Bassist
Leo Traversa is a native New Yorker and
has been at the forefront of the world
music scene there for many years. A founding
and current faculty member of the Bass
Collective in New York City, he has taught
at the Collective since1987. His extensive
knowledge of a variety of musical genres
and cultures and his mastery of their
playing techniques makes him one of the
most versatile and proficient bassists
on the scene today. He studied at the
Berklee College of Music in Boston and
at A.A.S. Five Town College in New York,
and has performed and recorded worldwide
with a wide range of internationally known
artists. These include Tania Maria, Eliane
Elis, Ben E. King, Astrud Gilberto, Michael
Brecker, Don Byron, Cesar Camargo Mariano,
Dave Valentin, Toninho Horta, Gerry Mulligan,
The New York Voices, Oscar Hernandez,
Phil Woods, The Caribbean Jazz Project,
Steve Kimock, Leslie Uggams, Gato Barbieri,
Ivan Lins, Dr. Chris Washburn's "Syotos"
band, and many others. He has also garnered
many television, film, and Broadway credits
during the span of his remarkable career.
