Biography
Mainstream jazz bassist, pianist, composer and bandleader Howard Britz entered the world in London, England, on May 1, 1961. His formative years across the U.K. granted stage time alongside pianist Jonathan Gee, pianist Jason Rebello and saxophonist Tim Garland, yet the American jazz bassists Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Eddie Gomez and Christian McBride exerted the strongest pull on his musical direction. He belonged to the ensemble for the stage production Blues in the Night during its extended West End run that surpassed one year. In 1991 he relocated to the United States on a Berklee College of Music scholarship, completing a single year in Boston before moving to the New England Conservatory, from which he earned a Jazz Performance degree in 1995. While based in Boston he remained in steady demand as a leading bassist and connected with numerous area players; concurrently he built an East Coast presence through sideman work that began notably with saxophonist Bill Pierce. In 1995 Britz relocated to Philadelphia, where he collaborated with drummer Mickey Roker, pianist Sid Simmons, pianist Uri Caine, trumpeter John Swana and assorted jazz and blues vocalists. He subsequently departed Philadelphia for Brooklyn, New York, and completed a B.F.A. in Music Education, awarded Summa Cum Laude, at City College/C.U.N.Y. in 2005. Beyond his own performances he conducts classes, leads workshops and instructs private students. As a bandleader he has appeared and recorded with vocalist Jon Hendricks, vocalist Annie Ross, pianist Danilo Perez, saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, saxophonist Sam Rivers, saxophonist Julius Hemphill, pianist Kenny Werner, pianist Uri Caine, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, pianist Edsel Gomez and the New York Central Baptist Gospel Choir.
Albums
