Andrew Grau, with John Entwhistle of the Who’s bass at the Hard Rock Cafe in Manhattan. (From andrewgrau.com)
The Grautet is about to record an album with a bunch of musicians from New York City making the most out of a day booked in a New Jersey studio.
The people of upstate New York — Skaneateles and Oneonta, in particular — should take notice.
The band leader of the Grautet is bass player Andrew Grau. He grew up in Skaneateles, the pretty lakeside village some 20 miles southwest of Syracuse. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree of music from the State University of New York at Oneonta in 2011. And now, after playing with a variety of bands performing a bunch of different styles of music while living in the Big Apple, Grau has composed and arranged the songs for “The Graushua Tree.”
“Luckily, my friends are really talented,” he said of his band during a recent phone conversation from his apartment. His drummer, for instance, is Luke Markham, from nearby Auburn, who also attended Oneonta State.
Grau says back then he played mostly the upright bass, “and I spent most of my time in the music building.”
On his own bass. (From andrewgrau.com)
He says he’s evolved from swing jazz to Latin to groove and hip-hop, and now plays mostly electric bass.
He performs with Ali Grieb & The Heroes of Happy Hour (Joe’s Pub Artist In Residence), The Hot Shim Sham Orchestra, The Markham Group, Maia & the Pilots, The Queen’s Cartoonists, Ric Mysterie, The Metropolitain Players, and the Jim Joustra Trio.
Between all that, Grau also managed to attain his master’s in fine arts for jazz bass performance from Queens College. And he works full-time for Google as a data validator.
Grau says this album will be jazz “only in the sense that it’s all instrumental. It borrows from hip-hop and groove. New York City is a hip-hop center. That’s what I hear a lot. That’s what I’m influenced by. D’Angelo. Outkast. They played at the Governor’s Ball last year. Snarky Puppy. I met the bass player. They won a Grammy last year.”
Grau says the city, and all of those bands that he performs with, offer excellent networking opportunites. In fact, he contracted Smash Studios to record on April 11 because one of his friends recommended the one-man show run by Luis Bacque.
“He does everything. One stop. He’s a really sweet guy,” Grau says.
Grau has a Kickstarter campaign with a goal to raise $5,500 to cover the recording of eight tracks by the quintet. He’s also planning a big April 20 concert, two hours at the Shrine in Harlem.
“The first hour will be the quintet playing the album, and the second hour will be the larger ensemble, 10 pieces plus two singers, doing pop covers,” he says.
Also on his radar: Bringing the Grautet to Syracuse for a hometown show.
Here’s the link to Andrew Grau’s site.
Upright bass and swing jazz or electric bass and groove/hip-hop for you, and why? Have you ever or would you contribute to a kickstarter campaign or a similar crowdfunding platform to help cover the costs of producing an arts project up front in return for the finished product and perhaps another incentive down the road? Who’s your favorite bass player, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
I don’t know much about building music Mark – i just listen and enjoy for reasons that i have never considered. It is wonderful that you encourage and highlight new talent or new offerings such as you do. Thank You.
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Thanks, Paul. Every successful musician had a debut album, right? 🙂
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Hmm, well, if you really want to know my favorite bass player, it’s Hugh McDonald from Bon Jovi. 😉
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No kidding, Rachel. 🙂
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love all bass, especially the upright. fav bass players, sting and the avett’s crazy bass guy. yes, i’d contribute to an arts project )
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Avett’s crazy bass guy is an eye and ear-catcher, Beth! Of course you’d contribute to the arts. I know you have it in your heart, my friend.
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I am more jazz than hip-hop but listen to all music and admire this Andrew Grau. Wonderful of you to feature this for us, Mark!
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His music sounds more jazz than hip-hop at first blush to me, Robin. But that’s just from the Kickstarter video. We’ll see when the new album comes out, with all of the influences. Thanks for giving Andrew a read, Robin.
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Nice post. Nice to see you shining the light on someone who deserves it.
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Thanks, Jay. I appreciate your kind words.
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Ha, well, Mark, you know I have to chime in because I am a bass player. Wow, love Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, Steve Harris. My friends once started a kick starter campaign to get funding to record an album but they’re such alcoholics I had to wonder what the money was actually going to!!
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Ouch. Your Kickstarter story hurts, Marissa. I hope the album came out.
Your bassist picks make up for it. 🙂 Young Andrew and company will work hard to record an album these artists would have been proud of, too.
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I’m sure he will!
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What a great writeup. Most appreciative, Mark
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What a great writeup. Pleased and most appreciative, Mark
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You have quite the young man there, my friend. I had a great phone conversation with the younger Grau. Thank you.
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He’s a smart young man with a plan, Trey. I really dig the video on his Kickstarter campaign. His resume shows how hard you have to work to make it in music, with all those different gigs in the last four years in New York City, while getting his Master’s, too. Yikes!
Groovy, indeed. I hope you’re feeling well, newly unblocked dude.
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I playeth guitar and bass myself. I will give ol’Grau a listen. Plus, given the fact that I spend most of my time in ‘Nawlins, I know a little about some JAZZ music, baby….Groovy, Daddio! Cool article.
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