University of North Texas

Bass Faculty

General Statistics

    • In-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $10,519
    • Out-of-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $22,759
    • Room & Board 2016-17: $8,690
    • Total Enrollment: 37,175
    • Acceptance Rate (from 2015): 70%
    • Student – Faculty Ratio: 25:1
    • 4 year graduation rate: 28%
    • % of undergrads receiving Financial aid: 58%
    • Average Financial Aid: $7,664

What Alumni Are Doing

About The Bass Faculty

Proclaimed by the New York Times as “the master of his instrument,” Jeff Bradetich is regarded as one of the leading performers and teachers of the double bass in the US today. Since his New York debut in Carnegie Recital Hall in 1982 he has performed more than 500 concerts on four continents including his London debut in Wigmore Hall in 1986. He has won many major solo competitions, recorded six solo albums of music for double bass and piano and has been featured on radio and television throughout North and South America and Europe including CBS, CNN, BBC and NPR.

He gave his professional concerto debut at the age of 16 and was appointed to the orchestra of the Lyric Opera of Chicago by age 19. Mr. Bradetich began his study of the bass at age 10 in the school orchestra program in Eugene, OR studying with Royce Lewis and Dr. Robert Hladky before studying at Northwestern University with Warren Benfield and Joseph Guastafeste where he earned both Bachelor and Masters degrees. Other major musical influences include performing for ten seasons at the Oregon Bach Festival with Helmuth Rilling, one of the world’s leading Bach authorities, and summer study with Gary Karr and many of the leading double bass pedagogues in the US.

In addition to being an active lecturer and clinician, Mr. Bradetich has transcribed more than 100 solo works. He has produced both intermediate and advanced level instructional videos and a DVD recording of the first Bach cello suite and the BB Wolf by Jon Deak. He has given more than one thousand master classes throughout the world including annual week-long workshops on three continents. He served as Executive Director of the International Society of Bassists from 1982-1990 and editor of its magazine for 6 years.

Jeff Bradetich has taught on the faculties of the University of Michigan and Northwestern University prior to his 1994 appointment as director of the largest double bass program in the world at the University of North Texas. His students hold positions in major orchestras on five continents and occupy many important teaching and leadership positions throughout the profession.

Lynn Seaton is Associate Professor in the Jazz Studies Division of the College of Music at the University of North Texas. Mr. Seaton teaches Jazz Bass Lessons, Advanced Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Performance Fundamentals I for Bass, Jazz Performance Fundamentals II for Bass, and Rhythm Section Master Class.

Lynn is an active working professional musician in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. He has recorded and toured with many jazz greats including Kenny Drew, Jr., John Fedchock, Tim Hagans, Cal Collins, Bobby Shew, George Shearing, Frank Wess and the big bands of Woody Herman and Count Basie.

Lynn was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, July 18, 1957. He began studying classical guitar at age seven, switching to string bass at age nine. While studying music at the University of Oklahoma, he began working the clubs around the state.

In September of 1980, Lynn relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio to join the Steve Schmidt Trio and the Blue Wisp Big Band. He was awarded a Jazz Studies Fellowship in the summer of 1981 from the National Endowment for the Arts to study with Rufus Reid.

Lynn has been a faculty member at the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Long Island University, State University of New York at New Paltz, William Patterson College, and is currently teaching at the University of North Texas. He thoroughly enjoys teaching workshops, coaching ensembles, and doing artist-in residence programs, having done many throughout America and Europe including numerous schools, kindergarten through college, Jamey Aebersold’s and UNT jazz camps, and Clark Terry’s Institute of Jazz Studies. He currently has private students as well.

During September of 1984, Lynn joined Woody Herman and the Young Thundering Herd. July of 1985 brought him a position with the Count Basie Orchestra. During this time he moved to New York City (1986) where he resided until 1998. After his two-year engagement with the Basie Band, he did an extended tour with Tony Bennett and a six-month tour with George Shearing. Much of 1991 was spent touring with Monty Alexander. 1992 through 1994 was spent freelancing in the New York area. 1995 until the fall of 2000 was with the Jeff Hamilton Trio. He has performed at festivals world wide including the Bern, Concord, JVC, Kool, Kyoto, Chicago, Nice, Elkhart, Kansas City, Montreal, Edmonton, Newport, North Sea, Perugia, West Coast, San Sebastian, Ottercrest, Topeka, Sarasota, Paradise Valley and Poori. At present, Lynn is freelancing and touring as a performer and clinician with a variety of people.

Lynn has worked alongside many outstanding musicians, including: Toshiko Akiyoshi, Ernestine Anderson, Buck Clayton, Al Cohn, Kenny Drew Jr., Blossom Dearie, Bob Dorough, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Herb Ellis, John Fedchock, Frank Foster, Freddy Green, Tim Hagans, Jeff Hamilton, Scott Hamilton, Wynard Harper, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Marian McPartland, Jay McShann, Mark Murphy, Ken Peplowski, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jimmy Raney, Emily Remler, Diane Schuur, Maria Schneider, Bud Shank, Carol Sloane, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Maxine Sullivan, Mel Torme, Frank Wess, Joe Willliams, Nancy Wilson, Steve Wilson, Mark Vinci and Teddy Wilson. In addition, he has worked in the jingle studios, pit bands for shows, with the Cincinnati and Dallas Pops Orchestras, has performed on television broadcasts including CBS Sunday Morning and the Bill Cosby show, Japanese, Dutch, Swiss and German National TV, and radio broadcasts including NPR and several European stations.

Lynn has participated in over 100 recording sessions, including: the Grammy Award-winning “Diane Schuur and The Count Basie Orchestra” and the Grammy-nominated “Woody Herman 50th Anniversary,” and the Grammy-nominated “No Nonsense” with the John Fedchock New York Big Band.

He is currently living in Highland Village, Texas, working and recording with many great jazz artists, and leading his own trio. His own critically acclaimed recordings “Bassman’s Basement” is available on Timeless Records and “Solo Bass Flights” on Omnitone Records. Kendor Press has published his book “Jazz Solos for Bass”.

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