Vincen García Takes a Laid-Back, Melodic Approach to “Keep Calm”

Vincen García is usually the guy we turn to when we want a serious dose of groove, speed, and ridiculous technique. This performance of “Keep Calm” shows a different side of his playing.

Filmed during his July 23 appearance at Jazz in Marciac in France, García takes the stage alone and gives the tune plenty of room to breathe. Instead of going for a fast groove or a barrage of notes, Garcia is taking his time and slowly takes us on a journey. The virtuosity is still there but this time the focus is on phrasing and feel.

García is playing his custom Yamaha BB bass through an Ampeg rig and the big, warm tone works perfectly for this piece. “Keep Calm” appears on his latest album, Vivace. This one is a nice reminder that there is a lot more to García’s playing than pure firepower.