Mel Bay Mastering the Bass Book 2
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, acoustic and electric bass player and composer Bruce Gertz began playing guitar at the age of ten. By age fourteen he changed to the bass guitar and started playing rock, blues and later jazz. While attending Berklee College of Music in Boston as a composition and arranging major, Bruce studied acoustic bass under John Neves and William Curtis. 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 Bill Frisell, Mick Goodrick, Mike Stern, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi and other top players in Boston through time. Later Bruce studied more advanced jazz improvisation with Charlie Banacos and also through association with Jerry Bergonzi. Bruce has also toured with Billy Eckstine, Maynard Ferguson, Marlena Shaw, Gary Burton, Dave Brubeck, Jerry Bergonzi and others.