Bruce Kaminsky
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- Bruce Kaminsky
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Bruce Kaminsky
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Bruce earned both Master's and Bachelor’s degrees in Music from Combs College of Music, Philadelphia. In addition, he has studied Jewish Liturgical Music at Gratz College and participated in the Orchestra Seminar with Dr. Samuel Adler at the Eastman School of Music. Bruce is an alumnus of Philadelphia’s Settlement Music School. His private double bass teachers include Irving Cohen, Albert Stauffer and Enrico Rossi.
Bruce Kaminsky has been bassist on more than fifty recordings, including his own Klezmer Jazz Ensemble CD: “And the Angels Swing.” He has performed in venues as varied as a command performance at the United Nations before the signing of the Israeli/Jordanian Peace Accord, the Jewish Music Festival - Berlin, Germany, and the World Café in Philadelphia.
An ardent believer in reaching across musical, cultural and political boundaries, Bruce Kaminsky has collaborated with musicians from all over the world, in many different styles. In the jazz world, he has performed with Tal Farlow, Jimmy Knepper, Larry Coryell, Eddie Daniels, Lew Tebackin, Marc Kramer, Arne Lawrence, Jimmy Bruno, Jim Ridl, Tom Lawton, Larry McKenna, Bruce Klauber, Connie Lesem, Midiri Brother, Philadelphia Jazz Ensemble, Valerie Pomomarev, Frank DiBussolo, David Thomas, Jim Brent and LaDeva Davis. Bruce has worked with international artists, including Simon Shaheen (Palestine), Samuel Heifetz (Latvia), Edmond Joseph (Iran), Geoffrey Williams (England), Boaz ben Moshe (Israel), Hamit Golbasi (Turkey), Henrik Goldschmidt (Denmark) and Adib Rafela (Egypt). A classically trained bassist, Bruce Kaminsky has performed with The Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra.
A dedicated and imaginative educator, Bruce has authored articles including, “Converting Rock Musicians to Play Jazz,” Downbeat Magazine November 1982 and “Tips From the City Of Brotherly Bass,” Bass Player Magazine June 2004.
Radio and television appearances include: WHYY: “Fresh Air with Terry Gross,” WRTI: “Cross Roads with Jill Pasternak and Jack Berkel,” ABC: “Good Morning Philadelphia,” NBC: “AM Philadelphia,” and NJN: “New Jersey Live with Mary Cumming.”
Bruce Kaminsky is also the designer of the KYDD upright bass, is on the music faculty of Drexel University, and maintains a private teaching studio. Bruce has been on Musicopia’s roster since 2001. He leads the Spice Route Ensemble and is the principal bassist with the James D Ensemble.
The Spice Route Ensemble conducts Musicopia’s Journey Into Middle Eastern Music assembly and residency programs for students of any age or ability. Bruce performs with the James D Ensemble’s Journey of Discovery with Lewis and Clark assembly program.