Peter Bull

Peter Bull is a freelance bass player, composer, band leader and educator based in the Toronto area. He comes from a jazz background but is involved in a wide variety of musical projects from ska-punk, rock and fusion to persian pop and hip hop. Peter is passionate about nurturing his students’ individual interests in music and giving them the tools to succeed in whatever area moves them most.

Get to know Peter…Beyond the Bio!

Hobbies:  Snowboarding, Woodwork, Graphic Design, Skateboarding, Learning new instruments, Hiking, learning about the physics of sound, reading books.

Musical influences:  Charles Mingus, Frank Zappa, Jay Dilla, Knower, Now Vs. Now, Rage Against the Machine, Prokofiev, Bartok, Danger Mouse, Django Bates, Kneebody, Scott Lafaro, Chet Baker, Kendrick Lamar, Donny McCaslin, The Specials, Tarafs de Haidouks, New York Gypsy Allstars, Mr. Bungle, Wayne Shorter, John Zorn, Bill Evans, Bernard Hermann, Tubacatre, Alé Kuma.

Favourite food: Impossible. But if I really HAD to pick, I’d say Thai curry.

Least favourite food: Seaweed. Except in Miso soup or holding sushi together. I can’t take it straight.

Favourite music: Well, everything listed in my influences… But here are some more that I like but don’t really emulate directly: The Beatles, Sia, Jethro Tull, Blossom Dearie, Boston, CCR, Louis Armstrong, Led Zepplin, Regina Spektor, Janelle Monae, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Gene Krupa.

Favourite song: Django Bates’ version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Favourite movie: V for Vendetta

Favourite movie music: Maybe North by Northwest? or Vertigo? Also a big fan of the scores for Lord of the Rings, Indianna Jones, The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

Favourite musical theatre/opera: Don Giovani

Best quote from your teacher: “Simandl method will give you tendinitis. Imagine the neck of the bass is a baseball bat…” – Harvie S on mastering neutral physicality and using the weight of the body.

Favourite quote: “But why male models???” – Derek Zoolander

Favourite book: Nartzis and Goldmund by Herman Hesse

Best thing about teaching at ABC: Teamwork and Community!