Larry Grenadier


Larry Grenadier is an American jazz double bassist.

Early life

Grenadier's father was a trumpet player in World War II army bands and later in Europe but stopped playing professionally before his children were born. Grenadier began on trumpet when he was in fifth grade, before beginning to play the bass the following year. Grenadier's brothers played trumpet and guitar. Grenadier's father helped introduce him to the instruments and music theory. Larry's older brother Phil began listening to jazz around this time, influencing his sibling's musical interests. Grenadier began listening to several jazz bassists, including Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Richard Davis, Paul Chambers, Wilbur Ware, and Oscar Pettiford, among others.
At age 12 Grenadier began formal study of the acoustic bass, learning from local jazz bass players Chris Poehlor, Paul Breslin, and Frank Tusa and later classical bassists Michael Burr and Stephen Tramontozzi. At 16, Grenadier had a busy career playing in the San Francisco Bay Area with both local musicians and those traveling through town in need of a bass player. These musicians included Harvey Wainapel, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Larry Vuckovitch, Eddie Henderson, Bruce Forman, Eddie Marshall, Vince Lateano, George Cables, Donald Bailey, Toots Thielmans, Johnny Griffin, Charles McPherson, and Frank Morgan, among others.
Grenadier studied at Stanford University and graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in English literature. At Stanford, he met Stan Getz, with whom he toured.

Career

After graduating from Stanford, Grenadier moved to Boston to play with vibraphonist Gary Burton. In 1991, he moved to New York. He continued to collaborate with some of the musicians he had met during his time in Boston, such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joshua Redman, Mark Turner, Jorge Rossy, and Chris Cheek. Others he met for the first time in New York include Bill Stewart, Kevin Hays, Renee Rosnes, Ralph Moore, Billy Drummond, Danilo Perez, David Sánchez, Tom Harrell, and Billy Hart. Grenadier continued his association with Joe Henderson, touring with his band, which at times included Al Foster, Renee Rosnes, and Larry Willis. He also spent a few months during his earlier years in New York playing in Betty Carter's band.
In the early 1990s, Grenadier first met and played with pianist Brad Mehldau. He joined Mehldau's trio with drummer Jorge Rossy; together, they toured and recorded for more than ten years. Rossy was replaced by drummer Jeff Ballard in 2004.
Grenadier has also worked with guitarist Pat Metheny, with whom he toured as a trio along with drummer Bill Stewart. He credits his experiences touring with Metheny's trio as a significant learning experience.
Grenadier has also played with John Scofield, Hudson, Charles Lloyd, Chris Potter, Billy Higgins, Michael Brecker, and Paul Motian, among many others. In 2014, Grenadier collaborated with Stefano Bollani on the album Sheik yer Zappa.
Grenadier is a member of FLY, a trio that includes drummer Jeff Ballard and tenor saxophonist Mark Turner. They have recorded three critically acclaimed albums. He also tours and records with his wife, singer-songwriter Rebecca Martin. A landmark solo bass album The Gleaners was issued by the ECM label in 2019.

Personal

Grenadier married Rebecca Martin, the singer and songwriter on June 7, 1997. Grenadier and Martin live in the Hudson Valley. Together, they have one son, Charlie.

Selected discography

As leaderThe Gleaners
With BeatleJazzWith a Little Help From Our Friends All You Need is Love
With Peter BeetsNew York Trio – Page Two
With Peter BernsteinHeart's Content Stranger in Paradise
With Seamus BlakeThe Call Four Track Mind
With Chris CheekBlues Cruise
With George ColliganThe Endless Mysteries
With FlyFly Sky & Country Year of the Snake
With Jon GordonAsk Me Now Currents
With Phil GrenadierSweet Transients Playful Intentions
With Kevin HaysUgly Beauty
With Hudson Hudson
With Ethan IversonCostumes Are Mandatory Every Note Is True
With David KikoskiDetails Limits
With Jonathan KreisbergNine Stories Wide
With Charles LloydThe Water Is Wide Hyperion with Higgins Lift Every Voice The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
With Herbie MannAmerica/Brasil Celebration
With Brad MehldauIntroducing Brad Mehldau The Art of the Trio Volume One Live at the Village Vanguard: The Art of the Trio Volume Two Songs: The Art of the Trio Volume Three Art of the Trio 4: Back at the Vanguard Places Progression: The Art of the Trio, Vol. 5 Largo Anything Goes Day Is Done House on Hill Brad Mehldau Trio Live Highway Rider Ode Where Do You Start Blues and Ballads Seymour Reads the Constitution!
With Pat MethenyTrio 99 → 00 Trio → Live Metheny/Mehldau Metheny/Mehldau Quartet
With Paul MotianTrio 2000 + One On Broadway Vol. 4 or The Paradox of Continuity Live at the Village Vanguard Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. II Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. III
With Rebecca MartinThoroughfare Middlehope The Growing Season When I Was Long Ago Twain
  • The Upstate Project
  • After Midnight with Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos
With MTBConsenting Adults Solid Jackson
With Wolfgang MuthspielRising Grace Where the River Goes
With Chris PotterPure Moving In The Sirens with Craig Taborn, David Virelles and Eric Harland
With Enrico RavaNew York Days
With Joshua RedmanTimeless Tales Back East Compass Walking Shadows
With Kurt RosenwinkelDeep Song
With Jamie SaftBorscht Belt Studies Fight Against Babylon New Zion Trio
With David SánchezSketches of Dreams
With Stan SulzmannThe Jigsaw
With Mark Turner
With Scott WendholtFrom Now On
With Steve WilsonFour for Time
With Frank Wess and Johnny Coles
With Chihiro YamanakaWhen October Goes Madrigal Lach Doch Mal
  • ''Reminiscence''