Bassist and composer, Daniel Toledo, seems to have been everywhere, played everywhere and learned from everyone. The Quito-born bassist took some time out of preparing for a tour in Hong Kong with pianist Ted Lo and drummer Nate Wong to be the first bassist to participate in a new series on Smart Bass called, How I Play.
Toledo’s accomplishments and collaborations are extensive and encompass a wide variety of musical outlets.
In 2008, he formed the Jazz Time Project with trumpeter Paul Sanchez, pianist Miguel Gallardo, and drummer Carlos Sánchez.
At the age of 13 he became a student of USFQ College of Music (Berklee International Network) as part of the youth program in Quito Ecuador. He begins with the study of electric bass and later with the upright bass, in 2009 admitted as a regular student of CoM.
In 2010, Toledo won and received the Jazz Envoys recognition and performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
In addition to Lo, Wong and the members of the Jazz Time Project, Daniel has performed alongside:
- Drummer John Blackwell,
- Vibraphonist Victor Mendoza,
- Trombonist Jeff Galindo,
- Drummer Yoron Israel,
- Saxophonist Perico Sanbeat,
- Pianist Ted Lo and
- Polo Ortí and has performed in South America, North America, Asia and Europe.
But wait – there’s more!
Toledo is also a member of the International Society of Bassists and was invited to their convention in Rochester, NY in June 2013.
Currently, Daniel leading his own trio with Piotr Orzechowski and Joshua Wheatley (see the video below), finishing a debut album and completing a Master’s program at Berklee College of Music through the BIN Scholarship in the city of Valencia, Spain.
Here’s Daniel, Pitor and Joshua performing, “Alerting”:
Where are you located? Valencia, Spain
What’s your current gig? Working with my own trio and different bands from Berklee in Valencia and various projects in Ecuador my home country. At the moment touring in Hong Kong with Ted Lo and Nate Wong.
What is one word that describes your playing? Groove
Describe your current setup and what is favorite piece of gear at the moment?
- Acoustic Bass (Shen SB-150 for traveling and daily use set up by Gary Upton and an old German Upright bass)
- Electric Bass (1969 Fender Jazz Bass, 1976 fretless Fender Precision, 1994 Fender Precision, 1994 Fender Marcus Miller and a Lakland Jazz Bass)
- For an amp, I use a Genz Benz Shuttle 600w with a cabinet by Mark Bass (New York 6×4) Gives a good blend when i have to switch between Electric and Acoustic.
My favorite pieces of gear are my upright bass and my 1969 jazz bass.
What is your practice space like? My practice space should be a place where I can only concentrate on playing bass or music. Having a mirror it’s important to watch the posture when playing the upright bass.
What album are you currently listening to? Ahmad Jamal, Count ‘Em 88.
What book are you currently reading? Ludwig Streicher’s Scales and Chord Studies, Ray Brown’s Bass Method
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? “Don’t be afraid of going out and play, nothing wrong will happen you will just only get better” – Jeffry Eckels
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How I Play is a new segment for Smart Bass Guitar where we ask bass players to introduce themselves, share their practice tips, rig setups, favorite music and more. Want to be featured as part of “How I Play”, send an email to [email protected] with the headline, “How I Play”.
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