James Genus Archives - Page 2

Jazz legend Herbie Hancock has announced a tour of the United States and Europe this summer, and it’s going to be incredible. He’s put together a killer lineup for his band with Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Lionel Loueke on guitar, Terrace Martin on drums, and James Genus on bass. The bassist has been a mainstay in the jazz community for...

One of our favorite holiday traditions is getting a holiday video from Steve Bailey and the Berklee Bass Department. This year, Steve, and fellow Berklee bass faculty Victor Wooten, John Patitucci, James Genus and Lincoln Goines put together this terrific arrangement of “Little Drummer Boy”. The bassists dedicate this year’s video to the late Victor Bailey. They’ve also announced Victor...

Pianist John Beasley’s MONK’estra contemporary big band, which interprets the work of legendary jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, has released MONK’estra Vol. 1. Beasley is a Monk aficionado and serves as music director for the Monk Institute’s gala concerts, like International Jazz Day and the Monk Institute’s annual competition galas. Since 2013, the MONK’estra has played live on both...

Don’t call the Tommy Igoe Groove Conspiracy a jazz big band. Instead, the San Francisco-based 15-piece band led by Igoe is something else. “We’re a rock band in a jazz band’s body,” said Igoe, a distinguished drummer. And it’s definitely a group with plenty of low end. Dewayne Pate serves as the band’s primary bassist, but on the group’s ,...

It’s incredible to think about how much music Herbie Hancock has made. He was honored this past year at the Kennedy Center, and the diversity of styles is astounding. In this video, a cast of some of the world’s finest musicians play through songs that define Hancock’s career, and that includes some heavy hitting bassists. Dave Holland roots the band...

Electronica duo Daft Punk have taken a turn towards humanity with their latest album, Random Access Memories, which almost exclusively uses live instrumentation. The 13-track effort brings together a spectacular cast of guest musicians including Julian Casablancas, Pharrell Williams, Paul Williams, Nile Rodgers, Chilly Gonzalez and others. “Making music with musicians and bringing back a certain craftsmanship, that was totally...

Here’s one of those rare videos that stands the test of time… twenty years later. This is the Brecker Brothers, consisting of the late Michael Brecker on sax and Randy Brecker on trumpet and surrounded by the all-star cast of bassist James Genus, drummer Dennis Chambers, guitarist Mike Stern and keyboardist George Whitty. The group is performing the brothers’ tune,...

Short, but oh so sweet… James Genus taking a solo during the Bern Jazz Festival in 1990.

Here’s a clip of James Genus’ bass solo to open up the Randy Brecker tune, “Harpoon”. The performance comes from a date with the Brecker Brothers in Madrid, Spain in 1994.

Our friend and bassist Evan Marien shared this video with us, and we had to pay it forward. This performance of “Blockbuster” by the NDR Big Band features James Genus on bass. This has tons of great low end goodness, including some nice bass trombone work.

Guitarist Oz Noy has released Schizophrenic, his latest album to feature his unique approach to music and guitar. Oz is joined by Late Show with David Letterman bassist Will Lee and SNL bassist James Genus, as well as guitarist Steve Lukather, and drummers Dave Weckl, Keith Carlock and Anton Fig. I caught a live performance of Oz Noy at 55...

Michael and Randy Brecker’s Some Skunk Funk is a rockin’ tune at their normal tempo. But check this out… In 1993, with the help of James Genus on bass, Mike Stern on guitar and Dennis Chambers on drums, they rip it. This is from the Brecker Brothers’ Bottom Line performance in Nagoya, Japan, on April 1, 1993. Enjoy, and remember...