{{Short description|American musician}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Max Gerl | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = 1992 | birth_place = Dallas, Texas | origin = | death_date = | death_place = | genre = {{flatlist| * Jazz * Jazz fusion }} | occupation = Musician | instrument = double bass, electric bass | years_active = | label = | current_member_of = | website = [https://www.maxgerl.com/ www.maxgerl.com] }}
'''Max Gerl''' (born 1992) is an American bass player and jazz musician. Gerl has performed internationally at venues including the Monterey Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club.
Gerl grew up in a family of musicians in Dallas, Texas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Meet Max Gerl |url=https://voyagela.com/interview/meet-max-gerl-max-gerl-reseda/ |access-date=18 February 2025 |publisher=Voyage L.A. |date=May 20, 2020}}</ref> He first learned the piano and alto saxophone, and switched to the electric bass at the age of eleven under the influence of a Led Zeppelin DVD.<ref>{{cite news |title=Max Gerl - Make Music |url=https://www.guitarcenter.com/riffs/interviews/bass/max-gerl-make-music?srsltid=AfmBOooQd7VDX9CW8rqY5yd2CCCEWyzzDDvZuNcjGa0sS5aUT09SMirw |access-date=18 February 2025 |publisher=Guitar Center - Interviews |date=December 3, 2020}}</ref> He also took double bass lessons starting at the age of 15.<ref>{{cite web |title=Max Gerl |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/max-gerl |website=All About Jazz |access-date=18 February 2025}}</ref> After high school, he studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston with John Patitucci, Steve Bailey, James Genus, Victor Bailey, Bruce Gertz, Tia Fuller and Hal Crook.
Gerl moved to New York City in 2017. From there he toured the United States and Europe with pianist Cameron Graves, and participated in the album ''Seven'' (2021). In 2019 he moved to Los Angeles, CA. He worked with Dan Kye, Makaya McCraven, James Francies, Stanley Clarke, Tia Fuller, Shaun Martin, Bernard Wright and Chris Cheek.
At the end of 2019, he released his debut album ''Tbilisi'' on Dolfin Records with saxophonist Aaron Shaw, pianist Paul Cornish and drummer Mike Mitchell.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bassist Max Gerl Releases Debut Album "Tbilisi" |url=https://bassmagazine.com/bassist-max-gerl-releases-debut-album-tbilisi/ |access-date=18 February 2025 |publisher=Bass Magazine |date=December 16, 2019}}</ref> With Greg Spero's band Spirit Fingers he released ''Peace'' in 2020. Sasha Berliner brought him into her group, Tabula Rasa, for the SWR New Jazz Meeting 2021.
Gerl released his first solo album, ''Max Gerl'', on July 28, 2023, with the New York jazz label JMI Recordings, which specializes in analog recording. ''Max Gerl'' was produced by bassist Stanley Clarke alongside associate producer Steven Mandel.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Kevin |title=Max Gerl Announces Self-Titled Album with Stanley Clarke as Producer |url=https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2023/07/08/max-gerl-announces-self-titled-album-with-stanley-clarke-as-producer/ |access-date=18 February 2025 |publisher=No Treble |date=July 8, 2023}}</ref> The album includes five free improvisation tracks. JMI Recordings released Gerl's ''Max Gerl Trio'', featuring Brian Richburg Jr. on drums and Yesseh Furaha-Ali on tenor saxophone in February, 2025.
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== ====Solo albums==== {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Title !Label !Release date !Personnel !Format |- |''Max Gerl''<ref>{{cite web |title=Max Gerl - Max Gerl (12" vinyl LP) |url=https://www.jmirecordings.com/the-jmi-record-store/max-gerl-max-gerl-12-vinyl-lp |website=JMI Recordings |access-date=2 March 2025}}</ref> |JMI Recordings |July 28, 2023 |Produced by Stanley Clarke.<ref>{{cite news |last1=|first1= |title=New Album: Max Gerl’s Self-titled Album, Produced by Stanley Clarke |url=https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2023/06/new-album-max-gerls-self-titled-album-produced-by-stanley-clarke/ |access-date=2 March 2025 |publisher=Bass Musician Magazine |date=June 30, 2023}}</ref> Associate Producer: Steven Mandel |LP, digital |}
====As lead artist==== {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Title !Label !Release date !Personnel !Format |- |''Max Gerl Trio'' |JMI Recordings |2025 |Brian Richburg Jr. (drums) and Yesseh Furaha-Ali (tenor saxophone) |LP, digital |- |''Hard Pan'' |JMI Recordings |2024 |Max Gerl & Mike Mitchell |LP, digital |- |''Tbilisi'' |Dolfin Records |December 10, 2019 |Max Gerl (Acoustic and Electric Bass), Aaron Shaw (Tenor Saxophone), Paul Cornish (Piano), Mike Mitchell (Drums) |CD, digital |}
====As featured==== {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Title !Label !Release date !Personnel !Format |- |''Seven'' |Mack Avenue Records |February 19, 2021 |Cameron Graves (piano, vocals). Featuring Max Gerl (bass), Mike Mitchell (drums), Colin Cook (guitar), and Kamasi Washington (tenor saxophone) |LP, CD, digital |- |''Peace'' | | 2020 |Greg Spero + Spirit Fingers (Max Gerl, Mike Mitchell, Dario Chiazzolino) |CD, digital |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://www.maxgerl.com}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Living people Category:American jazz double-bassists Category:American jazz bass guitarists Category:Jazz musicians from Texas Category:1992 births