Columns - Page 91

As a player/teacher I have collected many books over the years, in fact I have two big bins in my garage full of various music books of all kinds. There are a hand full of books though that I find myself coming back to time and time again for reading studies, concepts and inspiration. One such book is Modal &...

John Patitucci’s latest release, Remembrance, on Concord Jazz is yet another masterpiece in his extensive discography. The album is Patitucci’s seventh with Concord and his thirteenth as a leader. Remembrance features Patitucci on acoustic bass, 6-string electric bass, 6-string electric piccolo bass; Joe Lovano playing tenor saxophone and alto clarinet along with Brian Blade on drums. The trio is also...

Q: I like your style because from my point of view it seems that you’re very comfortable playing the bass (seems light touch in both hands) but the sound you get is very punchy which I associate with playing hard. So here comes the question: Do you play mostly hard or light with your right hand? And with the left...

This week’s rave is all about the social networking site, Twitter. For musicians “networking” has always played a big part in our lives. It helps us share information, ideas and hopefully get’s us gigs (lol). I have to say I’m really impressed with the bass community as a whole and one look at a site like Twitter shows how we...

This is my inaugural installment here at No Treble and I look forward to our impending dialogue. Here at the Lowdown, I will be focusing on the Upright Bass, in all its glory. Whether you are an Electric bassist looking to add the Upright to your gig bag, or a classically trained musician wanting to expand your sonic palette, this...

Q: What is really required of one who wants to become a professional musician (IE: no day job!)? A: Wowee… This could easily be a book (actually, I think it probably is…). To start with, there are many kinds of professional musicians. Here are some basic sub-catagories off the top of my head: One who starts playing, joins a band...

Matt Garrison is one of my favorite bass players… EVER. I was fortunate enough to share the bill with him at a 2001 NYC Bass Day and was blown away with his playing and became a fan for life. Matt is one of those players that has created his own unique voice on the instrument and has changed the way...

Q: How do you approach the line between creating an interesting melody while soloing as opposed to playing chord tones and notes that harmonize better. I suppose the two blur into one really but is there a point where you worry less about the changes and more about finding an interesting melody to fit over the top and vice versa....

In February of 2009 Saltman Knowles released Return of the Composer on Pacific Coast Jazz records. Bassist Mark Saltman leads the group with pianist William Knowles to create unique jazz album featuring the voice as an additional instrument (using vocalese). The result is an album with interesting melodic lines, spirited rhythms and excellent musicianship building off a strong foundation. Saltman...

Janek Gwizdala is a very accomplished bass player who’s skills have him wearing many hats as a musician. He has played with some of the most respected players in the business and rightfully so. Janek is one of my personal favorites because he has a way of playing what feels right for whatever musical situation he is in, not to...

Q: Just wanted to ask you how can I get used to using the harmonized major and minor scales when soloing or using them when I’m playing a fill. I use the relative major or minor of the key I’m playing in regularly but I cant seem to get the other scale degree’s to work. My second question is how...

The latest CD by bassist Tony Grey, called Chasing Shadows, is something I’ve been spinning for months. If you have not heard this guy play, do yourself a favor and check him out! The CD to me is a perfect blend of musicality with some insane playing. I really love the writing and how every song has cool twists and...