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JAZZ BASS

School Life​

Solomon was introduced to Jazz at a young age as his dad played it around the house throughout his upbringing. Hearing Count Basie and John Coltrane when he was young made it easy to jump back into it later in his own time. Solomon's parents put him into Piano lessons when he was in Grade 2, which helped his musical journey immensely.  In Grade 7, Solomon explored Jazz, Fusion and Funk in his own time through artists such as Snarky Puppy, Tower Of Power, Roy Hargrove, and Count Basie. With the passion of Jazz sparked of his own accord, Solomon grew to love the union of musical complexity and groove that he could not find anywhere else. At this time, Solomon picked up the Baritone Sax and joined the Middle School Jazz Band, under the direction of Mr. Herb Froese, which was a great outlet for the passion for Jazz he had recently acquired. ​​He began to learn the Electric Bass, partway through Grade 8, thanks to the help of his dad (who was teaching him Band at the time). It started primarily to fill a position at church, but he found quite a love for it almost instantaneously. Whatever free time he had, he was practicing the Bass. Soon after, Solomon began to take Bass lessons with local bassist Hendrick Greidanus and started playing Bass in the Middle School Jazz Band under the direction of Mr. Paul Stelter. During COVID-19, Solomon found peers of like-minded musicality and created a small trio that would jam and practice together. This chance was essential in Solomon's journey, as he could now play alongside people with a similar passion. After attending a summer Jazz Camp at Ambrose University, Solomon knew he wanted to pursue this long-term.

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Solomon playing the electric bass during a Kasci Combo practice for a very big gig

In Grade 9, Solomon went to Highwood High School and again joined the Jazz Band, under the direction of Mr. Dylan Wiest and Mr. Jace Stearn. Because of a surplus of Bassists, Solomon split the part with a peer, Grace Palmer, and they both alternated playing Bass and Piano on songs. During Solomon's time at Highwood, many high-end Jazz clinicians have come through to work with the band, including Nate Waters (Alto Sax), Carston Rubling (Trombone), and Andre Wickenheiser (Trumpet). As well, Solomon joined a small combo called The No Name Fusion Ensemble, which played music by Snarky Puppy and other contemporary Jazz Bands. These two opportunities gave Solomon the chance to expand his knowledge of the Bass in Jazz and to play music beyond his skill level. Around this time, Solomon was referred to take lessons from local Jazz Bassist, Greg Carrol. Solomon began to meet with him weekly and found new ways to instantly grow from his teaching. Later in Grade 12, Solomon and his friends created a combo called The Cute Combo, whose main purpose was to be a musical outlet for him and his peers who wanted to excel in music. It was a great chance to come together and collaborate as musicians on a more independent level, rather than in a big band. 

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Extra Curricular Big Bands

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Solomon in Grade 12  playing the Electric Bass with the Alberta Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Fred Stride

In Grade 10, Solomon joined the Jazz YYC Lab Band, directed by Jay Michalak, playing pro-level charts. This challenge was appreciatively accepted by Solomon, and he found great pleasure playing with some of Calgary's best young musicians. Solomon has been a part of the Lab Band for the past three years, and in that time, he has been able to open a show for Grammy Award-winning artist Hilario Duran. It has also allowed him to play in some of Calgary's most prestigious Venues, such as the Ironwood and the Bella Concert Hall. This last year at the Calgary AIBF Jazz Festival, the Lab Band won the Eric Friedenberg Trophy for Most Outstanding Community Jazz Band. It has also allowed Solomon to work and play with musicians such as Stefano Valdo, Jon McCaslin, Tyler Hornby, Jon Day, Jon Wielebnowski, and Kodi Hutchinson. 

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In Grades 11 and 12, Solomon successfully auditioned to play Bass with the Alberta Jazz Ensemble - a Provincial Youth Honour Band. The first year was under the direction of Dean McNiell, professor of Brass and Jazz Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. The second year was under the direction of Fred Stride, one of Canada's great composers and arrangers. During his Grade 12 year, he was mentored by Murray Smith, one of Edmonton's great educators and drummers. The Alberta Jazz Ensemble allowed Solomon to play with some of Alberta's finest young Jazz musicians while working with some of Canada's pre-eminent Jazz educators and performers.

Jazz Combos

At 15, Solomon was a part of several Jazz Combos doing gigs around Calgary, becoming an important part of Calgary's Jazz Combo scene. Solomon has been playing in several Jazz Combos in High River, Calgary and the surrounding area. One of the more significant Jazz Combos Solomon has been a part of has been the Kasci Combo: a Jazz and Funk Sextet that plays in the Calgary area for the past two years. Initially, the Kasci Combo was under the leadership of Jazz Drummer Izy Montanez, and presently under the leadership of Highwood alumni and Jazz Guitarist, Keegan Henery. Solomon has co-led, arranged, and written music for this Combo and others, making his name known throughout the whole Jazz world of Calgary.

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Some of the groups Solomon has played with include: 

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  • The No Name Fusion Ensemble (2021-2022)

  • The Sun Trio (2022)

  • Lab Band Junior Combo (2022)

  • Operation Blue (Lab Band Senior Combo) (2023)

  • Jordan Middleton Quintet (2023)

  • Mount Stellar Trio (2023)

  • Lab Band Alumni Combo (2024)

  • Ambrose Jazz Combo (2024-2025)

  • Anjie Corpuz Quintet (2025)

  • Tim Mao Quintet (2025)

  • Kasci Combo (2023-present)

  • Izy Montenez Trio (2024-present)

  • Cute Combo (2024-present)

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Solomon playing the upright bass with the Kasci Combo at Cafe Gravity

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Solomon with the Anjie Corpuz Quintet after a great show

 

Transcribing and Arranging

 

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  • From Oliver Nelson’s Album “Blues And The Abstract Truth” - Paul Chambers on bass

    • Stolen Moments by Oliver Nelson 

    • Hoe Down by Oliver Nelson 

    • Cascades by Oliver Nelson

    • Yearnin’ by Oliver Nelson

    • Butch and Butch by Oliver Nelson

    • Teenie’s Blues by Oliver Nelson 

 

  • From Oscar Peterson Trio’s Album “Night Train” - Ray Brown on bass

    • Night Train by Jimmy Forrest, Lewis P. Simpkins, and Oscar Washington

    • C Jam Blues by Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard

    • Georgia On My Mind by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell

    • Bag’s Groove by Milt Jackson

    • Moten Swing by Bennie Moten

    • Easy Does It by Sy Oliver and Trummy Young

    • Honey Dripper by Joe Liggins

    • Things Ain’t What They Used To Be by Mercer Elington and Ted Persons

    • I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good by Duke Ellington and Paul Francis Webster

    • Band Call by Duke Ellington

    • Hymn To Freedom by Oscar Peterson​

The full album transcriptions include: ​​

  • From Count Basie's Album “Fancy Pants” - Cleveland Eaton on bass

    • Put it Right Here by Sammy Nestico and Louie Bellson

    • By My Side by Sammy Nestico

    • Blue Chip by Sammy Nestico

    • Fancy Pants by Sammy Nestico

    • Hi-Five by Sammy Nestico

    • Time Stream by Sammy Nestico

    • Samantha by Sammy Nestico

    • Strike Up the Band by George and Ira Gershwin

 

  • From Count Basie’s Album “Straight Ahead” - Norman Keenan on bass

    • Basie- Straight Ahead by Sammy Nestico

    • It’s Oh, So Nice by Sammy Nestico

    • Lonely Street by Sammy Nestico 

    • Fun Time by Sammy Nestico

    • Magic Flea by Sammy Nestico

    • Switch in Time by Sammy Nestico

    • Hay Burner by Sammy Nestico

    • That Warm Feeling by Sammy Nestico

    • The Queen Bee by Sammy Nestico​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bass Solos: 

  • The Yellow Jacket by Shaun Martin-  Keith Taylor on bass

  • Now’s the Time by Charlie Parker - Curly Russell on bass

  • Joe Dart’s Solo based on Hamlet by Joe Dart (I could only find a recording of it on Instagram) - Joe Dart on bass

  • Solar (Final Trumpet Solo) by Miles Davis - Miles Davis on trumpet

  • Montreal by Mark Lettieri - Wes Stephenson on bass 

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Melody Transcriptions:

  • Israel by Johny Carsi

  • Boplicity by Gil Evans and Miles Davis

  • Jeru by Gerry Mulligan

 

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Single Song Bass Lines:

  • Israel by Miles Davis - Nelson Boyd on bass 

  • Boplicity by Cleo Henry - Nelson Boyd on bass 

  • Mean To Me by Turk-Ahlert - Ray Brown on bass

  • On the Sunny Side of the Street by Jimmy McHugh - Ray Brown on bass

  • Stella By Starlight by Victor Young - Ray Brown on bass

  • On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe by Harry Warren - Ray Brown on Bass​

  • Seven Steps to Heaven by Victor Feldman and Miles Davis - Ron Carter on bass

  • I Fall In Love Too Easily - Ron Carter on bass

  • Stella By Starlight by Victor Young - Ron Carter on bass

  • A Night In Tunisia by Dizzy Gillespie - Lonnie Plaxico on bass

  • Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham - Butch Warren on bass

  • Take the “A” Train by Billy Strayhorn - Eddie Jones on bass

  • Cotton Tail by Duke Ellington - Jimmy Blanton on bass

  • On the Sunny Side of the Street by Jimmy McHugh - George Duvivier on bass

  • April in Paris by Vernon Duke - Walter Page on bass

  • Oleo by Sonny Rollins - Percy Heath on bass 

  • Stella By Starlight by Victor Young - Paul Chambers on bass

  • amazing grace by John Newton (version by dooda) - Dooda on bass

  • Joe Fraizer (Part II) by Jeff Berlin - Jeff Berlin on bass

  • Gentle Thoughts by Herbie Hancock - Paul Jackson on bass

  • Strasbourg / St. Denis by Roy Hargrove - Danton Boller on bass

  • Solar by Miles Davis - Percy Heath on bass

  • Blue 7 by Sonny Rollins - Doug Watkins on bass

  • Stella By Starlight by Victor Young - Eddie Gomez on bass

  • Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham - Rufus Reid on bass

  • Dr. Funk by The Main Squeeze - Rob Walker on bass

Full Album Transcription of Count Basie's Album "Basie Straight Ahead"

Full Album Transcription of Count Basie's Album "Fancy Pants"

Full Album Transcription of Oliver Nelson’s Album “Blues And The Abstract Truth”

Solomon has also arranged music for large and small combos and has been given the chance to perform them. In this case, he is transcribing and then arranging specifically for the group it is for. These songs include:

  • Tune 88 by Jeff Lorber

    • For the Lab Band Junior Combo

    • For the Kasci Combo

    • For the Izehar Montenez Trio

  • People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul by James Brown

    • For the No Name Fusion Ensemble

  • Bois Caïman by Cissy Street

    • For the Kasci Combo

  • Lua by Jacob Collier

    • For the No Name Fusion Ensemble

  • All of Me by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons

    • For the Izehar Montenez Trio

  • The Wii Shop Channel Theme by Kazumi Totaka

    • For the Cute Combo

    • For the Kasci Combo

Through his private teachers, Hendrick Greidanus and Greg Carrol, Solomon found a passion for transcribing music that would bring him much joy and understanding of the Bass. Throughout the history of Jazz, it is very common to learn the traditions and disciplines of Jazz through listening. By listening to musicians who have come before us, we can directly learn from what they did and put it into our own practice. This is transcribing: the art of converting audio into a written document. Solomon has completed over 55 note-for-note transcriptions of Bass lines, solos, and melodies through a variety of genres, but specifically Jazz. 

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Solomon with his two band teachers, 

Mr Wiest and Mr. Stearn, after he had recently been awarded "The Most Outstanding Jazz Musician, 2025" 

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​Awards

Grade 10:

  • Cantando, Whistler, Highwood Jazz Orchestra, Gold Award for Superior Performance

  • AIBF Calgary, Highwood Jazz Orchestra, Gold Award for Superior Performance

  • Individual Award for Outstanding Jazz Musician, Highwood

Grade 11: 

  • Cantando Edmonton, Highwood Jazz Orchestra, Gold Award for Superior Performance

  • Position in the Alberta Jazz Ensemble for Bass under Dean McNiel

  • Individual Award for Outstanding Jazz Musician, Highwood

Grade 12:

  • Position in the Alberta Jazz Ensemble for Bass under Fred Stride

  • AIBF Calgary, Jazz YYC Lab Band, Eric Friedenberg Trophy for Most Outstanding Community Jazz Band

  • Individual Award for Outstanding Jazz Musician, Highwood

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Both certificates from playing with the Alberta Jazz Ensemble

 

Videos:

Solomon's Bass Covers on Instagram 

Partway through semester two of Grade 12, Solomon started to share his passion for Bass, Jazz, and Funk with the world through social media. He weekly posts a video of himself playing Bass from a variety of Bassists and styles. These recordings span genres such as Gospel, Jazz Fusion, Funk, R&B, and Soul. Through his posting, he has had some opportunity to record basslines for producers who hear him play. Here are some of them that he has done. 

Here is Solomon playing the Electric Bass on Vernal Suite by Christine Jensen with the Jazz YYC Lab Band. Listen to how he is working with the drummer to accompany and support the Trumpet player soloist.  

The first is Solomon's Solo on "Bop Drop" by the RH Factor, with the Kasci Combo at Cornerstone Music Cafe when he was in Grade 11.

 

The Second is the same song, but his solo was when he was in grade 12.

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Listen to how he and the drummer interact and share ideas with each other throughout his solo. In the first version, he is playing with drummer extraordinaire Izy Montanez, and in the second, he is playing with one of his great friends, Will Waller. You will hear in both solos Solomon's specific style of playing, but also how he has grown as a musician.

Here is Solomon playing Upright Bass on "Tickle Toe," by Lester Young. In this song, Solomon's role is to be a musical anchor, outlining the chord progression, keeping the band rhythmically accountable.

This is Solomon's Solo on "So What," by Miles Davis, with the Kasci Combo at Cornerstone Music Cafe. Through his solo over this well-known Modal Jazz chart, listen to how he explores the chord progression and creatively phrases his ideas and leads his solo back into the melody effortlessly. 

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