Bruce Katz

Bruce Katz (born August 19, 1952)[1] is an American musician, playing piano, organ and bass guitar. From 1996 to 2010, he was on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music in Boston as an associate professor.[1]

Biography

Katz began playing classical piano at the age of 5. He commenced his professional musical career playing piano and bass guitar with various bands in Baltimore. He then decided to concentrate on piano and Hammond organ, and in particular, jazz and blues music. After studying music at the Berklee College of Music and playing primarily jazz in Boston, he got the opportunity to play bass guitar for Big Mama Thornton.[1] This reconnected him with his love of the blues, which has been his main musical genre since that time. From that band, Katz moved on to play with Barrence Whitfield and the Savages.[1] While in this band, Katz had the opportunity to tour all over Europe and the U.S., playing clubs, festivals and making television appearances.

From Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, Katz moved on to playing organ and piano as well as writing and co-writing material for Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters.[1] By this time, Katz had been on several different recording sessions with the bands he had played with as well as special guesting on sessions for other artists.

While with Ronnie Earl, Katz had not only formed his own band and began recording on the Sledgehammer Blues (formerly AudioQuest Music) label but was still maintaining the touring schedule with the Broadcasters. After leaving the Broadcasters in 1997 to concentrate on the Bruce Katz Band, Katz has maintained his own touring schedule, and released a total of seven albums,[1] while also recording and touring with many other artists, such as Delbert McClinton, Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, Debbie Davies, David "Fathead" Newman, John Hammond and others.

From 2007 to 2013, Katz was a regular member of Gregg Allman and Friends,[1] In 2011 he joined Delbert McClinton's Band and continues to play with him, Delbert McClinton until 2014. He continues to play with John Hammond on occasion. Katz performed with Allman Brothers founding member Butch Trucks in two different groups - Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band and Les Brers, a band that contained 5 members of the Allman Brothers Band and Katz on keyboards, Lamar Williams Jr. on vocals and Pat Bergeson on guitar, in addition to Butch Trucks, Jaimoe, Marc Quinones, Oteil Burbridge on bass and Jack Pearson on guitar.

In October, 2014, Katz released a new Bruce Katz Band album, "Homecoming" on the American Showplace Musiclabel. This album featured guests John Hammond, Randy Ciarlante, Jimmy Bennett, Marty Ballou, Peter Bennett and is the first Bruce Katz Band album to feature vocal tunes as well as instrumental tunes. "Homecoming" received critical and popular acclaim, garnering radio play in the U.S. and worldwide, appearing at the top of Blues Radio charts. In 2016 he released another album on the American Showplace Music label called "Out From The Center". This album was The Bruce Katz Band featuring Chris Vitarello, who has played with the band since 2006. Vitarello co-wrote several tunes on the Cd and sings four tunes. "Out From The Center" reached #1 on the Roots Music Report Blues Radio Chart. The Bruce Katz Band continues to be Katz's primary focus at present.

Discography

Title Release Record label
Crescent Crawl 1992 AudioQuest Music[2]
Transformation 1994 AudioQuest Music[3]
Mississippi Moan 1997 AudioQuest Music[4]
Three Feet Off The Ground 2000 AudioQuest Music[5]
A Deeper Blue 2004 Severn Records
Live! At the Firefly 2008 Brown Dog Music / VizzTone
Project A 2009 Anzic Records
Homecoming 2014 American Showplace Music
Out From The Center 2016 American Showplace Music
Get Your Groove! 2018 American Showplace Music

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ham, Char (1952-08-19). "Bruce Katz - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  2. ↑ "Crescent Crawl". Valley Entertainment. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  3. ↑ "Transformation". Valley Entertainment. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  4. ↑ "Mississippi Moan". Valley Entertainment. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  5. ↑ "Three Feet Off The Ground". Valley Entertainment. Retrieved 17 June 2010.


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