Kermit Driscoll


James "Kermit" Driscoll is an American jazz bassist. He is known for his long association with guitarist Bill Frisell in the 1980s and '90s. Driscoll has worked in many genres and music settings: Broadway, classical, jazz, folk, rock, film, and television. He has taught at SUNY Purchase College and Sarah Lawrence College.
WWW kermitdriscoll.com

Biography

Driscoll was born in Kearney, Nebraska. He began playing piano at age five. Soon after, he added saxophone, and at age thirteen he picked up the bass guitar. He was soon was playing gigs around the midwest. When an offer to travel with a rock band came up, he dropped out of high school at age sixteen to go on tour.
He later attended the University of Miami, where one of his teachers was Jaco Pastorius. At Berklee College of Music in 1975 he became friends with guitarist Bill Frisell, and they often performed locally in Boston. Driscoll cites Pastorius and Frisell as two of the biggest influences on his life. Around 1976, he and his roommate, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and Frisell found work in a band called the Boston Connection. According to Frisell, band members dressed in orange polyester suits and played disco.
In May 1978, Driscoll traveled to Belgium to play with Stephan Houben who was working with Frisell. With this group he made his first recording, Mauve Traffic, with Frisell, Houben, Greg Badolato, Vinton Johnson, and Michel Herr. The album included a composition by Driscoll entitled "Doggone it". In January, 1980, he moved to New York City, and during the next year toured with Buddy Rich.
From 1986 to 1996, he was a member of Bill Frisell's quartet. From 1990 to 1995, he was in the group New and Used with trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Andy Laster.
In 2005, he was diagnosed with advanced Lyme disease. Friends performed benefit concerts. Colauita helped gather donations and encouraged Driscoll to record. Reveille, his first album as a leader, was recorded with Colaiuta, Frisell, and pianist Kris Davis and released in 2010.
On January, 28th, 2019 Driscoll was accused of beating his wife and charged with aggravated assault, violating a restraining order, false imprisonment, hindering his arrest, obstruction and harassment. This was after being removed from a Cliffside Park, NJ home by the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team.

Discography

As leader

  • 2010 Reveille
  • 2012 Window & Door
With New and Used
  • 1992 Souvenir
  • 1995 ''Consensus''

As sideman

With Bill Frisell
With John Hollenbeck
  • 2005 A Blessing
  • 2009 Eternal Interlude
With Joel Harrison
  • 2013 Infinite Possibility
  • 2015 Spirit House
With Gerry Hemingway
  • 2002 Songs
  • 2005 Double Blues Crossing
With David Johansen
With Mick Rossi
  • 1997 Inside the Sphere
  • 1999 They Have a Word for Everything
With John Zorn
  • 1997 FilmWorks III: 1990–1995
  • 1997 FilmWorks VII: Cynical Hysterie Hour
With others