Patrick Scales Biography

Garmisch Partenkirchen

A son of an English father and a German mother Patrick was born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a small town in the Bavarian Alps. At the age of 11 he was taking up classical guitar lessons with his teacher Jeffrey Ashton.

Wayne Martin & Patrick Scales

For his 14th birthday he got an electric bass and because of the recommendations of his teacher Wayne Martin, half a year later he started playing gigs regularly in American Army clubs with musicians twice his age.

Brother Virus

After finishing school he spend some time in the U.S.A. to play music. At the beginning of the 90's Patrick moved to Munich, where he started gigging with bands in all kinds of musical fields. In 1991 he recorded a live CD at the Knitting Factory in NYC with the band "Brother Virus".

Passport to Paradise

1993 Patrick and his brother Martin recorded their debut album SCALSENDERS together with the saxophonist Johannes Enders.
1994 Patrick joined the band Passport

Pee Wee Ellis & Patrick Scales

1996 Patrick started teaching at the Music University of Mannheim. He played bass on the CD "A new shift" of Pee Wee Ellis and regularly tours with the band since.

Scales Grounded Blue Note Records

1997 the CD Scales Brothers “Our House” was released at Enja records.
2000 the CD Scales “Grounded” was released at Blue Note records.

Musikhochschule Muenchen

2004 the book by Peter O`Mara and Patrick Scales "A Rhythmic Concept For Fusion / Funk" was released.
Since 2008 Patrick is lecturing at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich.
Patrick has performed and recorded with many musicians around the globe: Klaus Doldinger, Pee Wee Ellis, Fred Wesley, Chuck Loeb, Don Grusin, George Whitty, Jason Rebello...

...Tommy Flanagan, Terri Lyne Carrington, Robben Ford, Randy Brecker, Johnny Griffin, Maceo Parker, Benny Bailey, Dave Samuels, Bob Mintzer, Jay Ashby, Roy Ayers, Ola Onabule, Guido May, Peter O'Mara, Joo Kraus, Adrian Mears, Till Brönner, Wolfgang Haffner, Rainhard Fendrich, Udo Lindenberg, Max Mutzke, Sasha, Max Herre, Joy Denalane, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Helge Schneider, Peter Horton, SWR Big Band, HR Big Band, WDR Big Band and many others.