Bassists - Page 67

Meet Wayne Whittaker, a bassist who has studied with some impressive teachers and keeps busy as a session musician. We found ourselves smiling at many of the things he said, and many readers will appreciate his approach to the bass. Wayne is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of June 2, 2014. Bio: Wayne graduated from Berklee...

Meet Sam Lord a musician from the UK who has had a bass in his hands pretty much since the day he was born. So it is no surprise he’s been one of the youngest bassists around his local scene. Sam is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of May 26th, 2014. Bio: I grew up in...

Rock bassist Randy Coven, who toured and recorded with artists including Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai, passed away on May 20th of undisclosed causes. He was 54. Born in Great Neck, New York, Coven was introduced to music at a young age. His parents fostered his love of music by taking him to the Beatles concert at Shea Stadium when...

Meet Jay Dwyer, a bassist from the Chicago area who has a very cool gig: paying tribute to John Entwistle and playing his amazing bass lines in a Who tribute band. Jay is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of May 19, 2014. Bio: I am 55 and I started playing at age 7. I’ve actively gigged...

Japanese bassist Akihiro Yokoyama of the veteran thrash metal band United has passed away at the age of 49. The cause of death was not declared, but a statement called his passing sudden. “It happened totally out of the blue and it is very hard for his family, UNITED and the staff to accept it, but we wanted to share...

If you’re going to play with some of the top hip hop and R&B names, you’ve got to know a thing about tone. That’s why we reached out to bass phenom Robert “Bubby” Lewis as part of our Profiles in Tone series. Born in Flint, Michigan, Lewis wanted to be a drummer until listening to Tom Kennedy on Dave Weckl’s...

Meet Alejandro Masafret, a full-time musician and music educator from Spain. Alejandro keeps busy as an in-demand bassist, but his start was completely one of chance – and one he’s glad took place. Among the great stuff he shared was “I really love bass!” That of course is what we want to hear, and so it was an easy choice...

Original Foreigner bassist Ed Gagliardi has passed away after a eight years of battling cancer. He was 62. Gagliardi was the final member added to create Foreigner in 1976. The native New Yorker was of the American half of the band while the other three members of the sextet were British. Although he was right-handed, Gagliardi played a Rickenbacker bass...

Juan Formell, who played bass and led the popular Cuban band Los Van Van, has died of liver disease. He was 71. Formell was born in Havana in 1942 and started his professional music career at the age of 15. He worked in cabarets, radio and television and was bassist for the band Revolutionary Police by 1959. The bassist formed...

Meet Chris Kollias, a versatile, busy and humble bassist from Greece who has a great story to share. Chris is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of May 5, 2014. Bio: I was born on December 8, 1986, and I live in Athens, Greece. I took the first steps in music at the age of 9 by...

Few bassists have a style that is as instantly recognizable as Francis “Rocco” Prestia’s funky, bubbly ghost and 16th-note playing. His work with Tower of Power has shaped what is expected of a funk bassist in terms of playing in the pocket and has subsequently inspired countless bass players. Prestia himself is humble about his contributions, citing James Jamerson and...

Atlanta Rhythm Section bassist Paul Goddard has passed away, according to news reports and confirmed by the band on their Facebook page. He was 68. Goddard was among the founding members of the band in 1970 when the former members of the Candymen and the Classics IV became the session band for Studio One in Doraville, Georgia. Goddard retired from...