bio

For the past 30 years, David Ambrosio has been one of New York City’s finest freelance musicians and educators. His current working projects as a leader are CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE: Blue Note Records in the Progressive ‘60s, featuring Grammy nominated saxophonist Donny McCaslin and drumming legend Victor Lewis; and the David Ambrosio Trio, featuring saxophonist Loren Stillman.

In addition to his own ensembles, he is the co-leader of the David Ambrosio/Russ Meissner Sextet, 40Twenty, and Grupo Los Santos, as well as being a part of many other groups including George Schuller’s Circle Wide, the Matt Renzi Trio, Eri Yamamoto Trio, and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra led by Ted Nash and Andy Farber. He has performed with such jazz greats as Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, George Garzone, Joseph Jarmon, and Ralph Alessi

David’s third recording as leader, Four on the Road (Fresh Sound Records, 2018), was praised as “Swinging brilliance in the light of interactive engagement, creating music that challenges while remaining largely accessible” by Dan Bilawsky of All About Jazz.

With degrees in classical composition and jazz performance, David has a broad musical palate that has become even more intensified by his extensive travel experiences. In 2001 he had the opportunity to perform in Cuba with Grupo Los Santos, Max Pollack’s Rumbatap, as well as numerous local Afro/Cuban folkloric music and dance ensembles. Not long after, he began what has become a 14-year period of intense study of Afro/Cuban Bata drumming with master drummers Miguel Bernal, Carlos Gomez, and Carlos Aldama.

David has also frequently toured in Central and South East Asia on behalf of the US State Department as a performer and clinician. Currently he is on the faculty at Hunter College and the New York Jazz Workshop in NYC.

QUARTET

NY bassist David Ambrosio's new quartet features the powerful front line of NY veterans, trumpet player and saxophonist Tim Hagens and Joel Frahm, as well as the dynamic drummer Billy Mintz.

After being sideman with a wide variety of musicians as well as his numerous long standing group collaborations, David presents his own compositions in the "chord-less" format with this new group. 

civil disobedience

Civil Disobedience is a project initiated by New York bassist David Ambrosio, showcasing the works of progressive jazz composers from the late 1960s Blue Note Era. The featured composers include Bobby Hutcherson, Jackie McLean, Stanley Cowell, Harold Land, Joe Chambers, Duke Pearson, and James Spaulding. Remarkably, much of this music, created during a period of significant social change and civil unrest, remained unreleased for decades, preventing these compositions from being heard when they were originally written.

Over fifty years later, in contemporary America, there are notable parallels with the social movements of that era. This context lends a new and heightened sense of relevancy and urgency to the important music featured in Civil Disobedience. The project was conceptualized and convened as an artistic response to current socio-economic and social justice events, both on a domestic and global scale. By performing the politically conscious jazz compositions of the late 1960s Blue Note Era, Civil Disobedience seeks to bring forth the timeless messages embedded in this music and connect them with the pressing issues of today.

Civil Disobedience is:

Donny McCaslin - tenor & soprano sax

Ingrid Jensen - trumpet

Bruce Barth - piano

David Ambrosio - bass

Victor Lewis - drums

View & download the CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE EPK here




 

recordings

Grupo Los Santos - SANTOS4tet (GLS 2022)

trioTrio(feat. Sheila Jordan) - TRIOTRIO MEETS SHEILA JORDAN (Steeplechase 2021)

trioTrio(feat. Rich Perry & Dave Scott) - NICE TREATMENT (Steeplechase 2020)

Eri Yamamoto Trio - GOSHU ONDO SUITE (Aum Fidelity 2019)

Dave Scott - IN SEARCH OF HIPNESS (Steeplechase 2019)

David Ambrosio - FOUR ON THE ROAD (Fresh Sound New Talent 2018)

Andrew Rathbun Large Ensemble - THE ATWOOD SUITES (Origin Arts 2017)

Eri Yamamoto Trio - LIFE (Aum Fidelity 2016)

David Ambrosio/Russ Meissner Sextet - MOMENTS IN TIME (SteepleChase 2016)

David Ambrosio - GONE (Fresh Sound New Talent 2014)

Asuka Kakitani Jazz Orchestra - BLOOM (Nineteen Eight 2013)

Grupo Los Santos - CLAVE HEART (Origin Arts 2012); LO QUE SOMOS LO QUE SEA (Deep Tone 2007)

40Twenty - 40Twenty (Yeah Yeah 2012)

George Schuller's Circle Wide -  Listen Both Ways (Playscape 2012); Like Before, Somewhat After (Playscape 2007); Round 'Bout Now (Playscape 2003)

Adriano Santos Quintet - In Session (2009)

Matt Renzi Trio - Rise and Shine (Three P's 2014); Happy Hour (Three P's 2011); Lunch Special (Quarter Tone 2008); The Cave (Fresh Sound New Talent 2005); Road to Angkor (Tone of a Pitch 2004)

Eri Yamaoto Trio - Firefly (AUM Fidelity 2013); In Each Day, Something Good (AUM Fidelity 2010); Redwoods (AUM Fidelity 2008); Cobalt Blue (Thirsty Ear 2006)

Sebastien Ammann Quartet - Samadhi (Fresh Sound New Talent 2013)

Paul Carlon Octet - La Rumba is a Lovesome Thing (ZOHO 2013); Other Tongues (Deep Tone 2006)

Eric Rasmussen's School of Tristano - School of Tristano, Vol. 1 & 2, 3 (Steeple Chase 2007-2008)

Clay Giberson Trio - Spaceton's Approach (Origin Arts 2008)

Vinnie Sperrazza Trio - Peak Inn (Fresh Sound New Talent 2008) 

Matt Steckler's Dead Cat Bounce - Chance Episodes (Cuneiform 2011)

Asuka Kakitani Orchestra - Bloom (Nineteen-Eight 2013)

4inObjects - 4inObjects (Yeah Yeah 2006)

Deanna Witkowski - Length of Days (Artist Share 2005)

Schumacher/Sanford Sound Assembly - Edge of the Mind (Beauport 2008)

Rob Garcia's SANGHA - Heart's Fire (Connection Works 2005)

Don Peretz Foremen - (Fresh Sound 2005)

Jamie Begian Big Band - Big Fat Grin (Innova 2010); Trance (2003)

Between Green - Tangents (RKM Music 2003)

5Six7 - Portas (Musiques Suisses 2001)

SCHEDULE

TEACHING

CURRENT CLASSES OFFERED

Jazz of the 1960’s

Tuesdays & Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 

The focus of this class is in learning jazz repertoire from the vibrant era of the 1960’s, as well as to gain a deeper understanding of the roots of these compositions. Thees classes are performance based and are meant to help the student improve their ability to create their own improvisations on this material as well as to gain the interaction experience of a professional jazz ensemble.

All instruments welcome. Drums, piano, amps and microphones are provided. You just need your instrument!!

Please feel free to contact me with questions or to get more info. 

Every week unless otherwise noted.

Art of the Jam Session

Friday’s 6:30-8:30

The focus of this class in essence is to recreate the NYC Jam session playing experience and explore all the typical encounters related to the typical “live” jam session environment. Consequently this class is structured a little different than the other more theme based or conceptual classes listed here, generally creating a class where more and different material is played in each class. While there is still an evolution of the learning experience as the classes progress, it is based on developing the skills to navigate and function in the jam session “experience” itself. The material and musical concepts covered relate to the challenges and conventions of the public Jazz jam session which in turn help prepare students for that very experience.

All instruments welcome. Drums, piano, amps and microphones are provided. You just need your instrument!!

Please feel free to contact me with questions or to get more info. 

Every week unless otherwise noted.

Bata Drumming Workshop

Same location but with flexible scheduling based on individual needs.

Please check out the bata section of this site to understand more of what the class is about.

LOCATION FOR ALL CLASSES

BQE Studios- Room 4425
2 Prince St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201

video

Civil Disobedience Live @ The Jazz Standard, NYC

 Watch more videos

bata

David Ambrosio is a musician who has spent much of his professional life traveling all over the world performing and teaching. While he has had some unique travel experiences, one of the most influential in his musical development happened in November 2001 when David had the opportunity to perform in Cuba with one of his collaborative projects, Grupo Los Santos, as well as Max Pollak's Rumbatap.

During that one week stay they had the opportunity to work with many Afro Cuban folkloric music and dance ensembles in addition to attending a three day Tambor festival at the Teatro Bertol Brecht in Havana. Awestruck by the musical depth, culture and spirituality that exists in the African heritage of the Cuban people, his interest in Afro/Cuban Bata drumming began.

Consequently, for the past 13 years David has been studying AfroCuban Bata drumming. His main teacher and mentor in the art of bata drumming is master drummer Carlos Gomez who, in addition to being an accomplished hand drummer, is a high priest of the Yoruba religion called a Babalawo or Priest of Ifa. David has also studied with other great masters of the bata including Miguel Bernal and Carlos Aldama.

Through years of training and intense study the Babalawo uses the ancient spiritual divination system of Ifa to assist people in finding, understanding and processing life until they experience spiritual wisdom as a part of their daily experience. As one continues to learn the intricate rhythms of the Bata drum you come to realize that it is only a small part of the beauty and transcendence of this sacred music.

David feels very fortunate to have a mentor and other great drummers to give him the teachings of this aural tradition and spiritual practice which allows him to be a small part of the fraternal brotherhood of the Bata.

PRESS

"Ambrosio possesses an unerring sense of groove that's similar to [Dave] Holland's..."

- John Kelman, All About Jazz

"Dave Ambrosio is a wealth of musical inventiveness in both technique and note selection"

- Chris Imrie, The Guelph Mercury

"Ambrosio has sensitivity to dynamic concerns and an ability to react instantly"

- Chris Kelsey, Jazz Times

"Ambrosio stretches and bends like a rubber man…"

- Rex Butters, All About Jazz (Chicago)

"This bassist is a powerful melodist who refuses to reside in the back of an ensemble by the sheer strength of his full-frontal polyrhythmic attack"

- Raul Da Gama, Latin Jazz Network

"Bassist David Ambrosio once again demonstrates his keen melodic sensibility and propensity for surefooted commentary”

- John Sharpe, New York City Jazz Record

"Ambrosio's ability to provide harmony and/or counterpoint to Renzi, as well as serve as rhythmic anchor with Meissner, act as constant reminders that understated suggestion can often be more powerful than overt declaration"

"Ambrosio may show considerable contrapuntal intuition on the three-part closer, Three Stories, but he balances that with a more definitive groove on both the up tempo Faces and Places and the hypnotic, Indian-inflected To the Cave, which feels like a calmer version of John Zorn's Masada Quartet."

- John Kellman, All About Jazz