Ollie Dudek
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Gigs
  • Transcriptions
  • Influences
  • Photos
  • Bio

New Jazz Club in San Francisco: Keys on Broadway

1/11/2023

0 Comments

 
In late November/early December I Recently had the opportunity to play at the new Jazz club in San Francisco called Keys on Broadway and this was with the Great Noel Jewkes quartet featuring Grant Levin, myself, and David Rokeach. The room sounds absolutely amazing and it was a supreme pleasure to play many of Noel's original compositions which are quite unique and beautiful.   Congratulations to Simon Rowe for opening up such a wonderful sounding space to hear Jazz.  

I will be playing there again with Noel for a string of nights starting in February (2/1/23-2/4/23) except I will be at Bird and Becket for that last Saturday 2/4 with John Calloway's group.  Hope you can make it out to some of these shows.  

Keys on Broadway Jazz Bistro
https://keysjazzbistro.com

Bird and Beckett

https://birdbeckett.com

Also you can catch me playing with Noel Jewkes Quintet at the Sound room on Friday 1/20/23.  

Buy Tickets here:
www.eventbrite.com/e/noel-jewkes-quintet-with-kay-kostopoulos-tickets-483843778767

​
Picture
0 Comments

RIP Andrew Speight

1/11/2023

0 Comments

 
We used to call him "Cannonball Dundy" behind his back because he sounded a lot like an Australian version of Cannonball Adderley but the truth was that Andrew had his own sound that left a lasting impact on the Bay Area and global Jazz community.  As a former student and friend on the bandstand I can remember countless ways Andrew's wisdom  helped me in my development and understanding of the technical demands of Jazz also known as Black American Music.  I remember how on the bandstand he would play 30 choruses on a blues and never run out of ideas always playing music that was fresh and original.  True genius! I always knew that I had to bring my "A game" when playing with Andrew.  He taught me how to play in a big band, the role of the acoustic bass as a reference for dynamics within a jazz ensemble and also much of the history of jazz.   After attending the celebration of life event at Broadway Grill in Burlingame it was amazing to see how many different lives Andrew had influenced.  He raised the standard for musicianship within in the Bay Area music scene and I am so glad I had the opportunity to know and play music with him.  I only wish he could have stayed with us longer.  RIP Andrew Speight.   
Picture

0 Comments

Flight of Life: The Scenic Route Trio

8/7/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture


I'm excited to share with you a new album featuring all original compositions I wrote during the Corona virus pandemic of 2020-2021.  This music is reflection of my experiences and dramatic life changes within the past year and half highlighting challenges, acknowledging growth, and looking with hope and optimism for a better future and a better world.  

The Scenic Route Trio
Javier Santiago-piano
Ollie Dudek-bass
Genius Wesley-drums

I hope you enjoy listening to the new album.
(Click the links below to listen)
​
​thescenicroutetrio.hearnow.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GMF991H?ref=myi_title_dp​

​

Check out what people are saying about Flight of Life.

"Swinging with authority, the Scenic Route Trio makes an impressive debut with a program of original tunes by bassist Ollie Dudek. Conceived and recorded during the pandemic, this is joyful music that breaks through the doldrums and sets your mind free." 


Andrew Gilbert, San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News
_____


"A hard swinging bass player led piano trio that is storming out of SF giving you the feel of what it must have been like back there back in the day when things were jumping and the world was new.  They don’t play it like old timers but they know the feel and vibe.  Delightful stuff that often feels too good to be true, this is the stuff!"

CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher, Midwest Record

http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1809.html​
____

"the Scenic Route Trio provides classic sounding bop, post bop and bebop with joy and ferver"
George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

https://www.jazzweekly.com/2021/12/the-scenic-route-trio-flight-of-life/

"Dudek’s track entitled “Pandemia” gets off to a joyous start that is the perfect antidote for “pandemic blues.” 


STEPHEN SMOLIAR, The Rehearsal Studio

https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2021/09/debut-album-by-dudeks-scenic-route-trio.html

_______

"Oh!  My goodness!  This track needs a fire extinguisher!  The solos are aggressive, forceful, dynamic and on fire." 

Dr. Margie Baker (referring to the track title "Lover's Quarrel")
_______


 "I’m quick to recognize that Dudek is a stellar composer and this debut recording by The Scenic Route Trio continues to mesmerize with a tune called, “Flight of Kawan.”  Kawan means hawk in a native Brazilian language called Tupi and this tune is dedicated to Ollie’s son, also named Kawan.  It flies along at a moderate swing pace and I can picture a hawk spreading wide wings and soaring through the San Francisco sky.  Dudek is based in the San Francisco Bay area of Northern California.  Javier Santiago takes a journey up and down the 88-keys of the grand piano, adding a touch of the blues and showing off his super talents.  All the while, Genius Wesley locks the rhythm tightly in place on trap drums.  This trio is both dynamic and entertaining."

Dee Dee McNeil, Musical Memoirs Blog

https://musicalmemoirs.wordpress.com
0 Comments

Coming Soon!  Scenic Route Trio: Flight of Life

7/21/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
0 Comments

Fog City Sessions: The Jazz Odyssey Ensemble

7/1/2021

1 Comment

 
Fog City Sessions was recorded at Noah Frank Studios in San Francisco.  

The Jazz Odyssey Ensemble

Vol. 1

https://soundcloud.com/olliedzz/3-little-words​
https://soundcloud.com/olliedzz/tyrone-take-1​
https://soundcloud.com/olliedzz/nobody-else-but-me-take-2​
soundcloud.com/olliedzz/when-sunny-gets-blue
​soundcloud.com/olliedzz/serenity
https://soundcloud.com/olliedzz/speak-low​

Vol. 2







​

Picture
Picture
1 Comment

Evah Pirazzi Gold Strings Review for Pirastro

7/1/2021

0 Comments

 
What a joy is was to try out these strings.  I read online that they were under rated strings that some bassists were avoiding because of the initial marketing as a "slap" string right out the gate I was very curious to give these strings a try.  After putting them on my bass, practicing with them and playing a few gigs I discovered that these strings did a great job of staying in tune, had a nice balanced evenly blended dark tone,  and proved to to be quite versatile.  The strings have a quick and precise attack but with a quick volume decay (when played pizzicato).  After the initial attack the volume decays rapidly which may be less suited or ballads but excellent for uptempo bebop and pizzicato soloing. This decay in the sustain of course can be negated by playing arco which projects the sound more evenly and responds kindly under the bow.  The synthetic core has a nice gut like quality in sound but with the same technique one would use to play pizzicato on a metal string (exterior of the the strings is (E-Steel, A-Aluminom, D-silver, G-silver) a good sound can be achieved.  When I tried slapping them I found they cut through the mix with a brighter tone and a nice bounce quality.  They lack the bright warmth and sustain of the Perpetuals and don't quite have the "tear drop" attack of the Chordas but for a gut sounding string they bow surprisingly well and produce a nice old school tone which I enjoyed immensely.  

More info:  http://pirastro.com/public_pirastro/pages/en/Evah-Pirazzi-Gold-00001/

​
Picture
0 Comments

Wisdom on the evolution of music from Miles Davis....

4/21/2021

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

New Recording of Original music set for May 18th

4/13/2021

0 Comments

 
Stay tuned for the release of new original music in the near future.  
0 Comments

Trio Concert at Bird and Beckett with Javier Santiago and Geechi Taylor.   Friday 2/5, 2021

2/2/2021

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

Gig at Bird and Beckett

1/6/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    San Francisco Native

    Archives

    January 2023
    August 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    July 2015
    April 2015
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    March 2013
    December 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    August 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.