The Light Bulb Moment: Men In Black and Anonymity on the Gig
Another rehearsal called for 5:30pm. If it were my band, I’d wait until 7:00 so that no one would fall victim to rush hour traffic. But it’s never my band, so, 5:30 it is. As expected, I-40 was jammed in both directions and the guitar player’s GPS took him to the wrong house. We started twenty minutes late, but considering...
Bass Players to Know: Chris Wood
Each week, as I scroll through the list of bass players hoping to settle on a new subject, there are a few things I tend to look for: superior technical skill, boundless imagination, and reverence for traditional and modern styles. This time, I jumped to the end of the alphabet. There was Victor Wooten, Willie Dixon, and Chris Wood. A...
The Light Bulb Moment: I Want To Be Like That
At the age of 15, I dreaded the thought of being caught at a movie theater on a Friday night with my parents. So. Lame. If spotted by my fellow classmates, I would immediately be identified as weird, uncool, and antisocial. Who am I kidding… I definitely was (and am) weird, uncool, and antisocial. It wasn’t my fault that my...
Bass Players to Know: Marshall Lytle
If you’ve been keeping tabs on the Bass Players to Know series, you may still be spinning the Brothers Johnson records and practicing your 70’s funk and disco chops. While Louis Johnson, Larry Graham, and many others have popularized what we’ve come to know as “slap bass,” the term was coined much earlier. Dating as far back as the 1920s,...
The Lightbulb Moment: A Tale of Two Pickups
It was a humid, mid-summer night in 2010. Navigating to the venue seemed to take forever as the streets were bustling with 20-somethings heading to this restaurant and that, celebrating their two-day vacation from the confines of their offices. This particular club was familiar… I had played there once a month for almost a year and was confident in my...
Bass Players to Know: Louis Johnson
A long, long time ago, when I decided to leave the confines of my basement and embark on weekly private lessons, I was lucky enough to find a teacher who opened my eyes and ears to the playing and players of bass. Yes, we focused on technique and theory. And yes, I was a known procrastinator — notorious for squeezing...
Bass Players To Know: Tom Hamilton
Since Bill Wyman was the focus of the previous Bass Players to Know column, I’ve suddenly found myself excited by the timeless tradition of rock and roll. Whether it’s the loud guitars, eccentric front men, or iconic songs, the great rock and roll bands embody the sound, image, and appeal of “cool.” As a child of the 90’s (when music...
Bass Players to Know: Bill Wyman
While the quote “It’s Only Rock and Roll But I Like It” has become a bit trite, there’s no denying the fact that it’s true. It requires a certain amount of raw talent, part-driven playing, and soulful swagger to play in one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time. As an integral member of the Rolling Stones...
Bass Players to Know: Gail Ann Dorsey
To quote one of my favorite musical guilty pleasures, it’s time to throw a little girl power into the mix. As a stellar vocalist and compelling player, Gail has had a reputable solo career and has recorded and toured with artists including David Bowie, Tears for Fears, Lenny Kravitz, Dar Williams, The Indigo Girls, and Gwen Stefani. With impeccable style,...
Bass Players to Know: Oteil Burbridge
Each time I embark on a new column, I find myself humbled and overwhelmed by the talent and contributions of the chosen “Bass Player to Know.” There’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll discover new music, recognize the birth of different styles, and become more in tune with the virtuosity of the player. As I wade into the pool...
Bass Players to Know: Richard Davis
As a college student, I spent many an afternoon roaming the streets of New York City, finding new routes to take me from my hole-in-the-wall apartment to the halls of academia, and creating new musical playlists along the way. I developed a healthy obsession to certain songwriters… Van Morrison, Janis Ian, Paul Simon, and even dabbled in some West Village...
Bass Players To Know: George Porter Jr.
It should be no surprise that George Porter, Jr.’s picture was used to feature our announcement of the Bass Players to Know series, because frankly, he’s one of the funkiest men out there. Devilishly hiding behind an old, authentically road worn Fender P-bass, he can speak volumes with a single note played in just the right place. So, for all...