His forceful lines, graceful touch, assured sense of swing and sensitive support have made Scott Colley the bassist of choice for a variety of jazz greats. Guitarist Jim Hall and pianist Andrew Hill have regularly relied on Colley to supply a firm yet interactive foundation for their respective groups. Each has also engaged the bassist in intimate, highly conversational duos that have highlighted Colley's remarkably empathetic skills and strong melodic penchant on the instrument.
Since arriving in New York in 1988, Colley has been one of the most in-demand bassists on the jazz scene, supplying rich tones and driving momentum behind a variety of players from guitarists Mike Stern, Pat Metheny and John Scofield to saxophonists Joe Lovano, Greg Osby, and Michael Brecker; pianists Herbie Hancock, and Kenny Werner; and drummers Bill Stewart, Brian Blade and Billy Hart. He has appeared on more than 100 albums to date, including recent sessions with Andrew Hill (Dusk, Palmetto), tenor saxophonist Chris Potter (Gratitude, Verve), pianist Renee Rosnes (Art & Soul, Blue Note) saxophonist Donny McCaslin (Seen From Above, Arabesque) Lan Xang (Hidden Gardens, Naxos) Greg Osby (Symbols of Light) and country blues icon Taj Mahal (Tangled up in Blues-The music of Bob Dylan (Columbia).
As a bandleader, Colley has showcased his considerable skills as a composer-arranger in trio, quartet and sextet settings, beginning with his 1996 debut Portable Universe, (Freelance), 1997's This Place (SteepleChase), 1998's Subliminal (Criss Cross), 2000_s The Magic Line (Arabesque), and a new release-due out in April, 2002-"Initial Wisdom"(Palmetto Records). “Although I love being a bass player," he has said, “I look to all instruments for ideas and inspiration. I think of myself as a musician first. I've been privileged to play under a lot of great bandleaders and now I'm trying to add to that projects where I have more input compositionally."
Born on November 24, 1963 in Los Angeles, California, Colley began studying bass at age 11. At 13, he began studying with Monty Budwig while simultaneously practicing along with Paul Chambers and Charles Mingus records and playing standards two nights a week at a jam session in Pasadena. By age 16, he discovered the music of Jaco Pastorius and Charlie Haden. The towering influence of Haden_s music came into his playing through the classic recordings of Ornette Coleman. “He had the same qualities of simplicity and beauty that I appreciated in Paul Chambers," he told writer Ted Panken in the liner notes to Subliminal. “More than that, I was impressed by his patience. He never plays anything superfluous. You get the feeling every note he plays is exactly what he means."
From 1979 through 1981, Colley played duo gigs around L.A. with the great pianist-composer Jimmy Rowles. In 1984 he was granted a full scholarship to the California Institute for the Arts, where he focused on composition and jazz studies while also studying privately with Charlie Haden and classical bassist Fred Tinsley, of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 1986, he began touring and recording with jazz vocal legend Carmen McRae. He graduated Cal Arts with Bachelor of Music degree in 1988 and soon after moved to New York City.
While continuing to work with Ms. McRae through 1990, he also made U.S. and European tours with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Jordan, Roy Hargrove and Art Farmer. From 1991 to 1995: he performed and recorded with many bands including John Scofield, James Newton, Joe Henderson, Billy Hart, Mike Stern, and Phil Woods. From 1996 to 1998: He toured with Jim Hall and Joe Lovano_s “Grand Slam" band; Traveled throughout Japan with a group consisting of Toots Thielemans, Bobby Hutcherson, Billy Hart and Kenny Werner; European tours with Lost Tribe; trio concerts with Ravi Coltrane and Al Foster; trio and duo engagements with Jim Hall; various gigs led by Chris Potter, Renee Rosnes and Bob Berg; extensive work with Andrew Hill's “Another Point of Departure" sextet and tours with Lan Xang, a cooperative group with saxophonists David Binney and Donny McCaslin and drummer Kenny Wollesen.
In 2001/he has performed with Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter, Lan Xang, Steps Ahead as well as U.S. and European tours with his trio. He recently formed a new quartet with Ravi Coltrane, Adam Rogers, and Bill Stewart. A new recording for Palmetto Records, “Initial Wisdom" will be released in April 2002.
“I want to be involved in a lot of different music," the thoughtful composer-bass player said in the liner notes to Subliminal. “Some music might speak to melodically, some rhythmically, some intellectually. If I'm playing with Jim Hall one night, with Andrew Hill the next and something more groove-oriented like Lan Xang the next, it just feeds a different part of me. It's all music I listen to and absorb in different ways. Essentially, I have my style, whatever that is. And I can subtly adapt it for many different things. I don't think of music in terms of 'this is inside or this is old music.' It's more inclusive. It comes back to listening. When you're listening to what's really going on and not thinking about what you think is supposed to be going on, then you get to the root of what it's about."
What it's about, when Scott Colley picks up his instrument, is pure expression, impeccable articulation, deep foundation and direct communication. In a nutshell, to paraphrase Sun Ra: bass is the place.
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