Electric bass virtuoso Nathan East returns to U.C. San Diego for a rare local appearance on Saturday afternoon to headline the 18th Annual Lytle Scholarship Concert, in honor of pianist/educator Cecil Lytle, one of the bassist’s mentors from his formative years as a UCSD student.
East left UCSD for recording-studio opportunities in Los Angeles and soon became a huge force in popular music, playing on a plethora of best-selling records, collaborating with the likes of Eric Clapton and Phil Collins, to name just two.
More recently, East performed at the 2014 Grammy Awards with dance impresarios Daft Punk, who were also joined onstage by Stevie Wonder, Pharell Williams and Nile Rodgers of Chic fame. Daft Punk ended up claiming the awards for Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
On Saturday, East will perform with a talented band made up of his family members David East, Marcel East, James East and Noah East, as well as his two most important influences from the La Jolla campus, Lytle and bassist Bertram Turetzky.
Also in the works is a bass-trio with Turetzky and Mark Dresser.
Saturday's show will be held in the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 for UCSD students; $60 for alumni, and $75 for the general public.
Robert Bush is a freelance jazz writer who has been exploring the San Diego improvised music scene for more than 30 years.
