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Bass Players To Know: Michael Rhodes

Bass Players To Know: Michael Rhodes

There’s nothing like setting foot in a new city. You open the door to an unchartered group of restaurants, find yourself meeting tons of new people, and most importantly, get the opportunity to discover a new music scene. Once you check off the touristy spots, it’s time to talk to some locals… it’s the fastest way to find the best...

Bass Players to Know: Erik Scott

Bass Players to Know: Erik Scott

I’m always surprised when I discover bass players who manage to go under the radar despite a diverse and truly impressive resume. They are the players who can’t be stopped… they’ve had all kinds of gigs, taken on the role of writer and producer, and even have a few solo projects to their name. We always love reading about the...

Bass Players To Know: Colin Greenwood

Bass Players To Know: Colin Greenwood

I must admit, writing the “Bass Player To Know” series can be somewhat self indulgent… I selfishly spend hours listening to and researching some of my favorite players, expanding both my knowledge base and musical collection. Every column rekindles my fascination with a particular player and sparks the desire to investigate others of a similar style or musical era. I...

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Bass Players to Know: Leroy Hodges

Bass Players to Know: Leroy Hodges

The Funk Brothers, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Booker T and The MGs — most of us have heard of these incredible studio groups. James Jamerson and Bob Babbit at Motown Studios, David Hood at Fame and Muscle Shoals Sound, and Duck Dunn at Stax… these session players (and their respective studio affiliations) have defined what we know to be...

Bass Players to Know: Robert DeLeo

Bass Players to Know: Robert DeLeo

Every now and then, a song sneaks up and triggers a memory. It’s something buried deep in our vault, hidden behind the various phases of our musical development and our obsessions with radio singles and old records. The song is uniquely nostalgic, reminiscent of our musical coming of age. It transports us to the formative years—to the time when we...

Bass Players to Know: Paul Chambers

Bass Players to Know: Paul Chambers

Name any genre of music and certain bass players immediately come to mind. Rock and roll? Paul McCartney. Blues? Willie Dixon. Funk? Larry Graham. They are the ones who stick out as paving the way, defining the roll of the instrument in that particular music, and creating those classic lines that we can’t help but listen to, learn, and hope...

Bass Players to Know: Phil Lynott

Bass Players to Know: Phil Lynott

Jumping back into the world of rock and roll, I can’t help but appreciate the bass players that infuse a band with their energy, musicality, and personality, making us fall in love with both the person and the music. Providing far more than just a bass line, players like Jack Bruce, Rick Danko, and the latest bass player to know,...

Bass Players to Know: David Hood

Bass Players to Know: David Hood

It’s been roughly a year since we featured David Hood in the interview, I’ll Take You There, so it’s about time we highlighted him in this series. Taking an opportunity to revisit his music, I am yet again reminded of his musical sensibilities, refined approach, and an unmistakable feel. Known for his session work with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section,...

Bass Players to Know: Richard Bona

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...

Bass Players to Know: Dee Murray

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...

Bass Players to Know: Chris Wood

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...

Bass Players to Know: Marshall Lytle

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,...