Kermit Driscoll (born March 4, 1956) is a New York City jazz bassist perhaps best known for his long association with guitarist Bill Frisell. He was born in Kearney, Nebraska.
Kermit began playing piano at age 5. Soon after he added saxophone and, at age 13, picked up the electric bass. Almost immediately he was playing gigs around the midwest. When an offer to travel with a rock band came up, he dropped out of high school at age 16 to go on tour. Later he resumed high school at Interlochen Center for the Arts where he played in the Studio Orchestra.[1]
In 1974, he enrolled at the University of Miami, where he studied with Jaco Pastorius. In 1975, Driscoll went to the Berklee College of Music, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1978.[2]
In May of 1978, Kermit traveled to Belgium to play with Stephan Houben who at the time was working with Bill Frisell. It was with this group that he made his first recording "Mauve Traffic" with Bill Frisell, Stephan Houben, Greg Badolato, Vinnie Johnson and Michel Herr which included an original composition by Driscoll entitled "Doggone it".
In January, 1980, he moved to New York City, and soon after got the bass chair of Buddy Rich's band. He toured with Buddy Rich's band from November 1981 to 1986. Kermit also co-led the group New & Used with trumpet player Dave Douglas and saxophonist Andy Laster from 1989 thru 1992.
In 1987, Bill Frisell formed his famous quartet, of which Kermit was a member until 1996.
A veteran of over 50 Broadway shows and numerous film scores and TV commercials, he is currently affiliate faculty at SUNY Purchase College and Sarah Lawrence College.
Kermit Driscoll has recorded and performed with: The American Composers Orchestra, Patti Austin, Chet Baker, Bang-on-a-Can All Stars, Don Byron, John Cale, Dave Douglas, Robert Dick, Buddy Emmons, Michael Feinstein, Erik Friedlander, Bill Frisell (a band member from 1987 to 1996), George Garzone, Eliot Goldenthal, Michael Gordon, Gerry Hemingway, John Hollenbeck, Wayne Horvitz, Stephan Houben, David Johansen, Russ Johnson, Ben E. King, Tony Malaby, Ben Monder, The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, The New York Philharmonic under Kurt Masur, Phiharmonia Virtuosi, The Pointer Sisters, Buddy Rich (bass chair 1981 to 1986), Mick Rossi, Elliot Sharp, Keeley Smith, Phoebe Snow, Soldier String Quartet, Toots Thielmans, Mel Torme, Tony Trishka, Emil Viklicky, Kenney Werner and John Zorn. [3]
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