John Patitucci
American Bassist
Personal Life
John Patitucci was born on the 22nd of December 1959 in New York. As a child, he had an intense fascination with the guitar and begged his parents for lessons. Patitucci began playing the electric bass aged ten by listening to his grandfather’s jazz records, and soon after, started performing and composing as a hobby. At the age of fifteen, he began playing the acoustic bass and piano.
In the late 1970s, Patitucci studied classical bass at the San Francisco State University and the Long Beach State University, where he perfected his craft in the bass.
Career
After graduation in 1980, he pursued his career as a studio musician and jazz artist. As a studio musician, he worked on a variety of albums by B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Wayne Shorter, Dizzy Gillespie, Bon Jovi, Sting and Carly Simon. In 1986, Patitucci was voted by his peers as the National Academy Recording Arts and Sciences MVP on acoustic bass.
As a performer, Patitucci has played throughout the world with his own band and jazz musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Joshua Redman, McCoy Tyner, Randy Brecker, Tony Williams and Kenny Werner alongside many pop artists such as Sting, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Airto and Dori Caymmi. He has also worked with various film composers such as Jerry Goldsmith, James Newton Howard, Dave Grusin, John Williams, Howard Shore, Carter Burwell and Howard Shore.
Since 1985, Patitucci has worked with Chick Corea and has recorded many albums such as 1986’s The Elektric Band, 1989’s Chick Corea Akoustic Band, 1991’s Beneath the Mask, 2000’s Live from Blue Note Tokyo and 2017’s The Musician. As a solo performer, he has released a variety of albums that have earned him two Grammys and over fifteen Grammy nominations. In 1996, he signed with Concord Jazz and released the albums: One More Nagel, Imprint, Communion, Line by Line and Remembrance.
In 2002, Patitucci began teaching at The City College of New York and worked with the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program. In 2010, he started his involvement with Berklee College of Music’s Global Jazz Institute. He is currently a Visiting Scholar at Berklee.
As a performer, Patitucci has played throughout the world with his own band and jazz musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Joshua Redman, McCoy Tyner, Randy Brecker, Tony Williams and Kenny Werner alongside many pop artists such as Sting, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Airto and Dori Caymmi. He has also worked with various film composers such as Jerry Goldsmith, James Newton Howard, Dave Grusin, John Williams, Howard Shore, Carter Burwell and Howard Shore.
Did You Know?
John Patitucci has his own documentary: Back in Brooklyn. The film, released in 2015, documents his life and creation of the album, Brooklyn.
John Patitucci Recordings
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