Bassists - Page 97

The 53rd Annual Grammy Award Nominations are in, and once again it’s been a good year for bassists. Some notable bassists have hit it big this year, including Esperanza Spalding, who is up for Best New Artist, and bass legend Stanley Clarke, whose latest release has garnered him two nominations. This is a historic year for the Grammy Awards, as...

After a month of anticipation, Bootsy Collins has revealed his limited edition artwork, which he labels as “eye-funk.” The two pieces released are labeled “The Monument” and “The Legacy”, both depicting a larger than life Bootsy towering over Cincinnati, with hidden images scattered throughout the scene. The art is numbered and signed by Bootsy, who also adds a “funk mantra”...

Meet Rick Reese, a bassist from Nashville, TN and our player in the spotlight for November 30, 2010. Bio: Born in Baltimore, MD in 1969, Rick has been playing bass for 27 years. His innovative style is a unique blend of jazz improvisation, funk punctuation with driving energy of rock and roll. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Rick...

Percy Jones is one of the definitive figures who carved out a role for the fretless bass and helped establish its place on the contemporary music scene. Best known for his work with jazz-fusion band Brand X, Percy collaborated with likes of Phil Collins and Robin Lumley. Brand X’s early 70’s debut Unorthodox Behaviour established the band as one of...

PBS has just announced bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding has been asked to host a new program, “Find The Beat”. The show’s format will include Spalding joining a group, band or solo musician to explore the roots of their music, cultural connections and music history. “Find The Beat” is a joint venture of PBS and the Corporation for Public...

Bob Cranshaw will be honored at the upcoming “Giants of Jazz” concert to be held in South Orange, New Jersey. The Giants of Jazz focuses on celebrating under appreciated players in jazz, and Cranshaw is surely in that category. In addition to working with legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins on and off for over 50 years, Cranshaw was the house bassist...

Bootsy Collins brings the words of Jimi Hendrix to life in a new 90-minute film included in the West Coast Seattle Boy Box Set. The DVD, entitled Voodoo Child, is Hendrix’s life told using the legendary guitarist’s own words and includes rare footage, photos, and personal drawings. “Every word in the film had to be what Jimi had said… It...

Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman has announced that he will be answering fan questions online as part of a new column on his official website. Wyman, who laid down the low end for the Stones from 1962 to 1992, will post responses to fan queries as well as reply directly. To kick off the column, Wyman is having a...

Meet Jeff Clark, a bassist from Portland, Oregon and our player in the spotlight for November 23, 2010. Bio: I’m a lucky guy who wanted to learn music and did. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do anything. Keep it up and you’ll make it. Location: Portland, Oregon Day gig: I’m an administrator at Intel’s R&D facility. I’m also...

After 10 years with the band, bassist Jim LaMarca has left Chimaira. The news was broken by the band, who posted it on their website: “After a decade of good times and achievements, our friend and band mate Jim LaMarca has decided to retire from Chimaira. We wish him nothing but the best as he settles in and starts a...

Meet Andrea Morse, a bassist from St Louis, Missouri, and our player in the spotlight for November 16, 2010. Bio: I grew up in NYC and have lived up and down the east coast before coming to St. Louis in 2003. My musical study began with drums at age 10 before spending time with guitar and violin before finding the...

Though the rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures is on break while the band members return to their main gigs, bassist John Paul Jones says the trio will be regrouping soon for their second album. In an interview with BBC 6 Music, the former Led Zeppelin member explained that the process shouldn’t take long. “Some stuff we’ve worked on, but we’re...