John Patitucci Releases “Soul of the Bass”
Bass master John Patitucci has returned with a new album called Soul of the Bass, which is described as his “most intimate and revealing solo album.” The recording, which marks his 16th solo effort, centers around improvisations on his double bass. This lets the bassist focus on expressive melodies and textures.
“I think as you get older you prioritize the sound and the feel of everything you play, which if rendered with integrity, will result in a clarity that communicates to the listener and draws them in,” Patitucci says.
While much of the album features solo pizzicato double bass, he utilizes the bow for tracks like “Mystery of the Soul” and the bass choir of “Trust.” He also uses the six-string electric bass on several tracks, including a version of Bach’s “Allemande in D Minor.” Drums provide a more sonic variation on “The Call” and “Seeds of Change Reprise,” while Patitucci enlists his family – daughters Gracie and Bella as well as wife Sachi – for more rich soundscapes.
Patitucci says Soul of the Bass is a sequel to his 1991 album, Heart of the Bass, which featured his double bass and six-string bass in an orchestra setting. The new album’s cover is of an Acacia tree in Kenya. “It’s a fitting symbol, because the Acacia is the most durable of trees, able to survive all kinds of weather and climate, and it also replenishes the soil,” the bassist explains. “The connection for me is that the soul of a bass is in the wood. The wood evokes the spiritual sound of the player. And the instrument lives on, long after the player is gone, ready to reflect the soul of the next owner.”
Hear the title track:
Soul of the Bass is available now on CD and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).
Soul of the Bass Track List:
- Soul of the Bass
- Seeds of Change
- Morning Train (Spiritual)
- The Call
- Mystery of the Soul
- Morocco
- Elvin
- Earth Tones
- Seeds of Change Reprise
- Allemande in D Minor
- Sarab
- Trust
- Truth
