bill kratz
New York City, New York, United States
Music
Press
For Rescue, Sanjay Mishra invited back a few friends from his previous albums, including tabla player Samir Chatterjee and, for a few electronic-rhythm tracks, programmer/engineer Miti. The accompanists never get in the way of Mishra's virtuosic guitar work, though, and bassist Bill Kratz contributes a solid foundation for the album. A version of the Beatles' perennial "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" is imaginative, with an atmospheric lilt and Chatterjee's sensitive tabla. - Sanjay Mishra- Akar Music
For Rescue, Sanjay Mishra invited back a few friends from his previous albums, including tabla player Samir Chatterjee and, for a few electronic-rhythm tracks, programmer/engineer Miti. The accompanists never get in the way of Mishra's virtuosic guitar work, though, and bassist Bill Kratz contributes a solid foundation for the album. A version of the Beatles' perennial "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" is imaginative, with an atmospheric lilt and Chatterjee's sensitive tabla. - Sanjay Mishra- Akar Music
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Bill Kratz
Electric Bassist, Guitarist, Educator
- by Justin Kenny, Reuters
Bassist Bill Kratz shies away from the term "world musician," but the instructor and performer is a world class talent who has plied, learnt, and taught his craft all over the globe - soaking up influences and leaving his mark wherever the wind takes him.
From fusion groove to Indian raga, from California to Kosovo, from New York to Nepal, and many places in between, Kratz's exceptional artistic talents have found a comfortable home regardless of musical or geographical climate.
Kratz picked up electric bass in his youth after being wooed by his hero on the Hofner, Paul McCartney. He immersed himself in the instrument, learning as much he could while playing in various jazz bands and orchestras. In 1984, the budding bassist earned a scholarship at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Kratz also studied at the New School Jazz in New York City and has been taught by some of the industry's top players including bebop great Reggie Workman (John Coltrane), fusion wizards Jimmy Earl (Chick Corea Elektric Band, Stanley Clarke Band), and Gary Willis, among others.
In 1997, Kratz moved to Kathmandu, Nepal where he intensively studied eastern music with sitarist Pandit Dhrubesh Chandra Regmi and tablaist Pandit Homnath Upadhyaya.
That training helped pave the way for his explosive 2000 performance with percussionists Dennis Chambers (Drummer for Santana, Parliament & Funkadelic) and Samir Chatterjee (Tabla player for Ravi Shankar) on guitarist Sanjay Mishra's (Jerry Garcia collaborator) critically acclaimed album Rescue. The album fused musical ideas from the East and West with an all star ensemble. Kratz and Chambers scorched many of the tracks with a 160 plus beats-per-minute pulse and an infectious groove - a triumph in physical strength, endurance, and musicality.
"For Rescue...bassist Bill Kratz contributes a solid foundation for the album." - John Bush, All Music Guide
Kratz has recorded as a bassist, guitarist, and sitar player with a number of artists in New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Copenhagen, Denmark. He has performed at the legendary Blues Alley jazz club in Washington, DC, and the prestigious Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
The musician has been a bass and guitar educator and clinician for over twelve years. In the spring of 2003, he was a lecturer of Jazz Studies, Improvisation, and electric bass at the University of Pristina in Kosovo.
In 2005 Bill permanently moved to New York. He is on the faculty of The National Guitar Workshop in New York, and he is now listed at the New School Jazz as one of the teachers students can choose to go to for private lessons. He also recently co-founded the 'bass Construct' with bassist Jim Donica.
Bill continues to travel extensively to do sessions, musical theater, conduct bass clinics, teach, record, and perform.
For more information contact: info@billkratz.net
Links
