Reader Spotlight: Frescia Belmar

Frescia Belmar

Frescia Belmar has always been drawn to music, despite being part of what she describes as a “non-musical family”. The path to bass was not a quick one for her, but that eventually became her instrument of choice.

Frescia is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s her story…

Bio:

Frescia Belmar is a young innate talent. Her creativity, intuition, musicality and virtuosic playing makes her to be one of the most acclaimed bassists in Chile.

Outstanding for her unique sound: tight groove, sophisticated articulation, melodic playing, refined harmonies and her ability to take solos; Frescia moves effortlessly from Funk, Pop, Rock, R&B, to Jazz and Fusion. Her playing has been featured on several tours, recordings and television appearances alongside some of Chile’s most remarkable music entertainment enterprises. Nowadays, she is working on what it will be her first solo debut album.

Location:

Chile

Day gig:

I’m a Full time musician: I teach, record and play live!

Years experience:

10+ years.

Bands & Gigs:

Nowadays I’m playing on different projects and also working on what will be my first solo CD!!!

Gear:

  • AYS “Cero” Custom Bass
  • Ken Smith 5 String “Burner”
  • Analysis Plus Cables

Why I play the bass:

It was a long time before I picked up the bass.

I’m not sure where this music addiction came from, but I was raised in a non-musical family. I began as a self-taught musician at the age of 6, playing a homemade drum set that I put together from recycled construction materials laying around the backyard. I used to spend hours banging on my makeshift kit and singing wildly. I was also obsessed with the idea of hypnotizing the rabbits in the backyard by playing the flute to them.

Later in school, I started messing around on different instruments like piano & keys, guitar, charango, drums and various latin percussion instruments. I was so attracted to music and every thing that made a sound that I didn’t care too much about what instrument I played, as long as I was playing music.

Eventually I became drawn more to the piano and the world of harmony, especially through the music of Chopin and Debussy. However, it was the contrapuntal writing of Bach that first sparked my interest on the bass. I didn’t have a bass to practice on it but I found a guitar in the attic, so I removed the top two strings, and tuned it an octave down. That became my first bass. From there, hearing players like James Jamerson, Verdine White, and Flea got me into the groovy side of the bass. After that I discovered Jaco, who changed my life.

One day, I was having a conversation with a friend about the idea of playing bass, something we had always wanted to do. We didn’t have enough money to afford one, so we decided to go in on it half and half. This turned out not to be the best idea; it was unbearable only getting to play the bass every other week. So, I saved up my allowance for several months, made a deal with my friend, and the rest is history!

My bass superpower/claim to fame:

I don’t know about superpowers, but I try to be a better version of myself everyday. To learn something new. I truly believe that as human beings we have a mission to develop ourselves both physically and mentally, as well as spiritually. Music challenges me in every one of these aspects.

My influences:

Bach, Chopin, Debussy, James Jamerson, Bernard Edwards, Jaco, Weather Report (Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul of course), John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Joe Pass, Stevie Wonder, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Potter, Matthew Garrison, Christian Galvez, among others.

More on the web:

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Leave a Reply to Mike Matthews Cancel reply

  1. I met Frescia at a gig at the Blue Whale in LA about a year ago. She’s seems a greta person and, after checking out a few clips, a great player as well. Glad to see some great new female bassists out there!

  2. Mike Matthews

    Dang Mang, I jus checked out a few of clips and she’s good…. REAL GOOD.