Bruce Gertz (Walkin)

American, acoustic and electric bassist and composer (born in Providence, Rhode Island)

Bruce Gertz had piano lessons at age six for a brief period. He began playing guitar at age ten. By age fourteen Bruce moved to the bass guitar and started playing rock, blues and later jazz. His first bass guitar teacher was Anthony Evangelista who taught the basic fingerings and reading skills as well as simple chord outline.

While attending Berklee College of Music in Boston as a composition and arranging major, Bruce studied acoustic bass under John Neves and William Curtis. His writing and theory, improvisation teachers included Herb Pomeroy, William Maloof, Shirishe Korde, Paul Schmeling, Larry Monroe, John LaPorta, Ray Copeland, Thomas McGah, Bob Chestnut, Raymond Santisi, Gary Burton, Charlie Mariano, Rich Appleman, Anthony Texiera, John Bavicci and others

Eventually he began freelancing in the Boston area and soon built a reputation as a versatile player and soloist on both acoustic and electric bass. Gertz became associated with Ken Cervenka, Bill Frisell, Kermit Driscoll, Phillipe Saisse, Mick Goodrick, Mike Stern, George Garzone, Bob Gullotti, John Scofield, Bob Kaufman, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Hunt, Jerome Harris, Tommy Campbell, Leni Stern, Joe Lovano, Billy Drewes, Ted Lo, Kenny Werner, Gray Sargent, John Wheatley, Eric Gunnison, Mike Dooner, Larry Klugh, Mike and Pat Metheny, Tim Horner, Matt Wilson, D.Sharpe, James Williams, Greg Hopkins, Jaimie Baum, Makoto Ozone, Joe Cohn and many other top players in Boston between from the 1970’s to the present.

Bruce went on to study advanced improvisation concepts and techniques with Charlie Banacos, world-renowned jazz guru. This graduate type of study lasted six years and to this day the material remains valuable for practice.