Reader Spotlight: Kosta Kapellas

Meet bassist Kosta Kapellas, a six-year vet of the low end currently studying double bass at Central Michigan University.

Kosta is our player in the spotlight for January 31, 2012.

Bio:

I am 19 years old. I play any type of music, any time. My time is split between Mt. Pleasant, where I attend Central Michigan University as a double bass major, and my home, where I play in a in-demand rock group. I love any type of music, especially music with bass (who doesn’t?).

Location:

Grand Blanc, MI, USA

Day gig:

I am a full time student and musician. I’m very lucky to be able to be able to play every week at various places.

Years experience:

6 years

Bands & Gigs:

Currently I am in a local rock(ish) group called Easy Vibe. We play a ton of covers in order to support our originals. The crowd who comes to our shows constantly request our originals as opposed to the covers, which is quite cool. On top of that, I am in various jazz groups in Mt. Pleasant and at home, play in the Central Michigan Orchestra and play classical solos as well.

Gear:

• Walnut Eshenbaugh Custom 6 string bass
• Blonde Engelhardt Double Bass
• Ampeg SVT-450 Head
• Ampeg Classic 4X10
• Hartke 1X15 with a Peavey Black Widow in it
• Tobias Classic 4 string

Why I play the bass:

In my first year of high school I went on a spree of learning instruments (14 in the span of two years). During that spree I decided to learn bass because we had a few sitting around from when my dad played bass back in his day. From the moment I hit the first note, I fell in love.

My bass superpower/claim to fame

I like to put the bass in unusual roles and use unusual techniques. For example, in Easy Vibe I am like a second lead instrument. We have a song called “Gus The Bear” that I use a double bass-esque slap technique to play. I’m also an accomplished writer. A good example of both of these things is another Easy Vibe original, “Say Hello”. I put the bass in the role of an acoustic guitar.

My influences

Anyone and anything. As far as musicians go, Stanley Clarke, John Paul Jones and all of Led Zeppelin, Charles Mingus, Flea, Marcus Miller, Bootsy Collins, Les Claypool, the Sick Puppies, Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters, Victor Wooten, Paul Chambers, Scott Lafaro, and Them Crooked Vultures, to name a few.

More on the web:

• Easy Vibe Website
• Easy Vibe Facebook Page (Our music is under the music tab)