Billy Mintz: The 2 Bass Band…Live

Drummer/Composer Billy Mintz celebrates 25 years of leading his 2 Bass Band! In the early 1990’s in Los Angeles, nine like-minded LA luminaries, including Bob Sheppard, Kim Richmond and Bruce Fowler, got together to begin work-shopping, and then performing, Billy’s music.

Upon returning to New York in 2001, Billy strove to develop the concept further, and the New York-based 2 Bass Band soon began performing around New York, first at Cornelia Street Café and the Knitting Factory, and recently at iBeam Brooklyn. After nearly twenty-five years, Thirteenth Note Records presents the band’s first recording.

In lieu of a formal arranging/composing education, Billy spends long hours transcribing what he hears in his head (and heart). He has painstakingly forged a unique sound that never fails to move the audience.

Explains Mintz, “When I first came to New York, the band was very loose. We just played very free sketches. Then I started hearing more specific arrangements and orchestrations. The New York personnel evolved to reflect that change.”

Much as Duke Ellington did, Mintz arranges his music with the specific players in mind. Hypnotic vamps, haunting melodies and gorgeous orchestrations are the hallmarks of this group. The group’s debut CD was recorded live at Ibeam in Brooklyn in one night.

A veteran of both the LA and New York jazz scenes, Billy Mintz is that rare breed of jazz musician who is as comfortable playing standards in a piano trio (which he has done for years with the Alan Broadbent Trio) as he is performing in the creative music scene with icons such as Ellery Eskelin and Mark Feldman.

During his formative years in New York City, Mintz played and recorded with the Lee Konitz Nonet, Kundalini with Perry Robinson and Badal Roy, the Eddie Daniels Quartet, Gloria Gaynor, and the Harold Danko Quartet.

In 1981 Mr. Mintz relocated to Los Angeles where he was a member of the Mike Garson Trio with Stanley Clarke, the Kim Richmond Sextet, the Bobby Shew Quintet, the Joey Sellers’ Jazz Aggregation, and the Vinny Golia Quartet. In 1988 he toured Europe with saxophonist Charles Lloyd. Since 2003 Mr. Mintz has lived in New York where he has recorded and performed with the Hal Galper Trio, the Russ Lossing Trio, the Roberta Piket Trio, the Mark Feldman-Sylvie Courvoisier Quartet and others. He also has performed numerous solo drum set concerts worldwide. Billy’s first CD as leader, 2013’s Mintz Quartet, is available on Thirteenth Note Records.