Background
Ollie Dudek is a San Francisco native who started playing the electric and upright bass while growing up in the Bay Area snd has a BA in Jazz Performance from the California Jazz Conservatory. He was first introduced to music at a young age through studying piano at San Francisco's Richmond Community Music Center and later began playing the guitar and bass. He was introduced to Jazz by his father Matthew Dudek who worked professionally as a carpenter and also a jazz bassist in the San Francisco Jazz Scene. Ollie's main stylistic influences revolve mainly around the musical genres of Swing,Bebop Blues, Afro Cuban and classical music. In regards to musical education Ollie spent much of his time studying music at San Francisco State University under the guidance of John Calloway, Dee Spencer and the late great Andrew Speight and also at the CJC studying bass with Jeff Denson and Saul Sierra, composition with Michael Zilbur, Bebop language with Dan Zinn and Arranging with Erik Jekabson, . Immersing him self in the local jazz scene while simultaneously pursuing his musical studies in school Ollie learned how to apply his newfound knowledge to the bandstand quickly. Ollie has been Called a "gifted young player" by music editor and reviewer Scott Yanow. His interesting bass lines and rhythmic pulse drives the music forward towards new and exciting heights. Ollie works as a professional musician, playing at local venues, fairs, and festivals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to recording on several recordings with Flautist Gerald Becket, Ollie can also be heard on his own albums entitled Flight of Life: Scenic Route Trio featuring Javier Santiago (piano) and Genus Wesley (drums) The Changing Scene by the Bay Tones Trio with pianist Grant Levin and drummer Omar Aran. Ollie has traveled to Cuba and Brazil to study African rooted music, rhythms and culture. Upon his return he participated a 3 week run of a musical play called "the Cool" focusing on the life and music of Chet Baker. Recently Ollie has traveled to both New York and New Orleans to perform at gigs and gain a solid understanding of Jazz's historical significance as America's true original art form. Ollie has Performed at such venues as Yoshi's, the Red Poppy, Black Cat, Club Deluxe, Bird and Beckett, Monterey Jazz festival, The Fillmore Jazz Festival, Mr. Tipples, Knowhere Speak Easy, Devil's Acre, Comstock, Local Edition, Jupiter and at larger events like the Dream Force convention and the Edwardian Ball.
Artistic Influences:
Major musical influences include Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus,Hank Mobley, Ray Brown, Charlie Haden, Oscar Pettiford, Miles Davis, Johann Sebastian Bach, Duke Ellington, Wilbur Ware, Jimmy Blanton, Milt Hinton, Israel Crosby, Grant Green, Scott Lafaro, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong, Benny Golson, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Elvin Jones, Pops Foster, Billie Holiday and Charles Mingus, as well as Bill Ham, Salvador Dali and James Baldwin,
Ollie Dudek is a San Francisco native who started playing the electric and upright bass while growing up in the Bay Area snd has a BA in Jazz Performance from the California Jazz Conservatory. He was first introduced to music at a young age through studying piano at San Francisco's Richmond Community Music Center and later began playing the guitar and bass. He was introduced to Jazz by his father Matthew Dudek who worked professionally as a carpenter and also a jazz bassist in the San Francisco Jazz Scene. Ollie's main stylistic influences revolve mainly around the musical genres of Swing,Bebop Blues, Afro Cuban and classical music. In regards to musical education Ollie spent much of his time studying music at San Francisco State University under the guidance of John Calloway, Dee Spencer and the late great Andrew Speight and also at the CJC studying bass with Jeff Denson and Saul Sierra, composition with Michael Zilbur, Bebop language with Dan Zinn and Arranging with Erik Jekabson, . Immersing him self in the local jazz scene while simultaneously pursuing his musical studies in school Ollie learned how to apply his newfound knowledge to the bandstand quickly. Ollie has been Called a "gifted young player" by music editor and reviewer Scott Yanow. His interesting bass lines and rhythmic pulse drives the music forward towards new and exciting heights. Ollie works as a professional musician, playing at local venues, fairs, and festivals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to recording on several recordings with Flautist Gerald Becket, Ollie can also be heard on his own albums entitled Flight of Life: Scenic Route Trio featuring Javier Santiago (piano) and Genus Wesley (drums) The Changing Scene by the Bay Tones Trio with pianist Grant Levin and drummer Omar Aran. Ollie has traveled to Cuba and Brazil to study African rooted music, rhythms and culture. Upon his return he participated a 3 week run of a musical play called "the Cool" focusing on the life and music of Chet Baker. Recently Ollie has traveled to both New York and New Orleans to perform at gigs and gain a solid understanding of Jazz's historical significance as America's true original art form. Ollie has Performed at such venues as Yoshi's, the Red Poppy, Black Cat, Club Deluxe, Bird and Beckett, Monterey Jazz festival, The Fillmore Jazz Festival, Mr. Tipples, Knowhere Speak Easy, Devil's Acre, Comstock, Local Edition, Jupiter and at larger events like the Dream Force convention and the Edwardian Ball.
Artistic Influences:
Major musical influences include Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus,Hank Mobley, Ray Brown, Charlie Haden, Oscar Pettiford, Miles Davis, Johann Sebastian Bach, Duke Ellington, Wilbur Ware, Jimmy Blanton, Milt Hinton, Israel Crosby, Grant Green, Scott Lafaro, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong, Benny Golson, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Elvin Jones, Pops Foster, Billie Holiday and Charles Mingus, as well as Bill Ham, Salvador Dali and James Baldwin,
