Ray’s raving about: Nat Janoff’s “Looking Through”, with Matthew Garrison

Nat Janoff: Looking ThroughMatt Garrison is one of my favorite bass players… EVER.

I was fortunate enough to share the bill with him at a 2001 NYC Bass Day and was blown away with his playing and became a fan for life. Matt is one of those players that has created his own unique voice on the instrument and has changed the way some of us think of the bass and even how we play in general. His right hand technique made me re-think how I personally play and I still marvel at his command of harmony and melody. He is a player I can hear a few seconds of and instantly know it’s Matt.

One of my favorite things to do at the NAMM show every year is to visit the Fodera booth throughout the event to see Matt play impromptu, solo and with other great players like Mike Pope, Hadrien Feraud and Victor Wooten, to name a few. He both makes me want to quit playing bass AND want to become better ALL at the same time! LOL

Matt is in the list of guy’s that I dig so much I feel the need to hear EVERYTHING they do and play on. A CD I came across in my search for “all things Garrison” was from a East Coast guitarist named Nat Janoff and it is titled Looking Through, released in 1999. Combined with the superb drumming of Gene Lake, this trio sounds great together and the interaction between the three is fun to listen to. I really love the rawness and visceral feel of this CD. The compositions are designed to give each player room to really improvise and play in the moment. Matt’s solos in particular are so inventive and fresh sounding and I NEVER tire of hearing this CD.

Most of you reading this (especially bass players) already know about Mr. Garrison but I thought I’d share with you this CD that I feel is a must for ANY Garrison fan.

Let me know what you think!

PS. On a side note, I am both happy and excited to have Nat Janoff playing on my newest CD I’m currently working on. I have some HUGE shoes to fill!!!! LOL

Preview and download Looking Through

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