Jonathan Bass is a guitarist and composer. Bass is a native of Mississippi and holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Guitar Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. 
While at USM, Bass was afforded the opportunity to study classical guitar under Giovanni DeChiaro and jazz under Larry Panella.  Double bass, instructed by John Palensky and Juan Carlos Pena, remained his secondary instrument throughout his career at USM. Bass recognizes all of these instructors as strong influences in his current performance and teaching career. They represent the variety of perspective Bass was seeking in the study of music in general not just a particular genre or instrument.
Bass received private instruction for Jazz Guitar from New Orleans guitarist Steve Blailock.  Blailock and Bass met in 2001 at a Master Class given by Blailock and shortly thereafter began private lessons. Blailock remains a mentor and friend to Bass.
Bass performed in several working Jazz ensembles through the course of his time in Southern Mississippi and Gulf Coast area, while also gaining classical guitar performance experience. 
After leaving USM, Bass moved to Chicago to continue his career as a professional musician. In addition to his work as a sideman in a variety of bands across many styles and genres, he quickly found long-term projects to be involved in. These include “The Story Tellers” which was a trio formed by Chicago Bassist Sam Rodriguez. Then came “Eargoggles,” a trio sometimes quartet in which Bass began featuring some of his own writing.   He is currently leading the “Jonathan Bass Quintet,” which was formed to perform and record his compositions. The first album from this ensemble is Shapes and Colors (2008). While performing in these groups, Bass also maintained a position as an educator teaching private lessons in the Chicagoland area.
Currently, Bass is living in the Memphis area and is looking forward to working in the southeast.