Skip to main content

Articles by Ryan Madora - Page 10


The Lightbulb Moment: Easy Come, Easy Go
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: Easy Come, Easy Go

In true professional musician fashion, I recently received a set list for an upcoming gig and had a mini panic attack when I took a look at the final song. An anthem, that’s for sure, but one that is rarely attempted in a live setting. It’s a song that most people are familiar with, thanks to the fact that Wayne’s...

Bass Players To Know: Jim Hughart
Bass Players To Know

Bass Players To Know: Jim Hughart

A seasoned sideman with a soulful and sophisticated approach, Jim Hughart has not only backed up some of the greatest jazz artists, but has stood out as a first call session musician on the Los Angeles recording scene. Frequently accompanying Joe Pass and Tom Waits, his premier upright playing can be heard on records of all genres. With a career...

The Lightbulb Moment: Time Games
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: Time Games

Game #1: The Record Release Show Round 1—Rehearsal Time There’s something invigorating about working with a new artist, especially when they’re releasing a record and learning how to adapt their songs to a live show. The drummer counts of the first tune and by the end of the chorus, the vocalist stops the band. “Hey guys, it feels a little...

Bass Players To Know: Neil Stubenhaus
Bass Players To Know

Bass Players To Know: Neil Stubenhaus

There are a handful of legendary West Coast session cats that most of us are familiar with… Carol Kaye, Joe Osborn, Leland Sklar, Abraham Laboriel Sr., Nathan East, and Chuck Rainey, just to name a few. Dig a little deeper and you may come across the work of Neil Stubenhaus and the hundreds of records that he’s played on. One...

The Lightbulb Moment: Habit Vs. Intuition
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: Habit Vs. Intuition

If there’s one thing I love doing, it’s pedaling eighth notes. So much so, you might say that I make a habit of it. There’s something incredibly therapeutic about playing one note, but playing it well, and focusing on all of the ways this seemingly simple rhythmic pattern can be manipulated. The art of the eighth note lies somewhere between...

Bass Players To Know: Doug Stegmeyer
Bass Players To Know

Bass Players To Know: Doug Stegmeyer

If you turn on any classic rock, oldies, or adult contemporary radio station, you won’t make it through the day without hearing a few Billy Joel tunes. With a musical catalog that defined American popular music from the 1970s through 1990s, Billy Joel made hit after hit with the help of his longtime backing band, and our latest bass player...

The Lightbulb Moment: Batman and Bruce Wayne
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: Batman and Bruce Wayne

It’s a cold, dark night and a white light beckons in the distance. We’re drawn to it, like a moth to the flame, acknowledging how it signifies the evening’s potential for adventure. Perhaps that image is the bat signal, or maybe it’s just the marquee of the club that we’re loading in to. Gosh, I hope there’s parking. It demands...

Bass Players To Know: Alphonso Johnson
Bass Players To Know

Bass Players To Know: Alphonso Johnson

As a Philadelphia native, there’s a lot to live up to as a bass player. Stanley Clarke, Christian McBride, Jaco Pastorius, Gerald Veasley, Gail Ann Dorsey, Victor Bailey, and our latest bass player to know, Alphonso Johnson, all hail from the City Of Brotherly Love. Heck, you may even say that bass playing is “in the water” (pronounced “wooder”). With...

The Lightbulb Moment: Setting The Stage
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: Setting The Stage

I’m standing in front of my amp. I’m sure of it. It’s two feet behind me, the light is on, and there’s definitely sound coming out of it – well, at least I’m pretty sure that there’s sound coming out of it. There comes a time in every musician’s life when you realize that a sound check can be an...

Bass Players To Know: Lloyd Trotman
Bass Players To Know

Bass Players To Know: Lloyd Trotman

As a soul music enthusiast, one of the greatest assets to my record collection has been the Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974 compilation. It documents the early years of popular American music, the rise of the R&B genre, and the classic recordings that continue to show up in film, television, and radio. The musical selections are accompanied by a chronological...

The Lightbulb Moment: Creative Space
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: Creative Space

Every now and then, you may get lucky enough to do a gig or to jam with players in a truly creative and inspired way. You get to play in the greatest sense of the word, and better yet, you get to be your best musical self. You feel a sense of camaraderie with your fellow musicians and you walk...

Bass Players To Know: Nick Movshon
Bass Players To Know

Bass Players To Know: Nick Movshon

If you’ve been to a wedding in the past five years, either as a guest or a band member, there’s a good chance you’ve heard or played a handful of Bruno Mars and Amy Winehouse hits. Producer Mark Ronson is the mastermind behind many of these now-standard-repertoire tunes such as “Valerie” and “Locked Out Of Heaven.” With a background in...