Reader Spotlight: Lynda Kraar

Meet Lynda Kraar, who started on guitar at the age of 8, and picked up the bass at 14. She says the bass “was definitely a calling!”

Lynda is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight (you could be next). Here’s her story…

Bio:

I started playing guitar when I was 8 when Dad purchased for me a Raven student model guitar. By the time I was 17 I had a very wide musical taste, learning every song I heard – a trait I inherited from my parents. I took renaissance lute lessons (a bass-clef instrument), and I started playing electric bass.

Although I am still mad passionate about the former two, the central love of my life is the bass. My first big purchase was a Cort chocolate sunburst fretless viola bass that I found at Long and McQuade (Toronto) for $50 in 1979. That was the day that charted my musical course forever. Since then, I’ve adored many fretless basses, but I do spend serious quality time on my fretted instruments, whether in the studio or in performance situations.

For 40 years I lived and played in the metro NYC area. I had bands. I did studio work. I sat in with everyone who would have me! I volunteered with Musicians on Call, delivering song requests at bedside to patients in hospitals across New York City. During the pandemic I was a regular on the weekly Berklee bass hang where I soaked up the wisdom of the masters for hours on Thursdays. I participated in many pandemic musical zoom sessions with people the world over. We did picture in picture videos with our band, the Palisades All-Star Revue. I embarked on a project of pop song translations to Yiddish (!). My husband/multi-instrumentalist Jaime Valentine and I moved to Toronto 3.5 years ago, where we formed a classic rock band called the Mid-Century Modernes. We run a regular “Classic Rock Jam” at the renowned Smokeshow BBQ in Toronto. I play bass with original band The Original Pairs. I sub on bass for many Toronto bands and sometimes in New York. In addition, Jaime and I hire out as a bass/drums for-hire duo. We have worked with a range of top-flight musicians and singers. We are very proud to include award-winning poet/singer Robert Priest amongst our favorite artists in our roster.

Location:

Toronto Ontario Canada and Rockland County NY

Years experience:

I started at 14 and it became very serious by the time I was 17.

Why I play the bass:

It was definitely a calling! It was the instrument that moved me the most when I saw bands on TV as a kid.

Gear:

• 2012 Ibanez SRF700 Portamento fretless bass – mahogany burst. Gorgeous!
• 2022 Michael Kelly Pinnacle 4 fretted bass (gifted to me by the late Sammy Ash) – burl
• 2018 Kala fretless U-bass striped ebony (Bakithi Kumalo helped arrange the purchase)
• 1987 Fender Special J/P fretless bass – candy apple red – my go-to
• 2013 Sterling by Music Man Ray34 fretted bass – black w/ custom black hardware and tortoise pickguard
• Hartke Kickback KB15 – my only bass amp. I exclusively use Hartke amps for more than 15 years now. Larry has become a good friend over the years.

My Influences:

Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Joe Dart, John Entwistle, James Jamerson, NHOP (that Donna Lee, omg), Jaco Pastorius, Larry Graham, Duck Dunn, Carol Kaye, Lee Sklar, Mingus, Ray Brown, Rick Danko, Bakithi Kumalo, Christian McBride, Sir Ron Carter, Chuck Rainey, Anthony Jackson, Russ Savakus, Emory Gordy Jr., Tony Senatore, Slam Stewart, Charlie Drayton, Stanley Clarke, Jerry Jemmott, Bootsy Collins, Robbie Shakespeare, Jackie Mittoo…the list goes on!

My bass superpower/claim to fame:

I’ll take you there! That’s my superpower. Whether live or in the studio, I will weave a joyful force with my fellow musicians on the gig, and together we’ll rouse the listener and get you in the groove with the music. I’ll take you on a joyride through the music. If it’s an original music program, I’ll sonically craft the story of each song. If I’m doing covers, I will channel the spirit of the songs and especially of the bassists who came before me, on whose shoulders I stand, who played on the tracks that they made famous. We will be on the ride together. Then I will bring you back home, safe and sound. And sweaty. Just in time to put out the dog and bring in the cat.

More on the web:

• Mid-Century Modernes website
• Mid-Century Modernes Instagram
• Mid-Century Modernes Facebook
• Original Pairs YouTube
• My YouTube