 “I was born to be a sideman and I’ll probably
die a sideman. But, hey…that’s just fine
with me. If I can play and write, I’ll always
be happy.”
Brooklyn born, L.A. based, and world influenced. That
is the only way to describe bassist, Roberto Vally. Each
of these facets of his life has had a profound effect on his
direction and playing.
Roberto grew up in Brooklyn, NY. His mother was an amateur
singer and his father was a dreamer of one day becoming a musician. Both
of his parents encouraged Roberto to pursue his interest in
music and he started studying a little bit of piano at home. “My
father always wanted to be a musician. He grew up in
Italy, and between wars and a lot of kids in his family, he
never had the finances to get involved in music. But
I have to thank my father for being the wind beneath my wings
in terms of having the financial means and letting me grow
up and follow my passion.” Growing up in New York
gave Roberto the experiences and the foundation to build upon.
In fourth grade, Roberto picked up the bass fiddle and played
in his grade school orchestra. His teacher recognized
his talent and informed his mother that he had perfect pitch. “I
had no idea what that was,” notes Roberto. “I
just knew that I could walk back from school and play the piano
and sing in the same key that we had done at school.” At
about 11 years old, Roberto got his hands on his first electric
bass…and things took off. He started off playing
bass in a little band in the garage. He and his buddies
would play the local block parties, bar and bat mitzvahs, and
Sweet 16 parties. In junior high, his music teacher suggested
to Roberto’s parents that he attend the High School of
Music & Art. That was where he met the likes of Omar
Hakim and Marcus Miller and was soon on his way.
Early influences of Roberto, besides his music teachers, included
Paul McCartney, Peter Cetera, and Robert “Kool” Bell
of Kool & the Gang. “Then I heard bassist Paul
Jackson, Stanley Clarke, and Jaco Pastorius and really went
into a tailspin. I wanted to be a musician, but never
knew if I could ever hold a torch to those guys.” About
15 years ago, Roberto relocated to Los Angeles and began building
his impressive resume. He has played with Michael Franks,
Bobby Caldwell, Paul Brown, Boney James, Boz Scaggs, Arturo
Sandoval, Michael Lington, and Randy Crawford. Besides
his playing, Roberto also takes great pride in his writing
abilities, and his credits can be found on any number of CDs
you might pick  up these days. Roberto’s musical
endeavors range from smooth jazz to Latin grooves to reggae
music and beyond. “I think that as a musician,
that playing different styles helps and strengthens the other
styles. It’ll make me play the smooth jazz music
in another way. Even if I go out and play a wedding and
play a variety of music and put myself in that music, it is
all interconnected. Maybe I am diluting my jazz branch,
but that’s okay. It’s almost like adding
different spices to a plate of food and knowing what to add
and having the wisdom to take a risk, but not too much of a
risk, because…well, cinnamon and garlic might not be
so good together, but maybe just a touch of cinnamon might
work. But if I put equal amounts of cinnamon and garlic,
it’ll probably suck! Or it could enhance it!”
When not making music, Roberto can usually be found romping
with his kids (he is Dad to four) or out catching some waves
on his surf board. “I have already started taking
the little ones out on the long board with me, and they can
almost stand up on it now.” If he’s not outside,
then he’ll be in his kitchen…or anyone’s
if he’s allowed… cooking or watching chefs. Roberto
said he learned by watching his mother cook, and is a great
improviser.
Roberto remains a very in-demand player and writer. Most
recently his writing was featured on the latest Jeffrey Osborne
CD. Look for Roberto Vally just about anywhere smooth
jazz is played and heard. If you haven’t seen him
yet, just wait…more than likely he’ll be alongside
any of your favorite headliners
- Bonnie Schendell
photos by ScenicJAZZ Photography
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