Meet Jon Steele Bass

In the early days, it was curiosity of music and love of rhythm that inspired Jon to listen to any music available, mostly radio rock and country. Growing up in different parts of the Southeast U.S. meant getting in where you fit in. Jon found himself in the garage band, school orchestra and jazz bands with various high schools in Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee. 

These were formative years as a player and for taste in music, having worked with all kinds of styles and musicians. There were lots jazz gigs for a small town like Knoxville and regional symphonies too. In this part of the country there is also bluegrass and string music, but also steel pan, blues and jam bands. For a while, Jon toured with a big band hitting big cities like New York and Boston. But, when a bus of 20 musicians lost its charm, he went back to the south  and a van of seven to travel the college circuit in a popular jam band. Then he went back to University and received his Masters Degree in Double Bass performance.

Jon didn’t give up the jazz . After a very brief hit in L.A., he found himself in Washington, D.C. where there is a heritage of great jazz composers like Duke Ellington, Benny Golson and many more. There is also a great jazz scene with clubs and musicians. Jon started to get formal with musical ideas. Here there was access to world class musicians and with some luck, Jon found them to realize his music. A major influence for the quintet recording was Donald Brown, renowned jazz composer. The days in D.C. were busy with a lot of straight-ahead jazz, along U St and Adams Morgan- where the local scene is, and the connection to players coming through from Philly, NYC and Europe.

After a short time in St. Louis, Jon has  set his sights on Nashville where things are both strange and familiar. The sounds of Music City resonate with the early days, having lived in the Volunteer state for many years. And it turns out, there is a lot of work there for a musician.