Reader Spotlight: James Cain

James CainMeet James Cain, a bassist from Weslaco, Texas and our player in the spotlight for October 26, 2010.

Bio:

I’ve been a bass player for 37 years, and I was a Bass Performance Major in college. I play all types of music, mainly jazz, blues, funk, rock, country, Latin and Latin Jazz. I’ve played with the great alto saxophonist Rene Sandoval for 25+ years, as well as worked as a studio bassist.

I have my own audio/video production studio. I play upright bass and fretted and fretless electric basses, and I play at least 2 nights a week, but more often 3-4 nights.

Location:

Weslaco, Texas, USA

Day gig:

Multimedia Audio Video Production Studio/Recording Studio.

Years experience:

37 years

Bands & Gigs:

I currently play with Rene Sandoval and the South Texas Jazz Quartet, the Grace and Jim Jazz Duo, The Hidalgo Cain Michel Jazz Trio, The Mystixz – Classic Rock Band, Big Brucey and the Maxtones Blues Band, The Leigh Holles Blues Band, Tim Gonzalez Blues Band and the Frontera Jazz Quartet with Clay Moore on Guitar. Anyone who needs a bass player!

Gear:

  • Yamaha Nathan East Model 4 string Electric Bass
  • Fender Fretless jazz bass w modified Warmoth neck
  • Yamaha Silent Bass Electric Upright Bass
  • Kay Acoustic Upright Bass
  • Acoustic B600H Head
  • Hartke H7000 Head
  • Ampeg BR-2 Head
  • Ampeg 4-10HLF Cab
  • Ampeg 1-15 Cab
  • Acoustic 810 Cab

Why I play the bass:

Played piano and clarinet from age 10, and at age 15, I decided it would be cool to play bass…..I’m 52 now. Everyone needs a bass player!

My bass superpower/claim to fame

Played with the great Rene Sandoval, Guitar Shorty (ex brother-in-law to Jimi Hendrix). Also played with Lyle Lovett’s guitar player, Mitch Watkins.

My influences

Jaco, Stanley Clarke, John Patitucci, Victor Wooten, Ray Brown, Nathan East.

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  1. Dee

    I was in college jazz band with James and just dug up a performance recording of our band. I played piano then, but his bass playing inspired me to learn bass and I’ve been playing it ever since. Nice to see he’s still going strong!

    Dee Rudoff
    (Deanna McVaney back then!)