BIO
Professional bassist Isaias Elpes has established himself as one of Los Angeles’s most passionate recording artists and composers specializing in multi-genre studio work, as well as collaborating on live performances and global tours.
Isaias’s artistic achievements have brought him around the world, having performed at some of the most prestigious music venues in Brazil, China, Japan, Korea and the United States alongside world class musicians and partnering with some of the most well-known producers of our time.
In the studio, Isaias has collaborated with such legends as Grammy Award-winning producer Mauricio Guerrero and Grammy Award-winning performers Lee Ritenour, João Donato and Ruslan Sirota. He has shared the stage with world-renowned musicians Abraham Laboriel, Alex Acuña, Munyungo Jackson, Kim Jong Kook, Caleb Quaye, Greg Bissonetteand Greg Porée, among countless other local and international artists.
In 2016, Isaias was the Grand Prize Winner in the Bass Category of the international Six String Theory Competition and was featured on an original composition by Lee Ritenour, “SST Blues,” recorded at the Woodshed Recording Studios in Malibu and later debuted live at the famed Blue Note Tokyo in Japan and the prestigious Crown Guitar Workshop & Festival in Montana. The track is slated to appear on Lee Ritenour’s upcoming album.
While performing as a sideman accompanying artists is Isaias’s heart, composing music and leading ensembles is undoubtedly his soul.
Isaias’s original scores have been featured on the albums of many of his illustrious industry cohorts, as well as on film and television, including CBS Primetime’s series “Zoo.” In 2014, Isaias released his first self-titled album, which was widely celebrated by industry insiders, jazz aficionados and live audiences in the United States and South Korea, with plans to release his second album in 2018.
Isaias is also the founding member and bassist for his band, Farofa, which is rapidly gaining recognition and accolades in LA’s Brazilian and World Music scene. Along with his band, Isaias received the 2016 California Presenters’ Artist Spotlight Award and was a finalist in Samsung’s 2016 E-Festival.
In addition to performing and recording throughout LA, Isaias is an Adjunct Professor in the Music Department at Azusa Pacific University and teaches private and group music lessons throughout the greater Los Angeles area and surrounding colleges.