Dezron Douglas

Dezron Douglas Interview/Performance

In our next video in our Artist series, we headed to NYC to meet Dezron Douglas, jazz bassist, composer, bandleader and educator.

Since the release of his first solo album in 2012, Dezron Douglas has established himself as a major force on the contemporary creative music scene in New York, so it was a real honour to meet him and discuss his musical journey. We were also treated to a stunning solo performance of Duke Ellington's Love You Madly at the end of the video, so be sure to stick around to the end!

Many thanks to Dezron for joining me and for sharing so much. Be sure to check out the links below to learn more about Dezron’s current projects, and I hope you enjoy this video!

Interview Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
01:10 Force Majeure: filmed live in lockdown
07:42 Sesame Street
09:23 The Miller Theatre, Columbia
11:09 Beginnings of bass
15:38 Bass heroes
19:41 Improvisation
24:36 Bass gear
26:14 Find Dezron online
28:21 Solo Performance

Meet Dezron Douglas

Dezron Douglas was raised in Hartford, Connecticut and studied tuba and bass at the Hartford Conservatory of Music. He attended The Hartt School at the University of Hartford majoring in African American Music and History under the tutelage of the legendary alto saxophonist Jackie McLean.

As a sideman, Douglas has recorded with amongst others, George Cables, Eric Reed, Mulgrew Miller, Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Michael Carvin, Louis Hayes, Steve Davis, Papo Vasquez, Enrico Rava, Abraham Burton, Eric McPherson, Tomasz Stanko, Makaya McCraven and Brandee Younger. In April 2019, Douglas' playing was featured in the documentary Homecoming, by Beyoncé. He is a long-standing member of the Ravi Coltrane Quartet and has performed with the Louis Hayes Jazz Communicators.

As a band leader, Dezron Douglas has released more than six albums since his 2012 debut record, Live at Smalls. In 2019, Douglas was the winner of the Downbeat critics poll in the category of "Rising Star bassist". Douglas was featured on DownBeat magazine's July 2020 cover along with Brandee Younger and six other artists.