Ruth Goller

Ruth Goller is an Italian musician, composer, singer, and recording artist based in London. She plays electric and double bass. She was instrumental in helping to usher in London's jazz renaissance as a member of punk-jazz outfits Acoustic Ladyland and Melt Yourself Down, Vula Viel, Let Spin, Shabaka Hutchings, Sarah Gillespie, Josienne Clarke, Alabaster DePlume, and many more. Her debut album, Skylla, was released in 2021. Comprised mostly of unaccompanied tracks, it did include guest vocals on select tracks by Alice Grant and Lauren Kinsella. Her second offering, Skyllumina, appeared on Chicago's International Anthem in March 2024. It showcased original compositions performed by Goller with a first-class roster of drummers and percussionists including, but not limited to, Sebastian Rochford, Frank Rosaly, Tom Skinner, and Bex Burch. Ruth Goller was born in Brixen, South Tyrol in the Italian Alps but raised in England. She started musical studies on the violin and piano. As a teen, she first picked up the electric bass to play in a punk band with friends. After graduating from high school, Goller moved to London. She studied for a year at the London Music School, then transferred to Middlesex University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in jazz studies in 2006. The following year, she joined London jazz-punk band Acoustic Ladyland and appeared on A.L.ive and 2009's Living with a Tiger. She appeared concurrently on the studio albums of Oriole, a band that included saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and Sebastian Rochford. In 2012, she co-founded Melt Yourself Down with Pete Wareham, Shabaka Hutchings, Tom Skinner, Kushal Gaya, and Satin Singh, and their self-titled debut album arrived in 2013. She was part of the African Express tour in 2013, organized by Damon Albarn. She shared a stage with the likes of Paul McCartney and John Paul Jones. She continued working with Melt Yourself Down, appearing on 2014's Live at the New Empowering Church, but also co-founded Let Spin, a post-jazz quartet who issued their eponymous debut the same year. Goller played in both bands -- and worked with several other musicians and bands -- concurrently. In 2015, she made Let Go with Let Spin and played on Cara Stacey's Things That Grow. The following year, she played on Sarathy Korwar's globally acclaimed debut, Day to Day, and Melt Yourself Down's Last Evenings on Earth. Two years later, Goller was in high demand. In 2018 alone, she played on no less than six recordings in addition to almost constant live sessions. Among the most important dates that year were Seedlings All by Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker and Emotion Machine by Paula Rae Gibson and Kit Downes. She joined Vula Viel alongside percussionist/composer Bex Burch and drummer Jim Hart for the debut Do Not Be Afraid. That same year, she played on Korwar's More Arriving and Downes' ECM debut, Dreamlife of Debris. In 2020, both as a band member and as a hired gun, Goller was touring a lot. Nonetheless, she found time to make records with Melt Yourself Down (100% Yes) and Let Spin (Steal the Light) and play on guitarist Chris Montague's revolutionary Warmer Than Blood, which she also co-produced. In January of 2021, she played bass on Sam Amidon's eponymous Nonesuch debut and, at long last, released Skylla, her first leader date. Goller played electric and double basses and sang. While she was the only instrumentalist on the album, she was also supported by vocalists Lauren Kinsella and Alice Grant on four of its ten selections. She took the critically lauded set on tour, performing at jazz festivals across Europe to enthusiastic audiences. In 2022, Goller resumed duties with Melt Yourself Down on Pray for Me I Don't Fit In and with Let Spin for Thick as Thieves. Further, she formally joined pianist/cornetist Laura Jurd's chamber sextet for The Big Friendly Album and worked its support tour. In addition to intense touring, Goller made time to play on Alabaster DePlume's Come With Fierce Grace in 2023. The album appeared on International Anthem. Impressed with her playing, arrangements, and studio production ideas, the label signed her. She cut ten original compositions featuring her detuned bass and soprano vocals that she arranged and overdubbed herself (Kinsella sang on one tune). She augmented each piece with a different drummer or percussionist; her collaborators included Rochford, Hart, Frank Rosaly, Mark Sanders, Max Andrzejewski, and Emanuele Maniscalco.
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