Charlie Hoats

American bassist Over a lengthy professional career, Charlie Hoats has had the privilege of performing with Rick Margitza, Marvin Stamm, Gunnar Mossblad, Marcus Roberts, Denis DiBlasio, Gene Bertoncini, Phil Keaggy, Claudio Roditi, Chris Vadala, Jack Wilkins, Jimmy Bruno, Clay Jenkins, Kim Richmond, Christian Howes, Sunny Wilkinson, Ray Kaczinski, Danny Draher, The Butterfat Trio, Walt Weiskopf, Edye Evans Hyde, Melvin Rynes, Michael Brecker, and many others. Additional performance experience includes the National Touring Company of Grease; regional productions of Pump Boys and Dinettes, Ten November, Beehive, and other small- and large-scale musicals; and numerous performances with local and regional jazz, blues, and pop groups. Charlie was a founding member of the Michigan-based jamband/morphtet The Folk Lizards, and the sound of Charlie’s six-string fretless bass is widely recognized and sought after in the West Michigan area. Currently Charlie can be seen and heard with the Steve Talaga Trio, the Neil Gordon Trio, Grupo Aye, BareNaked 90's, MacNaughton Boulevard, and a variety of other small groups. A member of the Hope College Jazz Studies Faculty from 1991-2018, Charlie studied jazz improvisation with Dr. Robert F. Thompson and John Shea.