Biography
Ruth Goller, an Italian musician, composer, singer, and recording artist who lives in London, performs on electric and double bass. Participation in punk-jazz ensembles such as Acoustic Ladyland and Melt Yourself Down, as well as Vula Viel, Let Spin, Shabaka Hutchings, Sarah Gillespie, Josienne Clarke, Alabaster DePlume, and additional projects helped her catalyze the city's jazz resurgence. Her first album, Skylla, reached listeners in 2021. Guest vocals from Alice Grant and Lauren Kinsella appeared on a handful of selections even though most tracks stood alone. Chicago's International Anthem released her next recording, Skyllumina, in March 2024. Original compositions filled the set, with Goller supported by an elite lineup of drummers and percussionists that featured Sebastian Rochford, Frank Rosaly, Tom Skinner, and Bex Burch.
Born in Brixen, South Tyrol, amid the Italian Alps, Ruth Goller grew up in England. Violin and piano formed her earliest musical training. During her teenage years she took up the electric bass to perform punk music alongside friends. After finishing secondary school Goller relocated to London, where she completed one year at the London Music School before transferring to Middlesex University and receiving a Bachelor of Arts in jazz studies in 2006. The next year she entered the London jazz-punk band Acoustic Ladyland and contributed to A.L.ive as well as 2009's Living with a Tiger. At the same time she appeared on studio albums by Oriole, whose members included saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and Sebastian Rochford. In 2012 she helped establish Melt Yourself Down with Pete Wareham, Shabaka Hutchings, Tom Skinner, Kushal Gaya, and Satin Singh; the group's self-titled debut arrived in 2013. That same year she took part in the African Express tour arranged by Damon Albarn and shared stages with Paul McCartney and John Paul Jones.
Goller sustained her work with Melt Yourself Down, recording 2014's Live at the New Empowering Church, while also co-founding the post-jazz quartet Let Spin, which issued its self-titled debut the same year. She maintained simultaneous commitments to both groups and to numerous other musicians. In 2015 she recorded Let Go with Let Spin and contributed to Cara Stacey's Things That Grow. The following year she appeared on Sarathy Korwar's widely praised debut, Day to Day, and on Melt Yourself Down's Last Evenings on Earth.
Demand for Goller's playing intensified two years later. Throughout 2018 she participated in no fewer than six recordings plus near-constant live work. Notable releases that year included Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker's Seedlings All and Paula Rae Gibson and Kit Downes's Emotion Machine. She joined Vula Viel, formed by percussionist-composer Bex Burch and drummer Jim Hart, for the debut Do Not Be Afraid. Additional 2018 sessions yielded Korwar's More Arriving and Downes's ECM debut, Dreamlife of Debris.
Extensive touring occupied Goller in 2020 both as a band member and as a session musician. Still she found time to record 100% Yes with Melt Yourself Down and Steal the Light with Let Spin, and to perform on guitarist Chris Montague's Warmer Than Blood, which she also co-produced. In January 2021 she supplied bass for Sam Amidon's self-titled Nonesuch debut and finally issued Skylla, her inaugural leader project. On the album Goller played electric and double basses while singing; although she remained the sole instrumentalist, vocalists Lauren Kinsella and Alice Grant appeared on four of the ten tracks. She subsequently toured the well-received recording at European jazz festivals before appreciative crowds.
In 2022 Goller resumed work with Melt Yourself Down on Pray for Me I Don't Fit In and with Let Spin on Thick as Thieves. She also became an official member of pianist-cornetist Laura Jurd's chamber sextet for The Big Friendly Album and its accompanying tour.
Amid continued heavy touring Goller contributed to Alabaster DePlume's Come With Fierce Grace, released in 2023 on International Anthem. Impressed by her performance, arrangements, and production suggestions, the label offered her a contract. She recorded ten original pieces that featured her detuned bass and soprano vocals, which she arranged and overdubbed herself, with Kinsella appearing on one track. Each composition received a distinct drummer or percussionist, among them Rochford, Hart, Frank Rosaly, Mark Sanders, Max Andrzejewski, and Emanuele Maniscalco.
Born in Brixen, South Tyrol, amid the Italian Alps, Ruth Goller grew up in England. Violin and piano formed her earliest musical training. During her teenage years she took up the electric bass to perform punk music alongside friends. After finishing secondary school Goller relocated to London, where she completed one year at the London Music School before transferring to Middlesex University and receiving a Bachelor of Arts in jazz studies in 2006. The next year she entered the London jazz-punk band Acoustic Ladyland and contributed to A.L.ive as well as 2009's Living with a Tiger. At the same time she appeared on studio albums by Oriole, whose members included saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and Sebastian Rochford. In 2012 she helped establish Melt Yourself Down with Pete Wareham, Shabaka Hutchings, Tom Skinner, Kushal Gaya, and Satin Singh; the group's self-titled debut arrived in 2013. That same year she took part in the African Express tour arranged by Damon Albarn and shared stages with Paul McCartney and John Paul Jones.
Goller sustained her work with Melt Yourself Down, recording 2014's Live at the New Empowering Church, while also co-founding the post-jazz quartet Let Spin, which issued its self-titled debut the same year. She maintained simultaneous commitments to both groups and to numerous other musicians. In 2015 she recorded Let Go with Let Spin and contributed to Cara Stacey's Things That Grow. The following year she appeared on Sarathy Korwar's widely praised debut, Day to Day, and on Melt Yourself Down's Last Evenings on Earth.
Demand for Goller's playing intensified two years later. Throughout 2018 she participated in no fewer than six recordings plus near-constant live work. Notable releases that year included Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker's Seedlings All and Paula Rae Gibson and Kit Downes's Emotion Machine. She joined Vula Viel, formed by percussionist-composer Bex Burch and drummer Jim Hart, for the debut Do Not Be Afraid. Additional 2018 sessions yielded Korwar's More Arriving and Downes's ECM debut, Dreamlife of Debris.
Extensive touring occupied Goller in 2020 both as a band member and as a session musician. Still she found time to record 100% Yes with Melt Yourself Down and Steal the Light with Let Spin, and to perform on guitarist Chris Montague's Warmer Than Blood, which she also co-produced. In January 2021 she supplied bass for Sam Amidon's self-titled Nonesuch debut and finally issued Skylla, her inaugural leader project. On the album Goller played electric and double basses while singing; although she remained the sole instrumentalist, vocalists Lauren Kinsella and Alice Grant appeared on four of the ten tracks. She subsequently toured the well-received recording at European jazz festivals before appreciative crowds.
In 2022 Goller resumed work with Melt Yourself Down on Pray for Me I Don't Fit In and with Let Spin on Thick as Thieves. She also became an official member of pianist-cornetist Laura Jurd's chamber sextet for The Big Friendly Album and its accompanying tour.
Amid continued heavy touring Goller contributed to Alabaster DePlume's Come With Fierce Grace, released in 2023 on International Anthem. Impressed by her performance, arrangements, and production suggestions, the label offered her a contract. She recorded ten original pieces that featured her detuned bass and soprano vocals, which she arranged and overdubbed herself, with Kinsella appearing on one track. Each composition received a distinct drummer or percussionist, among them Rochford, Hart, Frank Rosaly, Mark Sanders, Max Andrzejewski, and Emanuele Maniscalco.
Albums
Singles
