Bass Players to Know: Richard Bona
While the past few Bass Players to Know columns have focused on blues, rock, and soul of the US and UK, it’s about time we discover what the rest of the world has to offer. Whenever I think about “world music,” or the sounds, styles, and instruments of different cultures, I frequently stumble upon records featuring Richard Bona. His playing...
The Lightbulb Moment: A Quarter Note For Your Thoughts
Here we are, smack dab in the middle of the college admission process — the worst part about being in high school. Clearly, a full day of classes followed by extra-curricular activities and homework isn’t enough to deal with; there are standardized tests to study for, essays to write, schools to visit, interviews to prepare for, and meetings with your...
Lightbulb Moment: The Power of the Pedal Tone
It’s January 2nd. A brand new year is on the horizon as I stroll through the airport, leaving my hometown once again after the conclusion of the holidays. The airport isn’t as busy as I had anticipated and thanks to my nervous and obsessive nature, I showed up far too early. Lucky for me, I’ve got plenty of time to...
Bass Players to Know: Dee Murray
Every now and then, the car radio takes me by surprise. A station spins just the right song to pique my insatiable curiosity as I sit in traffic, easing the pain of running late by distracting me with a sing-along. An Elton John song is no anomaly when it comes to commercial radio, and for good reason… a tune like...
The Light Bulb Moment: Men In Black and Anonymity on the Gig
Another rehearsal called for 5:30pm. If it were my band, I’d wait until 7:00 so that no one would fall victim to rush hour traffic. But it’s never my band, so, 5:30 it is. As expected, I-40 was jammed in both directions and the guitar player’s GPS took him to the wrong house. We started twenty minutes late, but considering...
Bass Players to Know: Chris Wood
Each week, as I scroll through the list of bass players hoping to settle on a new subject, there are a few things I tend to look for: superior technical skill, boundless imagination, and reverence for traditional and modern styles. This time, I jumped to the end of the alphabet. There was Victor Wooten, Willie Dixon, and Chris Wood. A...
The Light Bulb Moment: I Want To Be Like That
At the age of 15, I dreaded the thought of being caught at a movie theater on a Friday night with my parents. So. Lame. If spotted by my fellow classmates, I would immediately be identified as weird, uncool, and antisocial. Who am I kidding… I definitely was (and am) weird, uncool, and antisocial. It wasn’t my fault that my...
Bass Players to Know: Marshall Lytle
If you’ve been keeping tabs on the Bass Players to Know series, you may still be spinning the Brothers Johnson records and practicing your 70’s funk and disco chops. While Louis Johnson, Larry Graham, and many others have popularized what we’ve come to know as “slap bass,” the term was coined much earlier. Dating as far back as the 1920s,...
The Lightbulb Moment: A Tale of Two Pickups
It was a humid, mid-summer night in 2010. Navigating to the venue seemed to take forever as the streets were bustling with 20-somethings heading to this restaurant and that, celebrating their two-day vacation from the confines of their offices. This particular club was familiar… I had played there once a month for almost a year and was confident in my...
Bass Players to Know: Louis Johnson
A long, long time ago, when I decided to leave the confines of my basement and embark on weekly private lessons, I was lucky enough to find a teacher who opened my eyes and ears to the playing and players of bass. Yes, we focused on technique and theory. And yes, I was a known procrastinator — notorious for squeezing...
Bass Players To Know: Tom Hamilton
Since Bill Wyman was the focus of the previous Bass Players to Know column, I’ve suddenly found myself excited by the timeless tradition of rock and roll. Whether it’s the loud guitars, eccentric front men, or iconic songs, the great rock and roll bands embody the sound, image, and appeal of “cool.” As a child of the 90’s (when music...
Bass Players to Know: Bill Wyman
While the quote “It’s Only Rock and Roll But I Like It” has become a bit trite, there’s no denying the fact that it’s true. It requires a certain amount of raw talent, part-driven playing, and soulful swagger to play in one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time. As an integral member of the Rolling Stones...