George Mraz
George Mraz (born Jiří Mráz on 9 September 1944 in Písek, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, now Czech Republic) is a jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and has worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stephane Grappelli, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Raney, Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, John Abercrombie, John Scofield, Richie Beirach and many other important jazz musicians.
He also appears with Joe Lovano, Hank Jones and Paul Motian on Lovano's records, I'm All For You and Joyous Encounter.
Mraz is also known for performing solos with a bow in arco style like Paul Chambers.
During the 1970s he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet and The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, and in the 1980s a member of Quest.[1]
Discography
As leader/co-leader
- 1977: Alone Together with Masaru Imada
- 1992: Catching Up
- 1995: Jazz with Richie Beirach, Billy Hart, Larry Willis, Rich Perry
- 1995: My Foolish Heart with Richie Beirach, Billy Hart
- 1997: Bottom Lines with Cyrus Chestnut, Al Foster, Rich Perry
- 1999: Duke's Place with Renee Rosnes, Billy Drummond, Cyrus Chestnut
- 2002: Morava with Billy Hart, Emil Viklicky, Zuzana Lapčíková
- 2007: Moravian Gems with Iva Bittova, Emil Viklicky, Laco Tropp
- 2012: George Mraz quartet-Jazz na Hrade with David Hazeltine, Rich Perry, Joey Baron
- 2014: Together Again with Emil Viklický
With the New York Jazz Quartet
- Surge (Enja, 1977)
- Song of the Black Knight (Sonet, 1977)
- Blues for Sarka (Enja, 1978)
- New York Jazz Quartet in Chicago (Bee Hive, 1981)
- Oasis (Enja, 1981)
As sideman
With Yelena Eckemoff featuring Mark Turner, Joe Locke & Billy Hart
- A Touch of Radiance (L & H Production, 2014)
With Michel Petrucciani & Stephane Grappelli
- Flamingo (Dreyfus, 1996)
With Pepper Adams
- Ephemera (Spotlite, 1973)
- Julian (Enja, 1975)
- Twelfth and Pingree (Enja, 1975)
- Reflectory (Muse, 1978)
- The Master (Muse, 1980)
- Urban Dreams (Palo Alto, 1981)
With John Abercrombie
- Arcade (ECM, 1978)
- Abercrombie Quartet (ECM, 1979)
- M (ECM, 1980)
With John Scofield
- John Scofield Live (Enja, 1977)
With Toshiko Akiyoshi
- Time Stream (1984)
- Four Seasons (1990)
- Remembering Bud: Cleopatra's Dream (1990)
- Time Stream: Toshiko Plays Toshiko (1996)
- Hope (2006)
- 50th Anniversary Concert in Japan (2006)
With Richard Beirach
- Elm (ECM, 1979)
With Quest
- Quest (Trio/Palo Alto, 1981)
With Bob Brookmeyer
- Back Again (Sonet, 1978)
With Kenny Burrell
- Ellington Is Forever Volume Two (Fantasy, 1975)
With Kenny Drew
- Lite Flite (SteepleChase, 1977)
With Jon Faddis and Billy Harper
- Jon & Billy (Trio, 1974)
With Art Farmer
- Crawl Space (CTI, 1977)
With Tommy Flanagan
- Eclypso (Enja, 1977)
- Ballads & Blues (Enja, 1978)
- Confirmation (Enja, 1977-78 [1982])
- Giant Steps (Enja, 1982)
- Thelonica (Enja, 1982)
With Stan Getz
- Line for Lyons (Sonet, 1983) with Chet Baker
- The Stockholm Concert (Sonet, 1983 [1989])
- Voyage (Blackhawk 1986)
- Bossas & Ballads – The Lost Sessions (Verve, 1989 [2003])
With Dizzy Gillespie
- The Winter in Lisbon (Milan, 1990)
- Bird Songs: The Final Recordings (Telarc, 1992)
- To Bird with Love (Telarc, 1992)
With Urbie Green
- The Fox (CTI, 1976)
With Andy LaVerne and Al Foster
- Time Well Spent (1994)
With Jaroslav Jakubovič
- Coincidence (VMM Records, 2009)
With Elvin Jones
- Earth Jones (Palo Alto, 1982)
- Youngblood (Enja, 1992)
With Keystone Trio
With Steve Kuhn
- Steve Kuhn Live in New York (Cobblestone, 1972)
With John Lewis (Atlantic, 2001)
- evolution II
With Joe Lovano
- Grand Slam
- I'm All For You (Blue Note, 2003)
- Joyous Encounter (Blue Note, 2004)
With Charles Mingus
- Three or Four Shades of Blues (Atlantic, 1977)
With Mike Nock
- In Out and Around featuring Mike Brecker and Al Foster) (1979)
With Oscar Peterson
- Another Day (MPS, 1970)
- In Tune (MPS, 1971)
- Walking the Line (MPS, 1971)
With Art Pepper
- Thursday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977 [1979])
- Friday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977 [1979])
- Saturday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977 [1979])
- More for Les at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977 [1985])
With the Jimmy Raney Trio
- But Beautiful (Criss Cross Jazz, 1991)
With Zoot Sims
- If I'm Lucky (Pablo, 1977) with Jimmy Rowles
- Warm Tenor (Pablo Records, 1979)
- Zoot Sims and the Gershwin Brothers (Pablo, 1975)
With The Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra
- Suite for Pops (A&M, 1972)
- Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica (Pausa, 1974)
- Potpourri (Philadelphia International, 1974)
- Live in Tokyo (Denon, 1974)
- New Life (A&M, 1976)
With McCoy Tyner
- McCoy Tyner Plays John Coltrane: Live at the Village Vanguard (Impulse!, 1997)
With Mal Waldron
- Mal 81 (Progressive, 1981)
With Benny Carter
- In the Mood for Swing (Music Masters, 1988)