Meet Jon Steele Bass

In the early days, it was curiosity of harmony 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 town like Knoxville and regional symphonies too. In this part of the country you'll hear bluegrass and string music, but also steel pan, blues and jam bands. For a while, Jon toured with a big band hitting cities like New York and Boston. But, when a bus of 20 musicians lost its charm, he went back to the south to a van of seven on the college circuit in a popular jam band. Then he went back to University of Tennessee and received his Masters Degree in Double Bass performance.

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 formalized  musical ideas where there was access to world class musicians and found some to realize his music. The renowned jazz composer Donald Brown, was a major influence for the quintet sessions was. The days in D.C. were busy with straight-ahead jazz, world music, R&B, pop and funk along U St. and Adams Morgan, where the local scene is, and connection to players coming through from Philly, NYC, Europe West Africa, Middle East and other parts of the world. 

But, times change. 

Jon has  just moved Nashville where things are both strange and familiar. The sounds of Music City resonate with the early days, having lived throughout the Southeast many years. 

And it turns out, there is a lot of work there for a musician.