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Larry Tuttle
About Larry
Larry and The Stick were on a collision course from the very start. It was a perfect fit. Growing up in Seattle, Washington, Larry Tuttle discovered the string bass at age nine and embarked on a childhood saturated in music, playing in school orchestras, All-City orchestras, Youth Symphonies, college symphonies, and just about every kind of ensemble imaginable. Larry studied classically at the University of Washington as a string bass major under James Harnett (principal bass - Seattle Symphony) as well as taking extensive private study with such notables as Ron Simon, Ring Warner and Oscar Zimmerman. A short study course in ear-training with jazz great Gary Peacock was a revelation, opening his ears to jazz and helping to develop deep listening skills and musical philosophy. Larry played principal bass for a summer at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, as well as sitting in with the Seattle Symphony as an honor student.
Discovering the electric bass and progressive rock bands such as Yes, ELP and Gentle Giant while in high school, Larry went on to play for ten years with rock group "Russia", moving to Los Angeles and recording two albums for Warner Bros. Records.
After the Russia years, looking to expand his musical choices, he added The Stick to his repertoire of instruments. It was a life-changing move. The Stick opened up entire vistas of musical expression. As a new instrument with plenty of untapped potential, it offered both a challenge and an opportunity for creating a totally unique musical identity. The Stick's two-handed playing technique and contrapuntal sound also made it an ideal instrument for expression as a composer.
FREEWAY PHILHARMONIC, Larry and Novi's instrumental group through the late 80's and 90's, recorded four CD's for the Spindletop and Sheffield Lab labels. FREEWAY PHILHARMONIC toured throughout the United States and Canada, as Larry introduced The Stick to audiences everywhere. In 1999, Larry recorded "THROUGH THE GATES", a CD of solos performed on The Stick.