The Rockwater is adding some jazz to their musical repertoire when they bring in Canadian bassist and composer Brandi Disterheft.
From her deep, resonating upright bass lines and potent improvisations, it is clear that Brandi Disterheft, an accomplished musician hailing from Vancouver and currently residing in New York City, has a healthy respect for the jazz tradition.
With mentors like Don Thompson, Rufus Reid, Rodney Whitaker and Ron Carter, Disterheft began her journey of music with classical piano in the first grade.
“I remember clearly performing in elementary school music class for my peers and loved the exhilarating feeling of nervousness shifting into joy in a manner of seconds,” she told the Ottawa Citizen.
By age 13 her father convinced her to try out the double bass.
“I immediately fell in love with the beauty of its low frequency, and the ‘hidden’ notes, for there are no obvious notes like on the piano, appeared as a puzzle I could slowly solve every time I practiced.”
After studying at Toronto’s Humber College, Disterheft grew into a top-notch, in-demand bass player and collaborator. Her first recording as a bandleader, Debut, won a 2008 Juno Award for Best Jazz Album of the Year.
Disterheft’s talent and determination have earned the respect of none other than Oscar Peterson, who said that she “has the same lope or rhythmical pulse as my late bass player Ray Brow. She is what we call serious.”
Disterheft will be playing at the Rockwater Grill and Bar on Thursday Nov. 8. To hear some of her music go to www.brandidisterheft.com.
