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Jeff Pekarek (Jeff Basile, Jeff Basile Pekarek) is a
52 year old native of San Diego, California, with 35 years of experience
as a professional musician and entertainer. He was the youngest member
of the San Diego Symphony when he joined the contrabass section at age
seventeen. He performed with the orchestra from 1975-79, and during the
summer pops concerts backed up such luminaries as Benny Goodman, Sara
Vaughn, and Sergio Mendez. After releasing his first album of originals
in 1981, he became a bandleader in his own right, fronting several successful
period music and folkmusic ensembles. In addition he is the principal
arranger for filmaker and composer Yale Strom. This collaboration has
included many audio recordings, several documentary films, two ballets, and the orchestral work
'Aliyot', performed by the St. Louis Symphony. Jeff is the bassist on
Richard Greene's most recent album, Shufflin'. Since June 2004, he has
also worked as an arranger for Canum Entertainment. His lengthy discography includes albums by The Peter Pupping Quartet, The Electrocarpathians, Keltik Kharma, and Kick Up The Dust.
| 1974 |
Bassist with acoustic trio SAN (international
folk, standards). |
| 1975 |
Grant from Young Musician's Foundation for classical
training. |
| 1975 |
Principal bass with Civic Youth Orchestra (San
Diego). |
| 1975 |
National Association of Jazz Educators Special
Citation. |
| 1975-1976 |
Season contract awarded by San Diego Symphony
Orchestra. |
| 1976 |
Performed Dragonetti Concerto with
La Jolla Civic Orchestra. |
| 1976-1977 |
Season contract awarded by San Diego Symphony Orchestra. |
| 1977 |
Employed by San Diego Ballet,
California Ballet, San Diego Opera. |
| 1977-1978 |
season contract with San Diego Symphony Orchestra.
|
| 1979 |
Founded folk music group JACKSTRAWS (regulars
at Sea World, San Diego Zoo, Horton Plaza and Seaport Village)). |
| 1980 |
Studied traditional English
folk music at Cecil Sharp House, London. |
| 1981 |
Solo appearances performing period maritime music
at San Diego Seaport Village. |
| 1981 |
Recorded LP of originals 'To Each Their Own'.
|
| 1982 -1993 |
Performances for Young
Audiences (national organization providing educational performances
in public schools) as leader of BLACKTHORNE'S MARITIME BAND. |
| 1982 |
Renaissance music performances at San Diego's
Old Globe Theatre and private Elizabethan-style banquets. Recordings:
'The Gentleman and the Jester'(Jackstraws; English folkmusic),
'Cholent with Huckleberry' (Zmiros; Klezmer music).
|
| 1982 |
Concert tour of N.Y. City with Klezmer band 'Zmiros'.
|
| 1983-1995 |
Renaissance Fair appearances throughout California.
Studio musician at Invincible Sounds, Seacoast Studio, Golden Track,
Hit Single, Studio West, and other recording studios. |
| 1983 - 1998 |
Musician and bandleader for various ensembles
playing throughout the San Diego area, including lounges, coffeehouses,
shopping malls, Officers’ Clubs and other venues. Recordings:
'Roll the Old Chariot Along' (Jackstraws). |
| 1987-1995 |
String instrument instructor
at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA., teaching
classical guitar, electric guitar, bass, contrabass and cello. Directed
individual student recitals and jazz band. Recordings: 'Great
Dickens!' (Jackstraws). Arranger for
filmaker/violinist, Yale Strom. Works include the documentary films
'The Last Klezmer' and 'Carpati: 50 miles, 50 Years'. |
| 1989 |
Founded The Electrocarpathians, San Diego's original East European
folk/rock fusion band. Recordings: 'Zemye' and 'Transylvania
Quintet' (The Electrocarpathians). |
| 1995 |
Arranged and performed Yale Strom's music
for Tony Kirschner’s 'A Dybbuk'.
produced at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
|
| 1996-1999 |
Recordings: 'Alterations Garden' (Jazz
originals), 'Wandering Jew' (Klazzj; Klezmer/Latin Fusion),
'Tales Our Fathers Sang' (Yale Strom), 'For
The Love of Whales' (anthology of music by Raggle Taggle), 'Samba Nights'
(Peter Pupping Quartet), 'Keltic Kharma'
(Chris Vitas, Contemporary Celtic). Composing and arranging music
to the poetry of George Pullen. Arranged music for Yale Strom's ballets
'Tribes' and 'Shperngulje Masive' (aka 'Customs of
the House'), and Strom's orchestral work 'Aliyot'. Performing
on cello with Caprice Strings, and on contrabass and bouzouki with
The Peter Pupping Quartet and The Brian Baynes Band. |
| 2000 |
Performing with the Peter
Pupping Quartet at corporate events at The Four Seasons Aviara and Rancho Valencia. Appearances with Caprice Strings and regular performances
with the Brian Baynes Band at Hooley's and the Field. The Electrocarpathian's
box office hit at the San Diego Museum of Art. Recordings: Yale Strom's
'Garden of Yid'n' (Naxos World) and Bryan Ellingson's 'What
I Do', a collection of Ellingson's R&B originals. |
| 2001 |
Performed with the O'Brien
Brothers for their acclaimed CD release bash at the Belly Up. Highlight
of the year: the Brian Baynes Band with the San Diego Symphony, St.
Patrick's Day concert. Continued performances with the Peter Pupping
Quartet and the Electrocarpathians. Composition: 'The
Detectives March', a piece for concert band. Recordings: 'Embarcadero'
by the Peter Pupping Quartet (label: GuitarSounds) and 'Umpires of Straw' by the Electrocarpathians (label: Global Village).
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| 2002 - 2003 |
Performing with the Peter Pupping Quartet,
Caprice Strings. Recording: 'The Very Thought of You', a collection
of jazz standards (Guitarsounds). |
| 2004 - 2005 |
Performing with Richard
Greene and the Brothers Barton, with appearances in Connecticut, Pennsylvania,
Las Vegas, Nashville, and throughout California. Arranging and recording
for Canum Entertainment. Recording: Shufflin' (Richard Greene and
the Brothers Barton). |
| 2006 - 2009 |
Bassist for premiere performance and recording of 'Primal
Twang' (Adams Entertainment), featuring Eric Johnson, Albert Lee,
Mason Williams, and other guitar greats. Continued performances with
Peter Pupping, Brian Baynes, Keltik Kharma, and Caprice Strings. Arranging and producing recording sessions for Canum Entertainment. Recordings: 'The Kharma Zone', 'Kharma Noir' and 'iKharma' (Keltik Kharma), 'Rivers, Kings, and Curses' (David Nigel Lloyd), 'Heroes of the Ships' and 'From Liverpool To Frisco' (Kick Up The Dust), 'Sea Journey' (Peter Pupping Quartet), 'Even Hotter Water' (Banshee in the Kitchen), 'A Mary Christmas' (Mary Jaeb), and 'Fighting For Harmony' (The Electrocarpathians). |
| Contact |
Jeff Pekarek (Jeff Basile) (619) 262-7041
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