Jazz bassist Danny Ziemann. Photo by Aaron Winters

By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post

Danny Ziemann,  jazz bassist, educator and composer from Rochester, N.Y., was in Los Alamos recently to visit his sister, Amanda Zieman. He visited music students at Los Alamos High School to talk about music, then stopped by the Los Alamos Daily Post.

Freelancing professionally in western NY since the age of 18, Ziemann has toured throughout the USA, Canada, and Europe, playing major jazz festivals and spreading his passion for jazz. Zieman is on the move much of the time. He was recording in New York the day before his visit and had just returned from Germany.

“Playing bass is a blessing because every kind of music needs a bass,” Zieman said. “I’m open to playing any kind of music.”

Ziemann started on the violin, but his fifth grade teacher asked him to switch to bass. A private teacher got him into jazz and improvisation.
 
“Jazz lets me express myself and keeps my attention,” he said.

Since 2012, Zieman has regularly toured with respected bandleader Gordon Webster, playing for swing dancers and lindy hoppers all over the world, including Sweden, Turkey, Hungary, Singapore, Germany, Denmark, and more.
 
“People who love this music really value the experience. It’s an amazing moment when the band and the audience give each other energy. When I play these events, my mission is to make people dance. Music is known for its social function. It crosses boundaries and transcends time, culture and language.”

Equally versatile in both electric and upright bass, Zieman’s performance resume includes shows with Josh Groban, The Rat Pack (national touring act), Delfeayo Marsalis, Dave Douglas, Don Menza, Dennis Mackrel, Bob Sneider, George Caldwell, Bill Dobbins, and Bobby Militello.

Zieman is as passionate about music education as he is about performing. As the instructor of jazz bass at the Eastman Community Music School and Adjunct Professor at SUNY Oswego, Zieman balances a full-time performing schedule with a full private teaching studio with 15-20 students.

“It’s fun to figure out where the student is and where they want to go,” Zieman said. “One of the great things about teaching is being able to share what you know and being supportive to new musicians.”

In 2015, Ziemann published “The Low Down: A Guide to Creating Supportive Jazz Bass Lines.” He followed up with a second volume in 2016.
 
Zieman was the second place winner of the 2015 International Society of Bassists Jazz Bass Competition, an event occurring every two years with an esteemed panel of judges including Buster Williams, Rufus Reid, and Martin Wind. He will compete again as a semi-finalist this year.

His next adventure? Zieman is moving to Basel Switzerland to participate in the first annual Focusyear program for outstanding jazz musicians. This artist diploma program will provide him the opportunity to play with a nine-piece ensemble, tour Europe, and to work with jazz luminaries. The all-expense paid program allows musicians to concentrate on their music for a year.  

“I’m looking forward to experiencing the European approach,” Zieman said. “Educators there seem to really think outside the box.”