Greg Bryant was born in Nashville, Tennessee on February 17, 1979. At age 3 or 4 he became aware of the sound of music (via the family stereo.) It wasnt uncommon to see him run up the stairs with one of his dad’s records and put it on his fisher-price personal turntable. He gravitated towards the sounds of jazz, blues and R&B, being drawn into Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, Miles Davis, BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder and James Brown.
"I listen to a lot of records" says Bryant. "I liked movies as a kid, but I didn’t watch many for several years because most of the records I really dug were like movies for me. My favorite music can tell a story while revealing the human experience honestly and directly. Good music gets to your spirit."
Bryant studied piano as a child, did hip-hop as a teenager and began playing bass in college in 1998. Meeting drummer Andy Ray and guitarist Brian Mesko formed the basis for his musical experiences and provided musical challenges and surprises.
"Andy and Brian are my biggest teachers" said Bryant. "I used to jam with Andy around the clockwed listen to Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Herbie Hancock or Miles and then we’d jam for sometimes one or two hours straight. Andy was used to that and the freedom, discovery and stamina would improve between us."
"Then I would go over to Brian’s and beg him to show me tunes and chords. He was a pro. I kept up the best I could, and we ended up having a lot of fun." Bryant co-led and formed The Human Sound and the Cornerstone Jazz Trio. These musical units encouraged and provided the outlet for Bryant’s musical discovery.
The move to Chicago, Illiois and Washington DC (2002-3) provided a place for Bryant to hear and meet many of his idols including Wayne Shorter, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Hunter, Greg Osby , Lou Donaldson, Terell Stafford, Percy Heath and Dr. Lonnie Smith.
"I certainly took advantage of the clubs in the area. I think my knowledge and love for improvisational music grew twice as fast."
Washington DCs jazz club HR-57s jam sessions ignited the desire and passion in him to form his own group. "I’m glad I had that experience. HR-57 was fun, and it didnt feel like a cutting contest. I got to play with some of the hippest players in that area, and I came away feeling inspired and renewed."
In 2004, Bryant moved back to Nashville and formed his own quintet with area players including Chris West (sax), Reagan Mitchell (sax), Jason Hoffheins (drums) and Brian Mesko (guitar.) Their weekly performances displayed their original compositions and conceptions of standards. "That band was the first time I had ever concentrated on originals and it was a blast! It was a fun sound that could swing or groove and had the intensity of rock & roll when necessary. I don’t believe in playing museum music. Our quintet was very alive, and I want to retain that energy whenever I play music. It can be loud or soft..it just has to be intense."
The group became a quartet in the second half of the year, and included Reagan Mitchell, Oscar Utterstrom (trombone) and Pete Meriweather, Tom Larson or Jason Hoffheins on drums. "With no piano, I have a greater responsibility as a bass player. I enjoy this situation, and I want to continue exploring this sound. It allows space to be created in the music, and a lot of people that have been listening havent been exposed to this type of sound."
The group played several Nashville festivals including the Jefferson Street Jazz Festival, Hadley Park Music Festival and the African Street Festival.
2006 found the basist working in four primary contexts: a new jazz-funk band called "Mellow Gravy" with Paul Horton (rhodes piano), Adam Agati (guitar), Jason Hoffheins (drums) "Concurrence" (www.myspace.com/concurrence) with Paul Horton, The Greg Bryant Quartet, and as a sideman with Nashville guitarist Jack Silverman and with vocalist Dara Tucker.
In 2008 Greg Bryant will devote his time to a new project ranging from quartet to sextet size called the Greg Bryant Expansion along with producing vocalist Dara Tucker’s album and continuing the group, Concurrence (www.myspace.com/concurrence)
Myspace Layouts & Myspace Layouts