Despite a long career accompanying some of the top names in the music industry, violin/viola master Jimbo Ross didn’t release his first jazz album until 2024. That debut, Jazz Passion and Latin Satin, earned rave reviews—JW Vibe called it “magnificent, rhythmically multi-faceted and adventurously improvisation-filled.”
Now, with his latest release, SO DO IT, Ross once again dazzles listeners with his virtuosic and high-energy playing on a program of jazz classics.
Ross’s career has been nothing short of remarkable. A first-call session musician and soloist, he’s played with legends across every genre: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, Paul McCartney, Don Ellis, Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Bob Dylan, and James Brown, among many others. His range spans rock, R&B, pop, blues, and zydeco—reflected in his own group, the Bodacious Band, which released four albums of roots-driven grooves.
Back in the 1970s, the late, great Don Ellis introduced him as “the only jazz violist in captivity.” Decades later, that statement still holds weight. Ross performs on a custom-made electric 5-string viola/violin, expanding his range and enabling seamless leaps between the deep warmth of the viola and the soaring brilliance of the violin.
For SO DO IT, Ross reunites with his Jazz Passion and Latin Satin bandmates—guitarist Joe Gaeta, pianist Stuart Elster, bassist Peter Marshall, and drummer Ron Wagner—a group of top-tier Southern California players who match Ross’s energy and artistry. Recorded live in the studio, the album captures the spontaneous chemistry that defines true jazz interplay. “We recorded all these tunes live to capture that spontaneous combustion,” Ross explains, “that you can only achieve by feeding off of each other.”
Ross handpicked a vibrant mix of jazz standards and overlooked gems, giving each his signature spin. From the propulsive swing of Kurt Weill’s “Speak Low” to the funky turns of Bill Evans’ “Funkallero” and the exuberant burn of Sam Jones’ “Unit 7”, the album brims with vitality. Ross’s tone—gritty, soulful, and lyrical—anchors every tune with passion and authenticity.
Wes Montgomery’s “So Do It” and “Twisted Blues” showcase Ross’s rhythmic agility, while his interpretation of “Canadian Sunset” elegantly dances between Latin and straight-ahead feels. The lesser-known Duke Ellington tune “Sherman Shuffle” gets an energized update, and “Nardis” unfolds as a mesmerizing dialogue between piano, bass, and Ross’s electric viola. The album closes on a high note with a fiery rendition of Jerome Kern’s “The Way You Look Tonight.”
Across the set, Ross proves why he remains one of the few—and finest—jazz violists performing today. Though he’s been immersed in jazz performance for decades, SO DO IT shows that Jimbo Ross is just hitting his stride as a recording artist. Bold, vibrant, and joyously alive, this album is proof that for great music, it’s never too late to make your mark.
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