Davison
"Dace" Robie was born in Jamestown, New York and
currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. Dace recently
earned a B.A. in Music Composition from Butler University
where he studied bass with David Murray, composition with
Dr. Michael Schelle and Dr. Frank Felice, and jazz improvisation
and arranging with Gary Walters, Mark Buselli, and Dr. Matt
Pivec. During his time at Butler he performed as an integral
member of the Butler Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz
Combo, and Composer's Orchestra. Dace also designed music
and sound for Butler Theatre Department productions "Antigone"
and "Orpheus and Eurydice." In 2008 Dace premiered
a production of musical shorts composed with his long-time
friend Brian Grimm titled "Talk Like a Real Person,"
based on scripts by Leah Winkler, Julie Wunderlin, and Dan
Barden.
As a freelance bassist Dace has performed with Brent Wallarab,
Mark Buselli, Gary Walters, the Dick Dickinson Jazztet, Anderson
Symphony Orchestra, Hendricks County Symphony, Trio D'Alma,
S.T.E.V.E. (jazz kitchen patio band), Mike Rhodman, and many
others. As a freelance composer Dace has designed music and
sound for Indianapolis New Art Theatre, Susurrus Performance
Group, Albion College Department of Theatre and Dance, and
Case-Western Reserve University Theatre and Dance Department.
Dace is co-founder with Nickolas Hartgrove and Brian Grimm
of the world/electronic/chamber collective Melancholy Elephants
and is currently a member of Everywhere Theatre Group (NYC).
He is a member of the Max Allen Band with fellow Bongo Boy
instructor Shaan France.
Some of Dace's major influences are too many to list but include
Oscar Pettiford, Paul Chambers, Jaco Pastorius, Charles Mingus,
Ron Carter, Dave Holland, John Patitucci, Bootsy Collins,
Ustad Sultan Kahn, Igor Stravinsky, Claude Debussy, Maurice
Ravel, Terry Riley, Edgar Varese, Louis Andriessen, John Hollenbeck,
Jojo Mayer, and many many many others...
