48 | SEPTEMBER 1 • 2022

Larry
Grenadier

JUAN HITTERS/ECM RECORDS

ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC

L

arry Grenadier travels
the world playing bass
with many jazz groups
and, over Labor Day weekend,
he returns to Michigan for
the free Detroit Jazz Festival.
He joins with pianist Ethan
Iverson and drummer Nasheet
Waits for the program.
The trio performs 2-3:15
p.m. Monday, Sept. 5, at the
Carhartt Amphitheater Stage
in Hart Plaza on the closing
day of the event that begins
Friday, Sept. 2.
“We did this recording,
Every Note Is True, that came
out this year, and I assume
we’ll play music from that,”
Grenadier said. “It’s all songs
Ethan wrote, and it came out
on Blue Note Records. I met
Ethan in 1991, when he was a

student who just moved into
New York, and I’ve known
him since then. We’ve played
together more than 25 years,
but not regularly.
“The last time I was in
Detroit was four or five
years ago with a band called
Hudson. I’m amazed that it’s
a free festival because that
in itself is extremely unique.
Because it’s free, there’s a dif-
ferent energy to the crowd.
The musicians are in touch
that it’s not for the select few
who can afford a certain ticket
price.”
Grenadier, who is spending
80 percent of his time per-
forming in Europe, started
out playing a trumpet given to
him by his dad, also a trumpet
player who gave instruments

to his children. Later on, his
dad gave him an electric bass
to play with a brother on gui-
tar.
“When I was listening to
jazz music, I was hearing
the acoustic bass,” Grenadier
recalled. “I borrowed one from
school and connected with it.
I just naturally liked it. I liked
the instrument and the com-
munal part of playing music
with other people, the social
aspect of music. I just really
enjoyed it and never looked
back.”
Grenadier, born and raised
in San Francisco, never doubt-
ed that he would be a full-time
musician although he earned
a degree in English from
Stanford University. With both
parents Jewish, he identifies

socially with the religion and
has played about a half dozen
times in Israel.
After graduating from col-
lege, Grenadier moved to New
York looking for more oppor-
tunities to play with musicians
heard on records. Ultimately,
his collaborations have been
with many high-profile artists,
early on including saxophonist
Stan Getz and later guitarist
Pat Metheney.
“Every performance is
teaching me,” Grenadier said.
“Every time I play, I get more
ideas of what I have to work
on when I go home. When I’m
practicing, I’m getting ready
for a performance with partic-
ular musicians.
“I don’t think about the
instruments being played;

Bass player Larry Grenadier to perform at Detroit Jazz Festival.

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SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER