia Afer Dark"	Oscar Pettiford	2:44
Total length:			54:31

Songs, Stories & Spirituals

• Released: March 2003
• Label: Concord Records
• Producer: John Patitucci

Track Listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Tall Tale"	John Patitucci	4:56
2.	"Chovendo Na Roseira"	Antonio Carlos Jobim	6:15
3.	"I will Arise"	Joseph Hart	3:19
4.	"Lei"	Djavan	5:19
5.	"In the Bleak Midwinter"	Gustav Holst, Christina Rossetti	4:58
6.	"Three Faces"	John Patitucci	5:55
7.	"Now the River"	Luciana Souza	7:23
8.	"Soulmate"	John Patitucci, Luciana Souza	4:33
9.	"Rhapsodic Journey"	John Patitucci	3:21
10.	"It Never Entered My Mind"	Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers	8:24
11.	"Love Eternal"	John Patitucci	3:45
12.	"Wise One"	John Coltrane	4:27
Total length:			62:35

Line by Line

• Released: September 25, 2006
• Label: JVC Victor/Concord
• Producer: John Patitucci

Remembrance (Trio album with Joe Lovano and Brian Blade)

• Released: 2009

File:Wayne Shorter and John Patitucci.jpg

John Patitucci and Wayne Shorter with the Wayne Shorter quartet at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi, Milano, 2010

Collaborations

• Joel Weiskopf Trio – Change in My Life (2002) Trio album with Joel Weiskopf, piano; Brian Blade, drums
• Norm Stockton – Tea in the Typhoon (2009) [Upright Bass on "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Tea in the Typhoon", Electric Bass solo on "Let Me Not Forget"]

External links

• Official website
• John Patitucci at AllMusic
• Conversation with John Patitucci, 10/01/2009 at Bass Musician Magazine