Multi-instrumentalist Daniel Dockery has been playing, studying and writing for bass guitar since 1989. Dissatisfaction with the passive and often simplistic role to which the instrument was relegated in the musical genres prevalent in his community at the time resulted in a focus on the instrument as a melodic or lead tool in an ensemble, or solo instrument in its own right, beyond the scope of its traditional conception as only a rhythmic prop. Inspired by the composer Arvo Pärt's use of electric guitars and basses in a modern classical setting and Béla Fleck's arrangements of classical works for banjo, a disc of Arrangements was put together with classical works arranged and performed on a six-string bass. The album Re-Imagining Jazz Bass arose from a period of study of early jazz forms, but featured basses in the lead voices, ranging from a tenor four-string bass to a six-string. An EP, Études for Bass, presented six pieces written after the solo styles of bassists Stuart Hamm / Stu Hamm, Michael Manring and one inspired by Randy Coven. A limited 2005 release, Improvisations, contained five recordings meant to be used as a demo of available skills for those seeking a bassist. Three tracks were one-off recordings demonstrating improvisation over a set of changes with a fixed drum machine rhythm line; while two others demonstrated layering and sampling, laying down from one to two full bass tracks for background and improvising new lines over the others. Beyond those already mentioned, influences include Billy Sheehan, Stanley Clarke, Steve Bailey, Cliff Burton, Roman Patkoló, Eberhard Weber, Jonas Hellborg and certainly many others. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.