Bobby Previte

Bobby Previte (born July 16, 1951 in Niagara Falls, New York) is a drummer, composer, and bandleader.

He earned a degree in economics from the University at Buffalo, where he also studied percussion.

He moved to New York City in 1979 and began professional relationships with John Zorn, Wayne Horvitz, and Elliott Sharp.

Previte has received critical acclaim for his "exceptional abilities as a composer and orchestrator."

A review of his 1988 album Claude's Late Morning reports that "Perhaps most striking is Previte's skill in composing music that fully integrates these disparate instruments — including drums and drum machine, electric guitar and keyboards, trombone, harp, accordion, banjo, pedal steel guitar, tuba, and harmonica — while emphasizing each instrument's unique, individual sound."

Another critic notes Previte's "driving and propulsive compositions, featuring both fiery jazz expressionism and layered counterpoint that suggested elements of contemporary minimalism.

In the 1990s, he performed with the Seattle-based 100% improvisational musical collective Ponga with Wayne Horvitz, Skerik, and Dave Palmer.

Previte has collaborated with Jamie Saft as "Swami Late Plate".

Previte appeared in the movie Short Cuts, directed by Robert Altman.

In 1991, he wrote the score for "Cirk Valentin" (Moscow Circus on Stage), a stage show consisting of circus acts created by Valentin Gneushev that performed at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway.

One of Previte's own favorite recorded improvisational collaborations was with John Zorn, "Euclid's Nightmare" (Depth of Field 1997).

In 1997, he founded the record company and label Depth of Field.

DVD

With Terry Adams

With Ray Anderson

With The Bang

With Bob Belden

With Marco Benevento

With Tim Berne

With Jane Ira Bloom

With William S. Burroughs

With Corporate Art

'''With Paul Dresher and Ned Rothenberg

With Marty Ehrlich

With Carol Emanuel

With David Fulton

With David Garland

With Jerome Harris

With Robin Holcomb

With Lindsey Horner

With Bill Horvitz

With Wayne Horvitz

With Charlie Hunter

With Yoko Kanno

With Guy Klucevsek

With Makigami Koichi

Recent large-scale compositional works as of Spring 2007 include:

Previte has received excellent reviews and full articles in major newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian for playing a wide range of genres and venues and for qualities as diverse as his intellectual aesthetic to his ability "to groove."

Recent and current projects as of Spring 2007 include :

Much of Previte's work is also improvisational.