THE FRONTLINE
THE JAZZ BASSIST
RUTH GOLLER
Groove is in the heart, jazz warlock Ruth reminds us
Welcome! I’ve always loved the challenge of improvising structured grooves. That challenge carries with it the risk of simply being in the moment. Every idea has to lead to something else—and sometimes the development of an idea can be more interesting than the initial idea itself.
I play with a band called Champagne Dub, which started as a pure improv outfit. We went to the studio for two days and improvised the entire time, making sure that we recorded everything. The line-up is drums, electric bass, electric harp, vocals, and what we call a sound artist, who builds his own instruments. We all use effects pedals to create layered soundscapes, and often—because of the musicians that we are—we fall into heavy grooves with a strong pulse. After recording, everything was chopped up and
