Danny Weller and Third Story
By Richard Cone
A professional bassist since the young age of 16, Danny Weller has backed up numerous jazz artists such as Gilbert Castellanos, Geoffrey Keezer, Charles McPherson, Mike Wofford, Peter Sprague, Jason Palmer, Mike Moreno, and Obed Calviere. He’s also backed artists such as blues-singer Earl Thomas, and Scott Russo of Unwritten Law.
Weller began his music training in third grade on the violin. One day when he was about 15, he came home to find a stand-up bass in the living room, and, he recalls, “It was unanimously decided that I was to be the resident family bassist.”
Weller’s entire family is musically gifted; his mother plays woodwinds, his dad plays piano, and his brother Charlie plays drums. The Weller Family Band still gets together for occasional San Diego concerts. His 2005 debut album, “Tree of Thorns,” is a musical dialogue with his dad, Bob Weller, and also featured several original compositions inspired by his love of Sci-Fi literature, but also influenced by elements of experimental improvisation. In May 2006, Danny completed his Bachelor of Music and moved back to San Diego. Today, Weller is on the cusp of an exploding career with the release of his latest CD, “Third Story,” recorded at the home of his parents over two days of sessions in August, 2011. In May 2010, Weller moved with his wife to New York City. Shortly after moving, he joined the band of Miss Tess, a singer/songwriter from Brooklyn, and performed at hundreds of venues, clubs, and festivals, to audiences ranging from small to over 6,000.
Though only in his twenties, Weller has earned a reputation as one of the area’s most accomplished bassists. His music training began with years of classical violin lessons. He picked up the bass in his teens and joined his parents and siblings in the Weller Family Band. He graduated the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts in 2002 and attended the New England Conservatory of Music, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music in 2006. His 2006 album “Tree of Thorns” features his parents: pianist Bob Weller and saxophonist Ellen Weller.
Formed by Danny Weller – and featuring guitarist Jeff Miles (winner of the 2008 Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition), pianist Joshua White (2011 Monk Competition Finalist), and Los Angeles drummer Jens Kuross – Third Story is a new voice in modern jazz, with 10 cuts all written by Weller, White and Miles. This is a venture into lush piano, ambient guitar fills, aggressive rhythm and haunting melodies, Third Story’s debut album features original compositions ranging from straight-ahead swing to Latin, fusion, and “straight-eighths” rhythms influenced by 1970’s ECM recordings. The band plays with melodies of different colors and shapes; sometimes nobody solos, sometimes everybody solos simultaneously. You’ll hear walls of sound interrupted by moments of pristine simplicity.
I’ll remind you as the dates close in, but you’ll have a chance to see Danny Weller and Third Story in performances at Mesa College on September 19 and at Dizzy’s in Downtown San Diego on September 21. In the meantime, you can hear sound samples and order “Third Story” at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thirdstory The CD is a mere $12.97 and the MP3 download is only $9.99 or 99 cents for individual songs. Take my word for it, you want the entire CD. Every song is a story and each story will hook you.
Category: Music
