Pete Swanson has been a part of the NYC improvised music scene for over two decades, walking comfortable between  both the “straight ahead” and “avant-garde” worlds.

Growing up in a non-musical household, music was not truly introduced until his senior year in high school, when he got tired of hearing his father’s LP’s of “Ferrari engine sounds” and “The Kingston Trio” (why he got tired of these one may never know). He began playing the double bass  and  was introduced to the music of Dave Holland, Miroslav Vitous, and Charles Mingus. After realizing the possibilities of the instrument through these masters, it was then he decided to dedicate his life to the instrument and to the music.

As a sideman and a leader he has been lucky enough to play  with such greats as Frank Kimbrough, Jeff Hirshfield, Jamie Baum, Connie Crothers, Marc Mommas, Rez Abazzi, Noah Preminger, Bryn Roberts …