Scott Wallingford

Scott Wallingford is and always will be a work in progress when it comes to mastering the nuances of bass playing. It's a never ending search for new approaches and constant effort to apply new ideas that keep me interested in playing the bass.
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Jazzmusicarchives says this about my recent CD release.
"Deja Bleu" is a self-produced and self-released CD by San Diego based bass player Scott Wallingford. . Most of the tunes on here consist of standard blues changes topped with solid jazz solos, and make for some of the most un-pretentious music around. The lack of studio slickness does not undermine things in the least, in fact the simple raw nature of this recording only adds to this CD's appeal. Scott uses a rotating cast of players on here which adds variety through each player's unique solo takes on the jazz-blues language. There is a fun casual nature to this music with an undercurrent of good natured humor. Guitarist Robert Sebastian obviously knows his jazz and blues, but he is apt to do an occasional solo with an over the top distorted metal sound set to 11 that almost buries the rest of the band. This lack of straight-faced adherence to tradition also adds to the band's loose appeal. All of the playing on here is nice, but guest pianist Doug Kvandel really stands out on "Afternoon in I.B." with his odd Monk inspired solo with its striking off-meter syncopations.
. Overall the music on this CD sounds like classic Saturday afternoon jazz for an outdoor deck at your local club, fun music for kicking back that is totally devoid of any heavy attitude. In an interesting side note, I rarely recognize the player's names on these sort of local recordings, but was really surprised and pleased to see the great trumpet player Burnett Anderson on here. Oddly enough, I know Burnett from the Dallas scene.
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San Diego Troubador review of my debut solo album "Mostly Blue." .Imperial Beach bassist Scott Wallingford explores quite a bit of territory on his debut album "Mostly Blue." .The opening drum blast of "One Shade of Blue" immediately establishes the jazz credentials of the musicians on this disc. As the song evolves, bass, trumpet, sax, and guitar play in unison, in harmony, and as soloists. The arrangement allows for some very inventive improvisation from each player but when it's time for the ensemble to come together, they do so clearly and precisely. "Blue Shoes (No Suede)" is guided by the same mindset yet Wallingford and company manage to create a completely different vibe. .They slow things down with "Off Blue," a New Orleans-style song with a melancholy melody played on trumpet and sax, but subsequent songs pick up the pace once again. The album comes full circle with the last song, titled "Another Shade of Blue." This energetic piece wraps things up nicely. The real beauty of this album is that these musicians find something interesting and unique to say within their chosen musical parameters. Instead of being limited by them, they revel in them. Wallingford is an articulate bassist. His tone is fluid and precise, whether he is laying down the groove or taking off on some agile flight of fancy. As a band leader he is very generous, giving the spotlight to his players many times over. .Notable among his accompanists are trumpeter Burnett Anderson, saxophonist Tim Nunnink, and guitartist Robert Sebastian. All have great jazz chops, whether they're creating a groove or improvising a solo. .This album has a fresh and raw sound that lets you know that this music was played more than produced. And that's a very good thing. Mike Alvarez, October 2008.
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Anyone interested in contacting me for gigs, lessons or any reason can reach me at sjw1@cox.net