Laurie's Biography

I'm always evolving and growing.  Hopefully, I am learning something along this journey of life? Lol!

 

 

  I started tap dancing when I was three years old.  I guess tap dance is what gave me my natural affinity for rhythm which appeared when I began playing  the bass.  

I started playing piano at the age of seven followed shortly after with playing the violin.  I continued playing the violin through High School Orchestra. 

I also began writing music soon after starting piano lessons, and a few of my songs placed in classical songwriting competitions when I was still in grade school.

 

I played piano my entire life, even though there were years I did not have access to a piano.

The last piano lessons I took were from Arthur Goldstein, and the lessons focused on improvisation and Jazz theory.

 

My mother bought me a bass when I was a Junior in High School (not sure why?),

but because I could read music I secured the Stage Band (Jazz Band) gig at my High School after only playing the bass for a month.

 

After completing my BA degree from Penn State in Theatre Arts with a Dance emphasis, I then started playing bass again while working on my BFA degree in Design at CCA (California College of Arts).  

I was fortunate enough to meet and play music with Paul,  guitar player and fellow CCA student,  who at that time was taking lessons from Joe Satriani.  

Paul opened my eyes to a whole new style of music - fusion, progressive rock, and jazz.  He took me to see and hear great bands and performers including: King Crimson, Steve Morse and the Dregs, Allan Holdsworth, Primus, Frank Gamble (Jeff Berlin on Bass), Roy Buchanan, David Gilmour, Larry Coryell, Mike Stern, Steve Vai, Alphonse Mouzon, Dennis Chambers, Marcus Miller, Jeff Beck, Tony Williams, Carlos Santana, and many more. 

Subsequently, after this inspiring exposure, I wanted to learn how to solo on the bass.

Ergo, I  took lessons from Rick Giovinazzo (Music composer - Co-orchestrated Austin Powers, etc.) for three years (because he had taken bass lessons from Jeff Berlin).  

Rick taught me Jeff's full range scale technique on the bass and he taught me music theory and jazz.

 

After participating in some jam nights in Oakland, CA I was quickly hired to play gigs in the Bay Area with many notable blues, rock and new age musicians.

I played bass with Cool Papa (wrote songs for and with John Lee Hooker) - R.I.P., in my first cover Rock band I played with Mark McGee (Guitar player for Greg Allman-R.I.P. for over 20 years and Vicious Rumors - signed to Atlantic Records), when Mark was on tour - Raul Casada (Sheila E's cousin) was the guitar player. 

I also played a gig with the Alameda Allstars ( Brad Gillis - guitar for Ozzy and Night Ranger was a member), etc. I played with numerous bands with numerous famous people in the Bay Area.

My last gig in the Bay Area was in 1993 - I played with Ricardo Scales at the Four Seasons in San Francisco. Narada Michael Walden (produced Whitney Houston, Al Jarreau, Natalie Cole, etc.) use to

come and sit in on drums with us.

While playing with Ricardo Scales we toured to LA and played at the Bellagio Hotel. I met Sal Marquez (trumpet for The Tonight show, Frank Zappa, etc. )

I hung out with Sal in LA, playing a few gigs together, and receiving an awesome lesson in Jazz. 

 

I moved to Seattle in Dec. 1993. I attended a few jam nights where again I started gigging for professional bass gigs immediately. I played with some great musicians.

I also started my origianl band. 

 

More to come soon......