A very versatile bassist,
Rob Wasserman gained fame as both a leader and collaborator, with his trilogy of recording projects accurately titled
Solo,
Duets, and
Trios ably displaying his creative range in the '80s and '90s.
Wasserman began playing the violin when he was 12, not switching to bass until he was already 20. Within a year he was studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and playing with drummer
Charles Moffett. The classical training he had received on violin, plus owning a very open mind, frequently came in handy throughout his career.
Wasserman picked up early experience working with
Dan Hicks,
Maria Muldaur,
Van Morrison, and
Oingo Boingo. In 1983, he recorded
Solo for Rounder, receiving very strong reviews. Later,
Wasserman became a longtime member of
David Grisman's group and also had lengthy stints with
Lou Reed,
Elvis Costello, and
the Grateful Dead's
Bob Weir, with whom he co-founded RatDog in the mid-'90s.
Duets in 1988 matched
Wasserman with seven very diverse singers (including
Bobby McFerrin,
Rickie Lee Jones,
Cheryl Bentyne, and
Lou Reed) and violinist
Stéphane Grappelli. Arriving in 1993,
Trios had appearances by such performers as
Jerry Garcia,
Brian and
Carnie Wilson,
Willie Dixon,
Branford Marsalis, and
Elvis Costello, among others. Although he worked throughout much of his career as a featured sideman,
Wasserman's recordings as a leader were notable and distinctive musical accomplishments. After the release of
Solo,
Duets, and
Trios, the space rock-influenced
Space Island blasted off in late 2000, exploring new textures and incorporating hip-hop and electronic elements. He spent the next several years playing with RatDog and appearing with
Gov't Mule and
Rickie Lee Jones before returning to solo work and releasing Cosmic Farm, a fusion date featuring guitarist
Craig Erickson,
T. Lavitz on keys, and
Jeff Sipe on drums.
Rob Wasserman died on June 29, 2016 at 64 years of age. ~ Scott Yanow