Features

Double Bassist Peter Seymour and PROJECT

Published on February 1, 2008

Meet Jason Heath

We’re featuring an interview with and music from the dynamic young double bassist Peter Seymour and his fresh and vibrant ensemble PROJECT this month for Bass Musician Magazine.

Peter co-founded PROJECT with band members Eric Stephenson (cello) and Greg Patillo (flute) to explore new musical avenues not traditionally associated with flute, cello, and double bass. The instrumentation of the group itself is unusual–very few bass, cello, and flute trios exists, and the band’s dedication to arranging, composition, and improvisation really make it stand out as an engaging and fresh entry in the musical landscape.

We interviewed Peter recently for Contrabass Conversations, featuring his early years on the bass plus some music from PROJECT. As you’re listening, check out the information about the band listed below the audio player, and check out www.whatisproject.org for more information on this great trio, and be sure to pick up a copy of Winter in June, the new release from this killer trio.. Enjoy!

Tracks played:

From ‘Winter in June’ by Project – available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/projectmusic

Winter in June (title track)
Random Roads Suite mvt I – The Puzzle

About Peter:

Dallas native Peter Seymour has performed with a multitude of highly acclaimed artists and ensembles. As a member of the Cleveland Orchestra he performed under the baton of Franz Welser-Möst and in the New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. He was the recipient of the Downbeat Magazine Award for Best Jazz Soloist in 1996 and has appeared with Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, and Bobby McFerrin.

The son of an educator, Peter has been very active in planning and performing community outreach activities throughout the country and served as events coordinator for the New World Symphony Orchestra from 2001-2004.

He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a Master’s Degree in Bass Performance from Rice University where he was a student of Paul Ellison. Peter is active composing and performing with PROJECT, the ensemble he co-founded with cellist Eric Stephenson. He presently resides in New York City.

About Project:

PROJECT is a dynamic young group that is exciting audiences with their energy and innovative style. Their sound can only be described as a fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and world music – balanced out by a sincere allegiance to their classical roots. By combining the classical repertoire with original compositions, PROJECT reaches out to new audiences. Through performance and outreach/education concerts, we can provide access for the next generation of music lovers.