Biography
Rob Wasserman, a bassist of remarkable versatility, earned acclaim both as a bandleader and as a frequent collaborator. His three-part series of recordings, aptly named Solo, Duets, and Trios, highlighted his wide artistic scope across the 1980s and 1990s. He first took up violin at age 12 but did not switch to bass until he turned 20. Not long afterward he entered the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and began performing with drummer Charles Moffett. The disciplined classical foundation from his violin studies, together with an expansive musical outlook, served him repeatedly over the course of his career. Early work placed him alongside Dan Hicks, Maria Muldaur, Van Morrison, and Oingo Boingo. In 1983 he cut Solo for Rounder, drawing strong critical notice. For many years he remained a core member of David Grisman’s ensemble while also maintaining extended associations with Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, and Grateful Dead bassist Bob Weir, the last of whom joined him in forming RatDog in the mid-1990s. Released in 1988, Duets united him with seven stylistically varied singers, among them Bobby McFerrin, Rickie Lee Jones, Cheryl Bentyne, and Lou Reed, plus violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Trios arrived in 1993 and featured contributions from Jerry Garcia, Brian and Carnie Wilson, Willie Dixon, Branford Marsalis, Elvis Costello, and additional guests. Although he spent much of his time as a prominent sideman, the albums issued under his own name constituted distinctive and noteworthy statements. After the Solo-Duets-Trios trilogy, the space-rock-oriented Space Island appeared in late 2000, introducing new sonic layers and integrating hip-hop and electronic textures. Subsequent years found him continuing with RatDog while also appearing alongside Gov’t Mule and Rickie Lee Jones. He later returned to leading his own projects with Cosmic Farm, a fusion session that included guitarist Craig Erickson, T. Lavitz on keyboards, and Jeff Sipe on drums. Rob Wasserman died on June 29, 2016, at the age of 64.
Albums
