Rob Wasserman (April 1, 1952 – June 29, 2016) was an American composer and bass player. A Grammy Award and NEA grant winner, he played and recorded with a wide variety of musicians including

Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead ...

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, and

Ratdog RatDog is an American rock band. The group began in 1995 as a side project for Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Bob Weir. After the Dead disbanded later that year, RatDog became Weir's primary band. They performed some Grateful Dead songs, a mix ...

. He is best known for his own work on the trilogy of albums, ''Solo'', ''Duets'', and ''Trios''.

Life and career

Wasserman started playing violin, and graduated to the bass after his teenage years. He studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied composing with

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...

and double bass with San Francisco Symphony bassists. He worked with

Oingo Boingo Oingo Boingo () was an American new wave band formed by songwriter Danny Elfman in 1979. The band emerged from a surrealist musical theatre troupe, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, that Elfman had led and written material for in the y ...

, and

. His 1983 album ''Solo'' won '' Down Beat'' magazine's Record of the Year award. On the albums ''Duets'' and ''Trios'', he worked with

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American folk and jazz singer. He is known for his vocal techniques, such as singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also rap ...

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, and

. ''Duets'' was nominated for three Grammy Awards. Bobby McFerrin won for "Brothers", which was performed with Wasserman. Wasserman also won Holland's Edison Award for Record of the Year. His 2000 album, ''Space Island'', incorporated more contemporary musical elements.

RatDog RatDog is an American rock band. The group began in 1995 as a side project for Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Bob Weir. After the Dead disbanded later that year, RatDog became Weir's primary band. They performed some Grateful Dead songs, a mix ...

, which he co-founded with Bob Weir from the Grateful Dead, occupied much of his time. He toured extensively with Lou Reed. Wasserman was a judge for the sixth-tenth annual Independent Music Awards. He died on June 29, 2016.

Discography

As leader

* ''Solo'' (

Rounder Rounder(s) or The Rounder(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Rounders'' (1914 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounder'' (1930 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounders'' (1965 film), a western comedy * ''Rounders'' (film), a 1998 poker f ...

, 1983) * ''Duets'' (

MCA MCA may refer to: Astronomy * Mars-crossing asteroid, an asteroid whose orbit crosses that of Mars Aviation * Minimum crossing altitude, a minimum obstacle crossing altitude for fixes on published airways * Medium Combat Aircraft, a 5th gen ...

, 1988) * ''Trios'' ( GRP, 1994) * ''Space Island'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

, 2000) * '' Cosmic Farm'' ( Tone Center, 2005)

As co-leader

* ''

Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music * Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of album ...

'', with

(1999) * '' Fall 1989: The Long Island Sound'', with Bob Weir and

Jerry Garcia Band The Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side projects until his death in 1995. The band regularly tour ...

(2013) * ''Dua'', with Sultan Khan (2001)

As sideman

With

* ''

Quintet '80 ''Quintet '80'' is an album by American musician David Grisman, released in 1980. Track listing # Dawgma # Bow Wow # Barkley's Bug # Sea Of Cortez # Naima (John Coltrane) # Mugavero (John Carlini) # Dawgmatism # Thailand Personnel * ...

'' 1980 * '' Stephane Grappelli/David Grisman Live'' with

(1981) * ''

Mondo Mando ''Mondo Mando'' is an all-instrumental album by American musician David Grisman, released in 1981. Track listing All songs by David Grisman unless otherwise noted. # "Cedar Hill" – 3:47 # "Dawg Funk" – 4:10 # "Japan (Op. 23)" – 3:37 # " ...

'' (1981) With

* ''

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

'' (1989) * '' Magic and Loss'' (1992) * ''

Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, ...

'' with

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

(2011) With

* ''

Flying Cowboys ''Flying Cowboys'' is an album by Rickie Lee Jones that was released in September 1989 and produced by Walter Becker of Steely Dan. Background After the release of '' The Magazine'' in 1984, Jones retreated from the limelight. She married Pas ...

'' (1989) * ''

Naked Songs – Live and Acoustic ''Naked Songs – Live and Acoustic'' is an album by the American singer–songwriter Rickie Lee Jones, released in October 1995 via Reprise Records. It reached No. 121 on The Billboard 200. Track listing All tracks composed by Rickie Lee Jones ...

'' (1995) With others * ''

Beautiful Vision ''Beautiful Vision'' is the thirteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in February 1982. It continued Morrison's departure from R&B at the time, instead favoring Celtic folk and American jazz in its musi ...

'',

(1982) * '' Mighty Like a Rose'',

(1991) * ''The Original Wang Dang Doodle'',

(1995) * ''The Charity of Night'',

(1996) * '' Evening Moods'',

(2000) * ''

Live at Roseland ''Live at Roseland'' is a 2001 live album by the band RatDog, featuring former Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Bob Weir. In contrast to studio album ''Evening Moods'', this release contains mostly songs from the Grateful Dead song book. It wa ...

'', RatDog (2001) * ''Summertime'', Nineteen Thirteen (2015)Tarnoff, Andy (June 22, 2015)
"Nineteen Thirteen Crosses Time, Space with "Summertime" Cover"
''OnMilwaukee''. Retrieved August 2, 2016.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wasserman, Rob 1952 births 2016 deaths People from San Mateo, California American rock double-bassists Male double-bassists Musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area San Francisco Conservatory of Music alumni RatDog members David Grisman Quintet members