More Than 20 Albums
Jazz CDs by Bruce Gertz
A recording captures a musical moment, but jazz never stands still. I'm Bruce Gertz, a bassist, composer, recording artist, educator, and bandleader based in Melrose, Massachusetts. My recordings are available to jazz listeners worldwide. Over the course of my career, I have recorded more than 20 albums as a bandleader, exploring everything from ensemble interaction to the possibilities of solo bass.
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Recording a Career
More Than 20 Albums as a Bandleader
Recording has been an important part of my musical life because it allows an idea to take on a permanent form.
A composition can begin quietly. Most mornings, I sit at the piano in my Melrose, Massachusetts home and work on music. Sometimes a complete direction becomes clear. On other days, I may find only a short phrase or musical fragment.
Eventually, some of those ideas move beyond the piano. They become compositions, develop through rehearsals and interaction, and take on new characteristics when other musicians become involved.
Recording captures one stage of that process.
As a bandleader, I have recorded more than 20 albums. My discography includes quartet and other ensemble projects as well as solo bass recordings. Each format presents different musical possibilities and challenges.
A Growing Discography
My discography includes quartet and other ensemble projects as well as solo bass recordings. Each format presents different musical possibilities and challenges.
Bruce Gertz Music
More Than 20 Albums as a Bandleader
Two Musical Worlds
Ensemble Jazz & the Different World of Solo Bass
One of the things I value most about jazz is that a composition does not have to dictate every detail of a performance, but solo bass presents a very different challenge altogether.
Built Through Interaction
Ensemble Jazz: Music Built Through Interaction
One of the things I value most about jazz is that a composition does not have to dictate every detail of a performance. The written material establishes a framework. The musicians then bring their own ears, instincts, personalities, and ideas into that framework.
That interaction can transform the music. A bassist might respond differently to a drummer's rhythmic idea. A soloist can introduce a phrase that changes the direction of the ensemble. Harmony, dynamics, and space can shift according to what musicians hear in the moment.
This is why ensemble jazz recordings are more than collections of individual performances. They document musicians listening and responding to one another. My experience performing and recording with artists such as Gary Burton, Jerry Bergonzi, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell, Dave Brubeck, Joe Lovano, and many others has continually reinforced the importance of that interaction.
When you listen to my ensemble recordings, you are hearing that musical conversation take shape.
Musicians Listening and Responding
- Quartet & Ensemble Recordings
Musical Interaction
Composition Meets Improvisation
20+ Albums as Bandleader
The Sound of the Instrument Alone
Without an ensemble, the bass has to create a complete musical environment in a different way, making space especially important.
A Different Challenge
The Different World of Solo Bass
Solo bass presents a very different challenge. Without an ensemble, the bass does not have another instrument automatically supplying harmony, rhythm, melody, or contrast. The instrument has to create a complete musical environment in a different way.
That makes space especially important. A single note can carry more weight. Changes in articulation, register, rhythm, resonance, and dynamics become part of the structure of the performance.
My solo bass recordings explore those possibilities and reflect my continuing interest in what the instrument can communicate on its own.
Jerry Bergonzi described my solo recordings as “meditations” and praised my command of the instrument and imagination. For listeners who primarily associate bass with an accompanying role, solo recordings can offer a different perspective on the instrument.
The Full Discography
Selected Recordings From My Discography
My recording history extends across decades and includes a wide range of projects.
15 Selected Releases
Selected Releases From My Discography
Selected releases include: Blue Cube, Singularity, Blue Shadow, Trio-Now, Tone of Spirit, Running in the Background, Gently Said, In Real Time, Waltz 1/19, Anybody Home?, Guilford Project, A Different Take, It Wasn't Me, Reptilian Fantasies, and Octopus Dreams.
These titles represent only part of a discography that includes more than 20 recordings as a bandleader.
Current CD availability should always be determined from the individual product listings. Not every recording in my discography should be assumed to be available for purchase at all times.
Recognition for the Recorded Work
- Blue Cube: 4 Stars in DownBeat
Singularity: 3.5 Stars in DownBeat
Feeling, Thought & Motion
Available in Current Shop Listings
How to Listen
Listening Beyond Technique
It is easy to evaluate a jazz recording only through technique. I think there is more to listen for.
Listen to how musicians respond to one another. Notice when the bass establishes a foundation and when it becomes more conversational. Listen to the use of space. Follow the development of an improvised idea instead of focusing only on individual notes.
A recording also allows you to return to those details. The first listen can be emotional. The next might reveal something rhythmic or harmonic you missed. That ability to hear something new on repeated listening is one of the reasons recorded jazz continues to matter to me.
Buying Directly From Bruce Gertz Music
Bruce Gertz Music ships available recordings to customers in the United States and internationally. Available CDs can be purchased directly through my shop along with my books and vinyl records.
5–7 Day Processing
Domestic orders generally require 5–7 days for processing and shipping.
Approximately Three Weeks
Overseas orders generally require approximately three weeks. These are general expectations rather than guaranteed delivery dates.
Weight, Destination & Carrier Rates
Shipping charges are calculated according to order weight, destination, and applicable carrier rates.
Accepted Payment Methods
I accept credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and Venmo.
Common Inquiries
Frequently Asked Questions About Bruce Gertz CDs
I have recorded more than 20 albums as a bandleader. My broader career also includes recording and performing with many other musicians.
My discography includes ensemble projects and solo bass recordings. Browse the current CD listings to see which titles are presently available.
My 2017 quartet release Blue Cube received four stars in DownBeat. Singularity, a solo bass recording, received 3.5 stars in the same issue.
Current inventory has not been confirmed for every title. Please use the individual shop listings to determine which recordings are available.
Yes. Overseas orders generally require approximately three weeks. Actual timing can depend on destination and carrier service.
Shipping is calculated according to package weight, destination, and applicable carrier rates.
You can purchase using a credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Venmo.
Continue Listening
Hear the Music for Yourself
A discography becomes a record of change over time. Different musicians, compositions, ensembles, and musical questions lead each project in its own direction.
My recordings document that continuing process.
Whether you are interested in ensemble jazz, original compositions, or the sound of bass in a more exposed setting, browse the available CDs and find a recording that interests you.
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Order Questions
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