Ron Brendle

Ron has been a freelance bassist in the Charlotte area since 1981. His innovative compositions and improvisational style have earned several awards as "Jazz Artist of the Year" by Creative Loafing Magazine and "Best Bassist" by Charlotte Magazine. He was the recipient of two North Carolina Arts Council Jazz Composer Fellowship Grants, which helped to produce his CDs Hypermobility and Photograph.Ron's composition Not Forgetting was used in the motion picture The Architect and his compositions Hypermobility and Freeway were featured on two JazzSouth Sampler CDs.As a first-call bassist in the area, Ron has performed and recorded with many notable jazz artists of international stature, including Mose Allison, Clark Terry, Andrew Hill, Charlie Byrd, Charlie Rouse, and Nneena Freelon. His latest recordings include projects with Mike Campbell, 'Go There' and Frank Kimbrough.In addition to maintaining an active career as a bassist, Ron co-founded sax, bass & drums trio, 'Big Octave', which performs original compositions and arrangements. He also plays bass with Scott Sawyer's funk/rock band 'Go There' as well as 'Petri Dish', 'Project Bluebird', and 'Ten Speed Orchestra'; three very innovative groups based in Asheville and Charlotte. Ron also performs numerous educational outreach concerts each year as part of the Charlotte Jazz Society and as bassist with Viva Klezmer.Ron graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor Degree in music and currently teaches there. He also studied bass with jazz icon Charlie Haden in at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna, Florida.