Reader Spotlight: Jason Raso

Meet Jason Raso, a bassist and instructor from Ontario who says he has “zero control over [his] face muscles when [he] plays.”

In other words, he’s a bass player. He’s also the No Treble reader in the spotlight for the week of April 28, 2014.

Bio:

Jason Raso has a funk heart and a jazz head. They are hard wired together by the four strings of his bass guitar, and an innate ability to craft music that will turn you into a bobble head. For over 20 years Raso has pursued the groove to such excellence that Exclaim Magazine declares, “Jason Raso’s bass is a full-on orchestra of ground vibrating pleasure.” Jason maintains a busy teaching and gigging schedule and is endorsed by Spector Basses, TC Electronic Bass Amplifiers, Lava Cables and DR Strings.

Location:

Guelph / Ontario / Canada

Day gig:

Bass and Guitar instructor.

Years experience:

25 years

Bands & Gigs:

I lead a jazz band, The Jason Raso Quartet. We gig two or three times per month, mostly in Ontario. The Quartet consists of Brent Rowan on saxophone, Adam Bowman on drums, Thomas Hammerton on keys and myself. I’m very fortunate to play with great musicians.

Gear:

• Spector Coda 4 Bass
• Spector Coda Deluxe Fretless
• Fodera Monarch 4 Standard
• TC Electronic RH450 Head
• TC Electronic RS210 Cabinet

Why I play the bass:

I played drums for a while but never took it very seriously. My older brother already played guitar, so bass seemed the obvious choice! After seeing Billy Sheehan in the “Yankee Rose” video, I thought to myself “you made the right choice!”

My bass superpower/claim to fame

It’s all about bass faces! I have zero control over my face muscles when I play.

Other than that I really try to write great songs and deliver them as best as I can with my bass.

My influences

Stanley Clarke, Billy Sheehan, Marcus Miller, Jaco Pastorius, Alain Caron, Stu Hamm, Randy Coven, Charles Mingus

More on the web:

• Website
• Youtube