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Take Five with Bassist Bruno R?berg

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By AAJ Staff
July 9, 2023
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This is bass playing at its most enchanting.
—Ian Patterson, All About Jazz

Meet Bruno R?berg

Bruno R?berg is an internationally renowned bassist and composer. Since coming to the US from his native Sweden in 1981, he has made 13 recordings as a leader, about 30 as a sideman, and has performed with numerous world-class artists, including

Kris Davis

piano
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Kris Davis,

Terri Lyne Carrington

drums
b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Terri Lyne Carrington,

Jerry Bergonzi

saxophone, tenor
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Jerry Bergonzi,

George Garzone

saxophone, tenor
b.1950

" data-original-title="" title="">George Garzone,

Kenny Werner

piano
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Werner,

Sam Rivers

saxophone, tenor
1923 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Sam Rivers,

Tony Malaby

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Malaby,

Bill Pierce

saxophone, tenor
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Pierce,

Donny McCaslin

saxophone, tenor
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Donny McCaslin,

Billy Hart

drums
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Hart,

Bob Moses

drums
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Moses,

Mick Goodrick

guitar
1945 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Mick Goodrick,

Ben Monder

guitar
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Monder,

Bruce Barth

piano
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Bruce Barth,

Jim Black

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Jim Black,

Matt Wilson

drums
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Wilson,

Ted Poor

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Ted Poor,

Bob Mintzer

saxophone
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Mintzer and

Mike Mainieri

vibraphone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Mainieri. He currently leads several constellations of his own, notably Bruno R?berg Trio and the Triloka Ensemble. At 20, R?berg was drafted by Swedish trombone virtuoso

Eje Thelin

trombone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Eje Thelin and spent the ensuing years performing and recording with renowned Swedish and European artists such as

Monica Zetterlund

vocals
1937 - 2005

" data-original-title="" title="">Monica Zetterlund,

Zbigniew Seifert

violin
1946 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Zbigniew Seifert. In 1981, R?berg left his performing career in Europe to come to the USA, thanks to a scholarship to the New England Conservatory in Boston. There he studied with

Miroslav Vitous

bass
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Miroslav Vitous,

Mick Goodrick

guitar
1945 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Mick Goodrick,

George Russell

composer / conductor
1923 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">George Russell and Bob Moses. R?berg has been a professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston since 1986 and teaches in the prestigious Berklee Global Jazz Institute, led by pianist

Danilo Pérez

piano
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Danilo P��rez.

Instruments:

Acoustic bass primarily but also electric bass and piano, the latter mainly for composing and when teaching.

Teachers and/or influences?

I studied three years with

Miroslav Vitous

bass
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Miroslav Vitous at New England Conservatory (1981-84). Major influences are

Paul Chambers

bass, acoustic
1935 - 1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Chambers,

Scott LaFaro

bass
1936 - 1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott LaFaro,

Dave Holland

bass
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Holland,

Palle Danielsson

bass, acoustic
1946 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Palle Danielsson,

Gary Peacock

bass, acoustic
1935 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Peacock,

Ron Carter

bass
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Ron Carter,

Charlie Haden

bass, acoustic
1937 - 2014

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Haden,

Scott Colley

bass
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Colley and many many more.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when...

My main passion and interest has always been to play music. I don't have any specific moment that I can remember other then hearing

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" at age 15 but I already knew I just wanted to play then.

Your sound and approach to music.

Big question. If you really hear with your inner imagination what you will be playing and are able to connect that with your instrument, your sound will reveal itself. It might not happen overnight. When we learn how to play we imitate our heroes but sooner or later our own sound will evolve.

Your teaching approach

The short version is that I always try to find out two things with each new student. 1. What does the student need in terms of the basics? What bad habits and other technical aspects are limiting the student's ability to express themselves. 2. What excites the student? What information/activity will make the student run home with a desire to practice?

Road story: Your best or worst experience

This is just a funny story. When I was with Swedish jazz group Corpo we had a gig in Hammerfest Norway. When arriving at the hotel we looked in the local paper and found a review of the gig we hadn't played yet. It said we sounded pretty good.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?

It's always the latest so Look Inside [Orbis Music, 2023] my new recording of solo bass.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

Hopefully I am able to speak with my own voice through my instrument and make the listener be in the present moment.

Did you know...

I started on accordion playing Swedish folk music, then blues guitar and harmonica and eventually both electric and acoustic bass.

The first jazz album I bought was:

Con-Soul and Sax by

Wild Bill Davis

organ, Hammond B3
1918 - 1995

" data-original-title="" title="">Wild Bill Davis and

Johnny Hodges

saxophone, alto
1907 - 1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Hodges with

Milt Hinton

bass, acoustic
1910 - 2000

" data-original-title="" title="">Milt Hinton bass.

Music you are listening to now:

Kris Davis

piano
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Kris Davis: Aeriol Piano (Clean Feed)

Craig Taborn

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Craig Taborn: Shadow Plays (ECM)

Eric Dolphy

woodwinds
1928 - 1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Dolphy Quintet: Outward Bound (New Jazz 823)

Ralph Towner

guitar
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Ralph Towner: At First Sight (ECM)

Desert Island picks:

The albums listed here had some very significance during certain times in my life.

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis Quintet: The Sorcerer (CBS)

Donald Fagen

piano and vocals
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Donald Fagen: The Nightfly (Warner Records)

John Lennon

guitar and vocals
1940 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">John Lennon: Double Fantasy (Geffen)

Bill Evans

piano
1929 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Evans Trio: Sunday at the Village Vanguard (Riverside)
Jali Nyama Suso: African Journey (Music Republic)

How would you describe the state of jazz today?

Jazz is always evolving, but right now there is too much emphasis on technical skill and on perfection. I think there's a whole area of being able to develop more a spiritual and emotional contact and connection with the listener that we've just began to explore.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

There has to be a local thriving scene with musicians of all levels participating. I'd say that is just as important as big star-studded jazz festivals. When I came to Stockholm in 1974 to join trombonist Eje Thelin's group, I would hear legendary bassist Palle Danielsson and pianist

Bobo Stenson

piano
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobo Stenson play all the time. They were just into playing as much as possible and in many different bands and situations. This was immensely important to my development as a musician.

What is in the near future?

I am booking solo bass concerts for the fall and a European tour for spring 2024, also for solo bass mainly. Back in January I recorded my Bruno R?berg Tentet project which is for six horns and four rhythm sections. It features pianist Kris Davis and saxophonist

Walter Smith III

saxophone, tenor
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Walter Smith III along with

Nate Radley

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Nate Radley guitar,

Allan Chase

saxophone, alto
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Allan Chase saxophones,

Anastassiya Petrova

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Anastassiya Petrova B3 organ,

Charlotte Lang

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlotte Lang bass clarinet and others. The music is all original compositions and will be released in spring 2024.

What is your greatest fear when you perform?

That my pants will slip off.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

John Coltrane's "Resolution" really, really loud.

What is your favorite song to whistle or sing in the shower?

Any of Eliot Carter's string quartets, the viola part.

By Day:

Professor at Berklee College of Music, Boston.

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:

I think I'd be a chef, a linguistic scholar or a hole poker of Swiss cheese.

If I could go back in time and relive an experience, what would it be?

Hearing

Cecil Taylor

piano
1929 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil Taylor at the Ljubljana Jazz Festival in 1975.

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