tag:mikedownes.com,2005:/blogs/blog?p=1Blog2022-04-27T12:34:58-04:00mikedownes.comfalsetag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930972016-03-13T20:00:00-04:002022-04-27T12:27:51-04:00Interview - Ken Lister<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000;"><strong>Ken Lister</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ken Lister has been a professional jazz bassist since 1983. (Junos: 2012-The Phil Dwyer Orchestra; 1997-The Hugh Fraser Quintet). Ken’s career took an interesting turn in the 90’s when he lived off-grid on a remote island, raising his young family. From there he toured nationally and internationally. Now based on Vancouver Island, Ken teaches bass (and yoga) and continues to perform, record and tour. Some of the many great musicians he has played with include Don Thompson, Linton Garner, Ross Taggart, Ingrid Jensen, Steve Davis, Slide Hampton, Chucho Valdes, and many others.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong> </span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Knowing why you want to play music is important. I believe that playing music is to some degree a calling, rather than a career choice. In particular, being a bassist is chiefly a supportive role, so it really helps if your desires are in line with that role. I see the role of the bassist as being to unite and anchor the group.<br>Learning to listen to others and hear yourself in the context of the whole group is a crucial skill. Also, learning to hear musical sounds, notes, chords, rhythms, etc. as part of a language, rather than theoretical concepts. Discover the value of space and simplicity.<br>One of my teachers, Wyatt Ruther, once told me "take what you do seriously, but never take yourself seriously". I'm not sure that I understood at the time what he meant, but I have come to understand that a lot better now.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span></span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Normally, I would suggest Live at the Village Vanguard with Scott LaFaro and Bill Evans, (or any recording with Scott LaFaro). Literally, the day I heard this album I traded all my records for jazz albums, switched my focus to acoustic bass, and threw myself into jazz. These recordings have been mentioned already, so I am going to offer three others which I consider to be influential and important to me:<br><br>Miles Smiles (Ron Carter, with Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams); Ron is so well recorded on this record and it is a great example of a bassist who really knows how to anchor and support a group of other strong musical personalities, and displays a beautiful balance between support and leadership. I originally got this record by mistake, but it blew my musical mind at a crucial point in my development. Ron is a master.<br>Live at the Pershing with Ahmad Jamal on piano, Vernel Fournier on drums and the GREAT bassist Israel Crosby. His playing is so unique and inventive that I continue to feel excited when I hear it today!<br>The Paris Concert with Bill Evans, Joe LaBarbara and bassist, Marc Johnson. In my opinion, Marc successfully integrated Scott LaFaro's approach and Eddie Gomez' influence while clearly speaking with his own voice. He really got what Scott was trying to do, melodically and conversationally, without sacrificing the supportive role of the bassist.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><br><br>One idea I like personally, is warming up by playing melodies with the bow. Playing like that with a standards play-along is also a great way to work on tuning, possibly reading, learning tunes specifically, and how melodies feel in your hands, generally. It is very useful for the bassist to have a strong connection with the melodies of tunes. This type of practice can have huge spill-over effects into soloing, too. And, it's fun!<br>I love playing Bach, with a bow, with a metronome on, very, very slow….The Cello suites are great for practicing in the upper register. I also use an edition adapted for the double bass which uses the entire range of the bass - a fantastic opportunity to experience the deep musicality of J. S. Bach. Check out Bach SIX SUITES for String Bass Solo by Mark Bernat.<br>I think the benefits of playing along with recordings cannot be overstated. When I first became interested in Ron Carter, for example, I would play along with any recording of him I could get my hands on and try to play "into" his groove and sound, echoing any interesting articulations or cool lines I could grab on the fly - great for the ear and super-fun! Eventually, for some of my favourite tracks, I would lift the whole thing and then try and play it so I couldn't hear myself as separate from Ron. Hard to do, but again, totally worth a million bucks. I think that doing that influenced my overall feel to this day, more than anything else I did.<br>Another focussed type of practice is when I have an upcoming gig or recording where I might have specific tunes to learn, (it could be a list of standard tunes, or written arrangements, preferably with accompanying recordings). In cases like that, I always take great joy in creating a playlist in iTunes, and running through the set of music over and over, so that by the time the gig arrives, I am familiar with the sounds I am working with. A huge part of my preparation involves listening while walking outside in nature. I will listen to the music until I know what to expect. Knowing what to expect means I can make musical choices based on sound.<br>Another mind-blowing way to practice is with a drone, like a tamboura, for instance. I got the idea from Ingrid Jensen. I remember watching her warming up with a shruti box for long tones. Amazing! I found an app for my phone and computer that I can put in any key. There are also many recordings of tambura drones available online. I highly recommend this technique for anyone who wants to improve their confidence around tuning.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span><br><br>Whenever I encounter difficulties, I try to precisely identify the issue, and then focus on problem-solving. Sometimes, we can find ourselves playing the same passage over and over, in an attempt to improve, but it doesn't get much better because we are not dealing with the real issues that are preventing the easeful flow of the music. For instance, if I am having trouble with a specific passage of music, I identify the movements that are difficult or awkward, and then come up with a strategy that makes sense. I then improvise a short exercise that teaches the new movement to my body-mind. Eventually, the new movement becomes a habit that is also useful later in improvisation. The important thing is to keep yourself in problem-solving mode, rather than boiling over with aimless enthusiasm, or collapsing into frustration. (What would Yoda do?)<br>The bass is a very physical instrument. It is supremely important to consider the physical body and it's relationship to the instrument, as well as the toll that playing can take on your body. Yoga has helped me enormously to undo many of the negative effects of repetitive movements, and to develop an overall awareness of how I use my body to play, stand, walk, breathe, etc. Also, I have a pair of ten pound dumbbells that I use for doing arm curls.For some reason, this seems to chill out my forearm muscles. I think that engaging the muscles in this way has a therapeutic effect. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for players just beginning their careers? What worked for you?</strong></span><br><br>Forging connections with other musicians is crucial. Making friends with like-minded players, paying respect to more seasoned players and learning from them whenever possible. I think it is very important to get out and in the scene. When I was first getting started, I was perhaps a little unreasonably bold. I had friends who were way better players, but who were reluctant to play in public because they felt they weren't "ready". I learned a lot by putting myself in situations that I might not have been "ready" for. I managed to bumble through and learned a ton by being in sometimes embarrassing situations. I found myself playing with much older, experienced players who were calling tunes I didn't know. These guys never played with charts and sometimes would start playing without telling me the title of the song or even the key. Bringing a fake book to the gig was not an acceptable option. I started carrying around a little note book to keep track of the tunes I didn't know, and I would learn them. Then, when they would ask "do you know such and such a tune?", if I didn't, I could counter with one of the tunes they had previously called that I had since learned. That helped me a lot. Whenever possible, I would go to other people's gigs, to listen, and maybe sit in. I pretty much never asked to sit in, but would always say yes when asked, even if I was terrified.<br>I think it is important to know what music you love to play, and to immerse yourself in it until it becomes like a language to you. It is also helpful to be able to adapt to a wide variety of musical situations, and to be flexible.<br><br><span style="color:#c0392b;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">My main instrument these days is a 1962 Pöllmann 3/4 bass, with a custom made endpin, set at an angle, which makes the bass sit back in a very ergonomic way for me. I have Pirastro Obligato strings on the E & A, an Innovation Golden Slap on the D, and currently a LaBella Golden Tone nylon-wound Gut on the G. The Innovation Golden Slap D string is a synthetic gut-like string, but with a much clearer tone and sustain than any gut D that I have tried. It gives me the sound I have longed from from a real gut D string but with more sustain, a clearer tone and, it's less expensive. Over the years, I have tried many different kinds of steel and gut strings, but always come back to something brighter on the bottom, and something softer on the top. I really like the bounce of gut strings, and they are much, much easier on the hands than higher tension steel strings.<br>My pickup is a Fishman Full Circle, which so far is the best overall pickup I have tried. It is even in tone, doesn't move around, and doesn't feed back. My amplifier is an Acoustic Image combo amp, and I have an AMT microphone that clips on the bass. I use the mic instead of a DI whenever possible.<br>Finding the right instrument can be a tricky thing. I am a small person, and I have always wanted to produce a big, warm sound. I played a great big 7/8 bass for many years which I thought was the perfect instrument for me. However, although it had a big sound, it was actually too big for me and caused all sorts of trouble with my body. One day, out of the blue, a smaller bass came into my life and once I started playing it, I realized I had been struggling needlessly. The 3/4 bass I now play is easier on my body and gives me the sound I want.<br>It is important to ensure that your bass is set up properly. If you aren't sure, then ask your teacher, or another professional bassist for their guidance.<br>When all is said and done, although your instrument, strings, setup and other equipment can have an enormous impact on your body, and your tone, it is important to realize that ultimately your sound is going to evolve to be your sound. Changing how you play will make a bigger difference in most cases, than the instrument you are using. While finding the right gear is important, looking for the sound you want, in some physical object you do not yet possess, is a distraction. Most of your sound is in your hands, arising from your imagination.</span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">In addition to playing music, I am currently teaching bass lessons, coaching small student groups, and managing a yoga studio. I try to keep my public appearances listed on my website at: www.kenlister.me. I also have a Twitter account: @kenlister.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Playing music is both a privilege and a joy. I believe everyone can develop a unique voice if they are honest and practice diligently with focus. The thing that others will hear in your playing is mostly independent of your instrument and even your technique. What people will hear that matters most, is the quality of energy you bring to your playing, and the degree to which you are willing and able to listen to, and interact skillfully with others. Music is really all about communication and communion with other humans; expressing something beautiful, spoken in universal terms through music. </span><br> </p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930962016-02-29T19:00:00-05:002022-04-27T12:29:58-04:00Interview - Mike Downes<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Mike Downes</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong></span></p>
<p>Music is infinite, so I've learned to embrace the endlessness. If you build a shoe rack, you gather the materials, put in the work and then proudly look at the finished product when it's done. Becoming a better musician is not like that - it is never a tangible finished product. The beauty of this is that it teaches you to enjoy and live in the process rather than focusing solely on the end result.</p>
<p>On a related note: whatever stage you're at, focus on what you can say with what you have in this moment. Don't rely on "having it all together" at some vague future date. Some musicians manage to say a lot with very little, and some have a lot together but nothing meaningful to say.</p>
<p>I've learned that you need a clear idea of your motives behind playing music. This will carry you through the inevitable rough periods. What got you into playing music in the first place? What do you want to say through music? How would you like to affect people and the world around you? How can you contribute? How can you bring the most to every musical situation you play in? What can you do in these situations to allow the music to rise to the highest level possible? I'm probably a total geek (my wife would say "probably??"), but I ask myself these questions. The answers guide what I do on a daily basis.</p>
<p>The importance of learning to listen can't be overstated. To me, listening is the gateway to connecting with other musicians, to absorbing new ideas and to becoming a more discerning musician. The greatest musical experiences of my life have happened when I and the other musicians were in a state of receptivity and deep listening. In the best moments I have my radar out and I'm just listening to the overall group sound, like I'm not even playing. This is something any bassist can develop - listen to the music as a whole while you're playing and ask "what would be the best thing the bassist could play here?" Then, play that. </p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p>Portrait in Jazz - Bill Evans, Scott Lafaro and Paul Motian - this group had something very special. It's incredibly musical and the interplay is magical.</p>
<p>We Get Requests - Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen - sound, time feel, pitch, dynamics, melody, foundation, counter lines - Ray has it all happening, and the bass is recorded beautifully.</p>
<p>Glenn Gould - JS Bach: The Two & Three Part Inventions - like Portrait in Jazz, I'm fascinated by the interaction between the top voice(s) and the lower bass voice. Bach's left-hand melodies are functional and beautifully melodic all at once.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span></p>
<p>It's better to not practice than to practice without focus.</p>
<p>I use visualization a lot. You can practice just as efficiently without the instrument as with it.</p>
<p>I mentioned earlier about listening like a passive observer. Here's something you can try to do while practicing: Imagine that you are outside of yourself (sitting in a chair 10 feet away for example) listening to yourself practicing. As the observer, you listen and offer constructive criticism based on what you hear. I find that I can be much more discerning and I hear everything clearer when I detach myself from the physical experience of playing.</p>
<p>I try to think long-term. Our society is all about short-term thinking and gratification, and that will not serve you well as a musician. If you develop a long-term vision of who and what you want to be as a musician, then everything you practice will relate to that overarching vision.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles? </strong></span></p>
<p>I come at it from a bunch of angles and visualize myself solving the issue. Sometimes it just takes time to move things from the conscious to the unconscious mind. Remember that a river might get dammed up for a while, but it will eventually keep going.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for players just beginning their careers? What worked for you?</strong></span></p>
<p>I see two major components to a career in music. One is the artistic side and the other is the business side. Many musicians (including me) have difficulty reconciling these two sides. You have to take care of and feed both sides. You should strive to constantly become a better musician. At the same time, you need to take care of business. That means being professional in every sense: being prepared for whatever music you'll be playing, being easy to work with, being cool to hang out with, being trustworthy, etc.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<p>You should develop a strong aural image of what sound you want to produce and then buy gear that makes it easy to produce that sound. Michel Donato once borrowed my plywood bass (which I had as a student) for a concert and he made it sound like his expensive Italian bass. That's when I realized that your sound is in your head and hands. Having said that, some basses make it very difficult to produce the sound you want. You should look for a bass that makes it easy. Also, if you play every day on a beautiful bass, you'll begin to carry that sound around with you.</p>
<p>Bass geek alert for this next paragraph: As for what I use - my main acoustic bass is a French Mirecourte bass circa 1860. I use Pirastro Olive gut strings for the D and G and Thomastik Spirocores or D'Addario Zyex strings for the A and extension C, a Fishman Full Circle pickup and a carbon fiber endpin that is on an angle. My main electric bass is a Yamaha TRB 5-string. I have two heads - a GKMB500 and an old Walter Woods, and a Bergantino 1 x 12 cabinet. I've been on an ongoing journey to get the most acoustic sound I can get when amplified.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></p>
<p>If you're reading this you are on my website.... You can also connect with me on:</p>
<p>Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/mikedownesmusic">@mikedownesmusic</a></p>
<p>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mike.downes.7186">Mike Downes</a></p>
<p>YouTube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/mikedownesbass">Mike Downes</a></p>
<p>Please don't follow me on the street. You'll freak me out. As for stuff coming up, I'm getting ready to record another trio/quartet album and I'm excited about the new music. I'm also looking forward to playing on and co-producing an upcoming recording with Yvette Tollar featuring the music of Joni Mitchell, arranging music for a new recording with Billy Newton-Davis, doing a recording with Molly Johnson and a lot of other great projects.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></p>
<p>Playing music as a career is an incredible privilege and I am grateful for that. I also believe music is a healing power and that we need to bring that into the world.</p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930952016-02-17T19:00:00-05:002022-04-27T12:31:57-04:00Interview - Rene Worst<div class="entry_content">
<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Rene Worst</strong></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Arial;"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Rene Worst was voted Bassist of the Year by the BC CARAS Tribute to West Coast Music for the 4 years that the awards were given. Rene was co-leader of the now-legendary fusion band Skywalk with six CD’s to their credit. He has toured Canada with jazz legends Chet Baker, Gene Bertoncini and Joe Pass and on the international scene, has toured the former Soviet Union with Paul Horn. He is a virtuoso on both string and electric basses. Rene Worst has recorded and performed with numerous jazz greats, including Jack Sheldon, Tommy Banks, Herb Ellis, Freddie Hubbard, Ernestine Anderson, John Faddis, Don Thompson to name a few and has recorded and produced 7 CDs for musical partner, Jennifer Scott, one of the top jazz artists in Canada, including the highly acclaimed “ Emotional Girl“. He has also been featured as a session player on recordings by Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Bowie, Aerosmith and Poison, to name a few.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">There is a lot I can say so i will try to be concise. Have a passion {eg jazz}, but at the same time benefit from being a well rounded player. <span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Learn to read well, bass and treble clef. <span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Do theatre gigs, recording singer songwriter material, casuals and teaching etc. </span></span>That way you will have a better chance of earning a living rather than having another profession. <br>i have always enjoyed playing the bass I felt was right for the tune, meaning either acoustic, electric or fretless. You should learn a least a little bit of arco technique.<br>Treat other bass players as colleagues not as competitors. Have a positive and generous attitude.<br></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any</strong> <strong>bassist to check out?</strong></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">It's hard to only pick three as I play acoustic and electric and love them both. Here are three that had a major impact on my education:<br><br>1. Oscar Peterson - Trio Plus One [with Clark Terry]. Ray Brown is swinging!<br><br>2. Bill Evans - Live at the Village Vanguard with Scott Lafaro<br> Bill evans - Intuition with Eddie Gomez<br><br>3. Heavy Weather - Weather Report. Jaco Pastorius.<br></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">There are so many things to practice that i developed a way to create a schedule so you don't go insane. Split your practice session into four groups:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">1. technique/warm up. 2. sight reading. 3. reading 4. improv</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">I think these are self explanatory. For example, for for no.1, pick a scale, mode or exercise and play it in every key.The next session do a different scale etc. For no. 2 pick material on the edge of your ability and use a click. No.3 - choose harder material that you you need to work on. No.4 involves soloing, playing on changes, working on grooves and transcribing. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">You can split this schedule equally with whatever time you choose.</span><br></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Use a click. A lot of young players don't get a lot of experience recording with click tracks. It is so easy to manipulate your track with the various operating systems we use now. Practice slowly then speed up.<br><br>I use an analogy for demoralized students when they hit a wall. I tell them that wall is the the bottom of the next peak and that means they are improving. Just start climbing again. It doesn't mean any thing but it seems to work!!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small; color: #ffff99;"><strong>Do you have any advice for players beginning their careers?</strong></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I wish I had sound advice. Things are very different now than were when i was younger. Here are a couple of things:</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. Do all gigs for experience.<br>2. Go out on the road when you are young. Play in indie bands, go on adventures. When you get older you won't want to put up with some of the shit that happens. lol<br>Finally, i think if you want to focus on being a jazz musician, go to cities that have big jazz scenes - New York, Toronto, Montreal and even Vancouver.<br></span>
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<span style="color: #800000; font-size: medium;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice?</strong></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span>
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">T</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">here is a lot of great gear out there. i use Genz Benz, SWR and Traynor 112 block. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I have two very nice acoustics but I played a nicely set up Hofner for years. I use Underwood pick-ups [now considered old school]. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I now own several nice electrics. I often use my Mollerup 6 and my old Schector fretless. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I like low tension light-gauge strings on all my basses. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">My belief is that if you have decent gear, the sound is in your hands.</span>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">A new recording and touring with Crossing Borders <br>A new duet recording with Jennifer Scott <br>A new recording with Bill Coon and Jennifer Scott<br>A new recording with the Bill Sample Trio<br>And find me on facebook!</span></p>
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</div>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930942016-02-17T19:00:00-05:002022-04-13T13:18:55-04:00Interview - Dave Piltch<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #ffff99;"><strong><span style="color: #800000;">David Piltch</span><br></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">David Piltch's career began at age 17 playing on the bandstand with: <em> </em><a href="https://soundcloud.com/david-piltch/blues-for-heard"><em>Art Pepper</em></a><em>, Chet Baker, Gil Evans, Ed Bickert, Zoot Simms, Kenny Wheeler, George Coleman , Lee Konitz, Sonny Stit, Art Farmer, Jack Sheldon, Cleo Lane and Herb Ellis. </em></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For almost 40 years he has been collecting experiences and tools that are useful to him as a player, writer, arranger and producer. He has recorded with artists including Holly Cole, KD Lang, Elton John, Randy Newman, Bill Frisell, Bonnie Raitt and many others</span>. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For the past 6 years, he has been the Musical Director for a series of concerts involving diverse ensembles and artists, with an emphasis on: live performance, improvisation and eclectic repertoire. The result of which is a vast library ranging from Hank Williams to Hoagy Carmichael to Sly Stone to George Bizet.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The 3 T’s: Tuning, Time & Tone</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The singer is ALWAYS RIGHT!</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">I did not learn about how the bass was supposed to sound until I started playing other basses. Being attached to an instrument that you own can be a tunnel vision of experience.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any</strong> <strong>bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Allan Toussaint - The Bright Mississippi<br>Larry Goldings - Music From The Front Room<br>Holly Cole - Temptation</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Every musical situation has a repertoire that presents technical challenges or highlights particular qualities that can provide insight and inform study. If I have trouble with something I will create an exercise to focus on whatever is the problem and practice the solution.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">A grease marker for shift points and a tuner on my music stand!<br>Often I will use a recording environment to practice. Some of these exercises have ended up on my SOUNDCLOUD.<br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small; color: #ffff99;"><strong><span style="color: #800000;">Do you have any advice for players beginning their careers?</span><br></strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I believe I learned more about playing the bass from singers, drummers and chordal accompanists. Attention to lyrics changed my approach to the bass in a huge way: songs are not just chords and solos. Playing other instruments like drums or guitar can give you a good perspective on what the bass can do to compliment other musical instrument roles. I love to solo but i have learned to love being the bass more!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I think ALL PICKUPS are variations on the same theme; PIEZO technology and each one may or may not be suited for a particular bass. I have been using the Gage Realist for 20 years for live gigs. I used </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">AKG/Schertler before that and on all the Holly Cole records. When the AKG pick up broke, I replaced it and it never sounded the same so I switched to the REALIST. Underwood before that, Polytone before that and Barcus Berry to begin with. I like to use a DPA Mic to give a sound man and often get a pretty good sound in a monitor from the Mic blended with the pick up. I have not used a pick up in the studio Since 2004 or for Live TV. I almost always refuse to allow the engineer a DI option.</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I Played steel strings my whole life and switched to GUT D&G 5 years ago. I love it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">There are two recordings this year that I am very excited about: Randy Newman and Allan Toussaint (recorded 3 weeks before he passed). </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #ffff99;"> <span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">All the technique in the world will not give you the voice to speak one clear thought. Music is communication, thoughts spoken, sung or hammered on resonant chambers. <br>Get used to people calling your bass a cello, or a sound man asking for "a little bass guitar” or “is that your girlfriend”. Also, there is no cure for BASS FACE.</span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930932016-01-25T19:00:00-05:002022-04-16T06:55:48-04:00Interview - Kieran Overs<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Kieran Overs</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Arial;">Toronto-born bassist <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Kieran Overs</span></strong> has been active on the Canadian music scene since 1970, first on guitar and electric bass, and for the past 34 years on acoustic bass. Overs holds an Honours Diploma from Humber College, a B. Mus. from Humber/BCOU and an M. Mus. from McGill University (Montreal). He has also studied privately with renowned Danish bassist Neils-Henning Orsted-Petersen and arranger Rick Wilkins. He has toured internationally with Moe Koffman/Dizzy Gillespie, Jane Bunnett, Sophie Milman, Carol Welsman and Emilie-Claire Barlow, among others. Overs is currently a member of The Nancy Walker Quartet, Ted Quinlan Trio and Inside Out (with Lorne Lofsky and Barry Romberg). To his credit Overs has 4 CDs as leader/producer and more than 80 as a sideman. He is an adjunct faculty member of the music departments at Humber College (Toronto) and Mohawk College (Hamilton), and is active as a freelance musician, clinician and bandleader. His current band is an all-star lineup of Canadian musicians, Overs’ Eleven.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">At the end of the day, it’s all about the music. On whatever gigs I do, I’m thinking about how, as the bassist in the group, I can best contribute to making the music happen. You have to think about how you affect the harmony, melody and rhythm of the music you’re playing. You have to think about the time feel and hookup between yourself and the other musicians – with the drummer, of course, but with everyone in the group. Sometimes you’re the time-keeper, sometimes you have an independent voice in the group, and occasionally you’re the peace-keeper. Given the basic function of the bass, freedom isn’t exactly what you signed up for. But there’s a dichotomy in being a jazz bass player: you have to walk the path between solidly “laying it down”, and being a key factor in enabling the music to really lift off.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">I think it’s important to listen to music of all genres and cultures. My listening includes everything from Mahler to Charlie Parker to Toumani Diabaté to Lyle Lovett to David Virelles, and everything in between. The more steeped we are in a broad spectrum of music, the more well-rounded we can be as players. As important as it is to have the technical fundamentals under our belts, it’s equally important to <em>feel</em> the music. Here’s a simple example: I’ve had students who have a really hard time playing a waltz. They have an intellectual understanding of what a waltz is, and they can certainly count to three, and apply some polyrhythmic concepts (dotted quarter notes and so on). But it feels strange to them, and the musical result doesn’t flow. It’s often only after they’ve really done some good listening to tunes in ¾ that they’ll “get it”.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any</strong> <strong>bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Leroy Walks</strong> by Leroy Vinnegar. The thing that always puts a smile on my face is great groove and sound on the bass. The title says it all.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Duo 2</strong> by Kenny Drew/Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. This recording can be a gateway to duo playing and to European-influenced jazz. From the time Niels-Henning hit the scene in his early teens playing with people like Bud Powell to the end of his career, he never stopped evolving as a player. He exemplified a great combination of skill and spirit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">Anything featuring Ron Carter. He’s been so remarkably consistent on recordings. I’ve particularly enjoyed his playing on Brazilian and Brazilian-influenced recordings like Claus Ogerman’s orchestrations for Jobim, Rosa Passos’ recording “Entre Amigos” etc.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Sorry for the extras, but I think it’s worth mentioning these other three that have been on heavier rotation for me lately:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The Bridge by Sonny Rollins.</strong> <em>Bob Cranshaw</em> burns it up (especially on the title tune). <em>Ben Riley</em> is on drums, <em>Jim Hall</em> on guitar and <em>Sonny Rollins</em> on tenor. Besides just generally killing me musically, this recording covers feel and concepts that we all strive to achieve. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Lee Konitz Live At The Half Note</strong>. <em>Jimmy Garrison</em> is on bass, <em>Paul Motian</em> on drums, <em>Bill Evans</em> on piano, <em>Warne Marsh</em> on tenor sax and <em>Lee Konitz</em> on alto. I find every track on this recording outstanding, but the hook-up between Jimmy Garrison and Paul Motian on “You Stepped Out Of A Dream” is infectious. Garrison’s sound, and the bounce he achieves in his walking, provide a rock solid time feel with Motian that’s pliable and inspired…totally “in the moment”. <br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Allegory by Adam Rogers.</strong> <em>Scott Colley</em> is the bass player, <em>Clarence Penn</em> is on drums, <em>Chris Potter</em> on sax, <em>Edward Simon</em> on piano and <em>Adam Rogers</em> on guitar. Scott is one of my favourite players on the scene today. I love his sound, time feel and ideas. He’s a bass player who listens “big time” and he brings that to the table in all the varied situations he plays in.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"><em> </em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"> Sometimes I get to a gig, and when I start playing I’m amazed that I can play at all. This usually happens when the stuff of life has been taking up a lot of my attention and time. I’ve realized that certain staple practice habits have helped see me through those situations. Although I continually reinvent the wheel when it comes to practice, over time I’ve settled on a few elements to my routine that remain constant.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">I’ll get the bass and bow out, and work on various exercises I’ve accumulated over the years that work on right and left hand, bow division and articulation. The bow is not my strong suit, but like parallel parking is to driving, so is arco a part of being an upright bass player! Then I’ll leave the bow, and play some melodies, walking lines through some tunes, scale exercises, arpeggios etc. (straight and swung), always with a metronome, concentrating on my feel, tone and articulation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">I’ll modify this routine, depending on what gigs I’m preparing for. I may have a gig involving some challenging written bass parts that need shedding. I may want to play some guide tone exercises that will help me navigate certain chord changes, or I may want to spend some time playing in a specific odd meter, and so on.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"> The most obvious obstacle would be a physical one, like an injury. As far as that goes, I’ve had a few. The last couple of years I’ve dealt with a rotator cuff injury and arthritis in both of my hands. I’ve had to adapt a bit. I had to stop playing the instrument I played for 37 years because of its high shoulders, which I can no longer negotiate. Fortunately I now have a German bass that sounds great and is a delight to play. After 2 ½ years of playing, it actually sounds a lot like my old bass…or is that me making it sound like that? Anyway, health issues can be hard on a musician’s career. Be vigilant about your health, and about your physical relationship with the instrument. I do some practicing in front of a mirror to monitor my posture and hand position. And I seek out physiotherapy and osteopathy when necessary.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">For years I’ve used Thomastik Spirocore strings on E/C, A & D and always a different G string. My 3 favourite Gs are Pirastro Oliv (my current string of choice), Pirastro Original Flat Chrome and Kaplan Golden Spiral (no longer available…I have a couple of old ones). <br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Pickup-wise, I love the Fishman Full-Circle. I also use (when a good sound system is involved) a Royer R-122 mic…fantastic! I’ve always liked GK heads for upright and have a variety of cabs. My favourites currently are my EA Wizzy 10 and 12 cabs. I’ve always been happy with the sound of the Ampeg BA210…sweet amp, although a bit of a schlep.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">I’m always looking for a sound that’s as close to my acoustic sound as possible. When I’m trying to get a good sound in a new environment, I’m very aware of my surroundings and musical situation. Sometimes you’ll have to sacrifice your preferred sound or level of amplification for the greater good. It just goes that way in some situations. Other times you may be able to influence the situation so that a consensus is reached to strive for a quieter level overall that will result in a more natural, acoustic sound. <br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">I’m very much looking forward to playing with the fantastic vocalist from New York, Sheila Jordan, along with Don Thompson on piano at the Jazz Bistro in Toronto in April. Sheila’s been a wonderful friend for years, and I cherish any chance to play with her and learn from the experience. A great jazz steel pan player named Rudy Smith is coming over from Denmark in the spring, and we’ll do some gigs here together. I have monthly gigs at the Rex with Barry Romberg’s bands 3 Blind Mice and 4 Blind Mice. I work fairly frequently with guitarist Lorne Lofsky. There’s always a mix of freelance work with various artists. I’m aiming to book more gigs with my 11-piece band, and more gigs as a guitar player (I’ve recently been back at that, my original instrument, in addition to the bass playing). I keep working at composing and arranging. And, as you know, I’m also teaching at Humber College. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">You can find gig listings on my website, <a href="http://www.kieranovers.com">www.kieranovers.com</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">(drop by sometime!). I’m on facebook, though I don’t have an artist page – you can just befriend me! And I have a twitter account, but I’m not a frequent tweeter.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; color: #ffff99;"> <span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Seek out a teacher or teachers to help you and guide you. What has worked for someone else may work for you. Find out what it’s like to play some other musical instruments. And look to other art forms beyond music for inspiration. I’ve studied photography, painting, and drawing in addition to guitar, drums, viola de gamba and arranging. Each of those experiences has made me a better student of the bass by giving me a fresh perspective.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930922016-01-25T19:00:00-05:002022-04-09T11:28:21-04:00Interview - Jason Raso<p><span style="color: #800000; font-size: medium;"><strong>Jason Raso</strong></span></p>
<p>Over the past two decades, eight albums and countless live performances, Jason Raso has shown that he not only has the skills to pay the bills, but more often than not, enough musical currency left over at the end of the month to make good on the debts other musicians have welched on. A Hartke Canadian Artist Search Winner (2010), Raso is a master of the four and six-string bass guitar whose music has been heard on public radio and jazz stations around the globe. Jason Raso’s latest album “Man of 40 Faces” features 11 new original compositions. Eight solo performances and three duets with legendary bassist Alain Caron, trombone phenom Wycliffe Gordon and brilliant vibraphonist Francesco Pinetti.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong></span></p>
<p>I’ve never considered myself a natural talent. I had to work hard and put in the time. I realized that was the only way for me to learn. When I tried to rush things it never worked. So I learned to be patient. I know that if stick with something I will be able to play it. If it takes a really long time, then so be it! My results are directly related to how hard I am willing to work. I also apply this philosophy to the business side of my music.</p>
<p><br> <span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p>Charles Mingus – Mingus Ah Um</p>
<p>Jaco Pastorius – Word of Mouth</p>
<p>Dave Holland Quintet – Prime Directive</p>
<p>As strong as the bass playing is on these albums, it’s the compositions that really stand out.</p>
<p><br> <span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span></p>
<p>I think it helps to clearly identify the kind of player you want to be and work towards that goal.</p>
<p>My weakest areas are walking bass lines and sight-reading. So, I try to focus on that. I also struggle soloing over certain changes, so I have made that a priority.</p>
<p>I used to work separately on ear training, scales, arpeggios and technique but I always struggled to apply things. These days I try to tie it all to repertoire and composition to give my practice context. It has made a big difference. I also try to spend a fair amount of time just listening to music. Sometimes, I spend too much time with a bass in my hands!</p>
<p>I also keep a detailed practice log that I review on a regular basis. This helps me keep an eye on my progress. I have a weekly checklist just to make sure I cover everything I want to.</p>
<p>I’m always fine-tuning the operation, making little adjustments here and there.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for entering the music scene?</strong></span></p>
<p> Early on I decided that I wanted to compose and perform my own material. As you can imagine, bassist-led jazz music is not always an easy sell. I essentially started by creating my own gigs, booking venues and putting on my own shows. I also started releasing albums independently in 2001.</p>
<p>I also decided that I would only take “side” gigs if I really enjoyed the music. I didn’t think it was fair to the bandleader to take the gig and not give the music the attention it deserved.</p>
<p><br> <span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<p>I use Fodera basses and GK amplifiers. I’ve played a lot basses and amps over the years but I’ve never been happier with the tone I have now. There’s a lot of great gear out there and while I think it’s important to know what your options are, having one go to instrument is ideal. That way you really get to know it inside out.</p>
<p><br> <span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></p>
<p>I have some solo performances and clinics coming up in the New Year in support of my latest release “Man of 40 Faces.” www.jasonrasomusic.com</p>
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<p> </p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930912016-01-16T19:00:00-05:002022-01-17T06:28:31-05:00Interview - Michel Donato<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Michel Donato</strong></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;">Michel Donato was born in Montreal on August 25, 1942. He began on the accordion at age 10, piano at 12 and then the bass at 14. He has performed and recorded with Sonny Greenwich, Oscar Peterson, Ian McDougall, Bruce Coburn, Dave Samuels, Bernie Senesky, Buddy De Franco, Gordie Fleming, Oliver Jones, Toots Thielmans, Bill Evans and others. He has written numerous scores for film, television and radio including "Omni Romance," "Le Marché du Couple" and "Les Muses Orphelines," for which he won Le Prix Jutras in 2001. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;">I was about 15 and get this call from a very good accordion player. I was very excited and I practiced. Actually, it was a little cocktail job. I wanted to impress him and I was playing 100 notes per bar. He told me he was impressed but told me that we both need a bass player! That was my first bass lesson.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;">Mingus - Ah Um, Herbie Hancock - Speak like a Child, Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard, plus many more with Ray Brown.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;">For example, with a standard, you have to learn and sing the melody (theme). You have to learn the skeleton (form) and the modes involved. Sing the melody and play in "2" to make sure you know it, and play it in all the keys.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;">You have to be on top of the situation.</span><br><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Do you have any advice for players just beginning their careers? What worked for you?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;">Try to memorize as many tunes as possible and show up in jam sessions.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;">I have an old Underwood pick-up and a Phil Jones amp.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;">info@micheldonato.com</span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930902016-01-16T19:00:00-05:002022-04-27T12:31:31-04:00Interview - Dave Young<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Dave Young</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Multiple award-winning bassist and composer Dave Young is, without a doubt, one of Canada’s most valuable musical exports. The list of artists with whom Dave has shared the stage is a virtual “Who’s Who” of international jazz...including the late Oscar Peterson (with whom Dave had a thirty-five year musical relationship), and additional iconic artists Lenny Breau, Clark Terry, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Joe Williams, Oliver Jones, Kenny Burrell, Cedar Walton, Nat Adderly, Peter Appleyard, Gary Burton, Barney Kessell and James Moody. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In recent years, Dave Young has released a number of excellent CDs as leader: the JUNO winning <em>Fables and Dreams </em>with co-leader Phil Dwyer(Justin Time) and the JUNO Nominated recordings, <em>Mainly Mingus</em> (Justin Time), and on Modica Music, 2009’s <em>Mean What You Say,</em> 2011’s <em>Aspects of Oscar </em>and 2012’s <em>The Dave Young/Terry Promane Octet – Volume 1</em>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In addition to performing and recording Dave is also a dedicated jazz educator, and member of the Faculty of Music at Humber College and The University of Toronto. Dave Young was recently named as a member to The Order of Canada – our country’s highest and most prestigious civilian honour. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The first task is to master the instrument you have chosen to play. This begins with a commitment to practice and learn the language of music as related to the bass. Self-study is a start but an experienced teacher is essential eventually. Don't be limited in the music you play.Jazz and improvisation is very attractive but playing in orchestra (classical/Broadway show/new music) is also very challenging and leads to new musical levels. Develop sight-reading ability. This allows you to play in many musical styles and is important in developing your overall technical ability. Attitude - Be interested in other peoples musical projects and perform with your colleagues as much as possible.These are the people who you will probably play with for most of your musical career.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Bill Evans Trio live @ the Village Vanguard w S LaFaro, P Motion</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">2.Victor Feldman trio "Arrival of Victor Feldman" w S LaFaro and L Bunker</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">3.Charles Mingus "Blues & Roots" atlantic rec w med size band "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting"</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Early years - have a set routine to practice basics - scales,intervals,arpeggios. Also studies and repertoire. This could be 3-4 hrs/day. </span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">This should include arco playing. A classical teacher is almost a necessity if you want to progress in this area. I studied with Tom Monohan (princ bass,Tor Symphony) for several years -often 2 lessons per week.This prepared me for an orchestral career.</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Jazz was largely a self-taught process. Much listening and transcribing of bassists and groups. </span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In my early experience I was heavily influenced by "Blues players" - ie urban blues Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson Jimmy Reed etc I performed with a number of US blues artists who would pass through Winnipeg in the early 60's Playing the bass in the Jazz tradition is about establishing a "groove" and time feel with the drummer. This is what the soloist plays on top of.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Musical obstacles can be overcome. Slow methodical,regular practice will achieve this. Ex Playing a fast tempo. - walking bass line on chord changes. Start slowly and create a different line each time you go throughout the changes.Don't repeat the same line! Strive for an even, full sound(pizz) on each note. Right Hand technique (attack, 2 or 3 finger tech,consistency) is very important. Playing along with recordings to get the "feel" of the best players.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have any advice for players just beginning their careers? What worked for you?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">As I said before, don't limit yourself musically. Play in many different musical settings. Each style will contribute to your overall development.You need to know basic repertoire of the different musical genres. Ex -don't take an R&B funk gig and not know some of the well known songs. A lot of this music is by "ear playing." I played a gig and short tour with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee (Blues artists) when I was quite young (18 or so) To prepare I had to learn some of their music before the gig. There was no rehearsal!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">String Bass - I have consistently used Thomastik Spirocore (red ends) orchestra tuning strings. I have experimented with many different brands but always come back to this brand.</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Pickups on the string bass have varied over the years. Currently use Wilson or David Gage Realist pickup. Also the DPA clip mic for bass for going into the sound system.</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Electric Bass - currently use Marcus Miller "Fat Beams" but also RotoSound brand. </span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Amps - GK (Galien Kruger) MB 112 and before that MB 150. Also AER Compact 60 bass amp (great!)</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">I have several groups that I'm involved with.</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Young/Promane Octet which features 5 horns and rhythm section playing a variety</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">of mainstream music arr largely by Terry Promane and myself.</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Dave Young Quintet's playing the music of (a) Horace Silver (b) Charles Mingus (c) Freddie Hubbard</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">3.Trio with Robi Botos/Terry Clarke music of O. Peterson</span><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">4.Sextet with Michael Dunston - music of Donny Hathaway (elec bass and write all the arr)</span><br><br><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Check my Facebook page for gigs coming up. Also Daveyoung.ca website for historical background. Social media mgmt. is Celine Peterson Social Legacy - cpetersonsocial@gmail.com</span></p>
<p> </p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930892016-01-03T19:00:00-05:002022-04-27T12:34:15-04:00Interview - Ross MacIntyre<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Ross MacIntyre</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ross MacIntyre has been playing bass for over 25 years. He studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and got his degree in jazz performance from the University of Toronto. He's played with all sorts of great musicians from Canada and around the world. He can be heard on over 50 recordings, 7 of which have been nominated for JUNO awards, and one of which won for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong> </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">While it's very important to be the best musician you can possibly be, being personable and reliable are equally, if not more important. There are always going to be great bass players in your community, but people will want to hire the one who they can count on and who the get along with. So always be early for the gig, and don't be a jerk.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jaco by Jaco Pastorius. It's essential listening for any aspiring jazz musician. His playing, tone, writing, arranging, and overall musicality set the bar higher than it had ever been.</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Oscar Peterson And the Bassists. OP did a live concert in Montruex in 1977 with Niels Henning Ørsted Pederson and Ray Brown. The two great bassists would trade walking and solos with Oscar, and it really shows off their different styles.</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Gettin' to It by Christian McBride. I love Christian McBride. He's the keeper of the flame of the great old school bassists, and he pushing the art further too. I think he's the best all around bassist today.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Most of my practicing is done with the bow. I start with long tones, then exercises (these days I'm working through Joel Quarrington's Daily Exercises book), then etudes, then some classical repertoire (cellos suites, orchestral excerpts, solo pieces), then I'll get into jazz stuff. Often I work with the iRealB app. I'll choose a tune, play the melody, walk for a chorus or two, solo for a chorus or two, then play the melody out. Usual I'll pick a tune I don't know very well so I can get more comfortable with it.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Don't get discouraged. Difficulties and obstacles are part of being a musician, and if you don't let them get you down, they can only make you a better musician and a better person. Without them being a professional musician would be easy, and everyone would do it, so just know that they're part of the game, and learn from every obstacle you face.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have any advice for players just beginning their careers? What worked for you? </span></strong></span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Say yes to every gig. You can learn a lot from practicing and jamming, but you never learn as much as you will by being on the bandstand. The more opportunities you have to do that, the better you'll be.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Every bass is different, and every player is different, so you have to find what works for you. I use a Realist pickup, Evah Pirazzi light gauge strings, a TecAmp 112 combo amp, and a Hofner upright bass from the 1950s. My main electric bass is an F Bass Jazz type 5 string bass, and I use a 1968 Fender precision sometimes too. I have a bunch of other electric basses, but they're not in the regular rotation.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm very proud of all the people I play with on a regular basis. I list my upcoming public gigs on my website:</span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">www.rossmacintyre.com</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Any other thoughts to pass along?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm writing this as I look out over the Caribbean Sea on a cruise ship gig playing with one of my musical heroes, Guido Basso. Three weeks ago I was in Tokyo, and an a few weeks from now I'll be touring Europe - again. There are many challenges and difficulties that come with being a musician, but it offers a life that few other professions can. A dear friend of my said "take care of the music, and it will take care of you". I can't imagine spending my life doing anything else.</span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">facebook.com/rossmacintyre</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">twitter.com/rossmacintyre</span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930882016-01-03T19:00:00-05:002022-04-14T02:37:24-04:00Interview - Will Jarvis<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Will Jarvis</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Toronto-born Will Jarvis is a busy freelance bassist and educator. Over his career, Will has gained a reputation as a very versatile player and is equally comfortable playing jazz, R&B, funk, jazz-fusion along with Brazilian and Cuban music. Will has performed with Tito Puente, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Paquito D’Rivera, Hilton Ruiz, Hilario Duran, Luis Conte, Dave Valentin, Steve Gadd, David Clayton-Thomas and Sinal Aberto. Currently, Will plays regularly with Manteca, Paul DeLong’s “Bucket Of Fish Orchestra” and Trevor Dick Band. As an educator, Will is on the music faculty at both Humber College and Mohawk College.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I learned a very important lesson early on when I was on a gig with my dad’s country band. I was a bit nervous because it was my first gig and I didn’t know a lot of the band’s repertoire. I remember the guitar player saying to me, “just use your ears.” To this day, that’s the most important advice I’ve ever received. Listening closely to the guitar player for the chord changes helped me get through that gig and led me to listen closely to the other instruments in the band as well. Tuning in to all the instruments you’re playing with and being able to interact and react quickly to things that are happening in the group is an important skill to develop.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">It’s difficult to pick just three but here are ones that are close to me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Bill Evans & Eddie Gomez, “Intuition” – This is one that I listened to a lot when I first started playing jazz. I’ve always liked the duet setting for the freedom it gives the bass to move from timekeeper to soloist to interplay whenever the urge arises and/or the music allows. This recording exemplifies the great dialogue between Evans and Gomez.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jaco Pastorious, “Jaco” – This landmark recording redefined the role of the electric bass and it still influences the bassists of today. It’s an amazing display of Jaco’s enormous technique, soulful grooves and compositional diversity. Jaco gave a distinctive voice to the electric bass that is also clearly evident on such recordings as Joni Mitchell’s “Hejira” and Michel Colombier’s composition “Dreamland.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Chaka Khan, “What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me” – This recording features some great “in the pocket” playing from Anthony Jackson and Abe Laboriel. A. J. plays some wicked fills on “Heed The Warning” and the ending of “What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me.” The groove on “Fate” is killing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Early on, my practice sessions were not always productive. They would usually start out fine but sometimes would deteriorate into jamming as I got frustrated with sight reading or whatever I was working on. Later on I learned how to set and accomplish goals, which made practicing an enjoyable experience.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1) Set goals for each practice session. Have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish (sight reading, scales, bass lines, etc..)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">2) Complete your goals. This will give you a positive experience and build confidence for the next session.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">3) Keep a progress journal containing the things you’ve worked on (specific pieces, tempos, scales, etc..)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I begin each practice session by playing a two-octave scale very slowly at 25-30 bpm and dividing each beat into divisions of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, first in the right hand and then the left hand. It’s a great warm up and a great exercise for strengthening your time. Then I’ll play through some other technique exercises before diving into the music for that particular session. Often I’ll choose a “key of the day” and play all practice material (scales, sight reading, tunes, etc..) in the chosen key. I’ll choose keys by going around the cycle of fourths, which gets me to those keys with lots of sharps and flats that I may not normally play in.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For aspiring players I suggest working on your time using various metronome exercises. Playing along with recordings is a great way to develop a feel for different genres of music. It’s all about time and groove.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Be patient and persistent. Give yourself time to grow and develop as a musician. Try not to get too down on yourself if things don’t work out as planned. Dwell on the positives of your/the group’s performance rather than any negatives, which are usually a very small percentage of the overall performance.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">It’s important to hear and develop a good tone and be able to consistently reproduce it. My main electric bass is a 1984 Fender Squier JV that I bought for $400.00. I added EMG pickups and a Badass bridge. I had a few basses before this one and many more after it but the JV always feels like home. My acoustic bass is an inexpensive 80 year-old Czech plywood bass. I’ve had some work done on it and like the JV, it plays, sounds and records great. The point is that you don’t have to have expensive gear to have a great sound. Tone comes from your fingers. Find a good instrument that feels good to play and work on developing good tone.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Strings</strong> - I played steel strings for a long time but have been using nickel strings for the last 10-12 years. I really like the tone and feel of D’Addario nickel round wound strings. Plus they’re relatively inexpensive. I use them on most of my electric basses. I use Thomastik flats on my Fender P-bass and Gibson EB0. I’ve always liked Thomastik Spirocores on my string bass and haven’t felt the need to change.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Amps</strong> - I use Genz-Benz and Euphonic Audio amps for electric bass only because I’ve been able to dial in a sound that I like with them. For string bass I use a GK 200MB amp and a Sadowsky preamp. I’m quite happy with the David Gage Realist pickup for string bass.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’m excited about the release of my debut recording due out in late December. It’s an Afro-Cuban project: original music and a great band. Coming up, I have a couple of dates with Paul Delong’s group “Bucket of Fish Orchestra” playing jazz-fusion classics and a show with the Steely Dan tribute band “Pretzel Logic,” which is always fun. I’m in pre-production with Manteca for the next recording, which will be recorded in February 2016.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">You can follow me on Facebook or check the Manteca, Paul DeLong and Trevor Dick Band websites for upcoming shows.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you play to the best of your abilities and have a positive attitude, everything will work out fine. Have fun playing and interacting with the musicians you work with. Be the best person you can be and the best player you can be. The rest will take care of itself.</span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930872016-01-03T19:00:00-05:002021-06-01T07:13:11-04:00Interview - Marc Rogers<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; color: #800000;">Marc Rogers</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Marc Rogers is a Toronto-based session bassist, producer, and arranger. Some of the artists he has recorded/performed with are Rachel Platten, Nelly Furtado, Chantal Kreviazuk, Nikki Yanofsky, Norah Jones, The Philosopher Kings, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Lionel Richie, Bernard Purdie, K’naan, Al Jarreau, The Good Lovelies, Sarah Harmer, Gary Burton, Joe Lovano, Mike Stern, Mark Mclean, Robi Botos, Larnell Lewis, Terri-Lynn Carrington, Adam Rogers, Dave Binney, Holly Cole, and many more. He has written and recorded on soundtracks for movies (Journey to the Center of the Earth, Two Weeks, Frankie and Alice, etc), television (including Sliders, Highlander, Sue Thomas: FB Eye), and video games (including EA Sports' NBA Live, Need for Speed, NHL Live). He has produced albums for artists including David Braid, Tia Brazda, Emma-Lee, Ash & Bloom, and Barbra Lica, and has composed jingles for Sears, Toyota, Samsung, and VISA among others.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Firstly I feel that it's important to accept that throughout your musical life you will inevitably go through periods where you hate your playing, and this will happen regardless of how long you've been doing it or how hard you're working. Strange as it sounds this is usually a good sign, as it often means your ears, perception, and taste are improving faster than your actual playing...I've always believed that it was better to have great ideas you can't play yet than to have all the facility in the world and no ideas to express with it! My solution for dealing with those times is to keep working through it but keep an eye out for burnout...whenever that feeling of disengagement/dissatisfaction lasts longer than a couple of weeks I usually take it as a sign to take a few days off ASAP to recharge the musical batteries. It's also very important to maintain balance in your life, which means leaving time for healthy eating, exercise, meditation, and social time with friends/family. The music industry is more challenging than ever these days, and if you don't take care of your body and mind the long/irregular hours, frequent travel, and general stress will take a toll and stop you from reaching your full potential. I learned this lesson relatively late. I wish someone had pointed it out to me 20 years ago. :)</span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">As far as on-instrument stuff it's very important to get your technique, tone, and timing together as soon as possible...learning good habits right away will save you hours and hours of re-learning and correcting later. Working with a good teacher to get the fundamentals in place first is very important and will help you immensely no matter which direction your creativity takes you later on! </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I feel that transcribing is KEY to learning how to play well, to me playing music is very much about developing your instincts and there's no better way to do that than learning inside and out what your favourite musicians do and don't do in different situations. To those who are worried that transcription leads to unoriginality I would suggest that your own taste and personality will filter out all the elements that don't appeal to you and over time your own unique style will develop naturally...which is why I usually suggest transcribing a wide range of music as opposed to just one or two artists. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Playing with other people (preferably people who are better than you are) is also crucial as that's where you learn how to apply what you're working on at home to actual musical situations. To that end it's very important IMHO to always make sure you're not feeling the need to play everything you're currently working on in every situation just because you can...always put the music (and audience if there is one) ahead of your own ego as much as possible.</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yikes what a tough question lol...I'm going to cheat a bit and divide this into electric and acoustic bass!</span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For electric bass I'd say the first essential album is 'Jaco Pastorius'...Jaco really turned the whole bass world on its head with this album and it still stands up today. I'd say the second un-missable electric bass album is D'Angelo's 'Voodoo'...besides Pino's unbelievable Neo-soul work on that album both Raphael Saadiq and Charlie Hunter's thumb lay down some ridiculous grooves. The third essential would have to be Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' album, which features the legendary James Jamerson at his finest as well as some of the overall best vocal performances ever captured on record. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For acoustic bass I feel that Ray Brown plays some of the best jazz bass ever on 'Sonny Stitt sits in with the Oscar Peterson Trio'...the bass intro on 'I Can't Give You Anything (but love)' is still one of my all-time favorites. Paul Chambers on 'Introducing Wayne Shorter' is also just amazing, I lifted every bass note on that album while I was at North Texas State. Finally, Christian McBride is just generally a beast but his playing on 'Fingerpainting: the music of Herbie Hancock' is still some of my favorite acoustic playing on record. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Please keep in mind that these are 6 of about 10 gazillion that I would consider 'essential'...there's so much great music out there, I encourage everyone to seek out as much as possible through friends, teachers, and the internet. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Practicing is one of those things where the more things change, the more they stay the same over the course of your career...ideally you should always be working on things that you DON'T know how to play as opposed to just running over things you already have under your fingers. Regularity is also very important. You'll get more results doing a focused hour every day than from one or two 5-hour shed-a-thons per week. It's also VERY important to make sure that your ears, harmony, phrasing, and other musical aspects get equal attention to your hands. Again, it's great to have a ton of facility on the instrument but facility is pretty useless without any connection to emotion and musicality. To that end I often recommend doing a ton of transcription (see above), and when learning to play the thing that you've lifted make sure to also lift the phrasing, dynamics etc. so you get the full picture of what is happening. I also recommend transcribing at least some of what the other instruments are doing alongside the part you've lifted (especially any comping instruments) so the context for what you're transcribing is clear, otherwise there's a danger of possessing a ton of vocabulary without having any idea how or why it works. </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I really believe that gear is only useful as a tool to achieve your vision...it's important first and foremost to have a sound in your head that you're going for, and then learn everything you can about gear, technique, signal path etc. that will help you achieve that sound in reality. While I believe that the majority of good tone comes from your hands, trying a lot of different gear combinations is hugely important...swapping main instruments with a friend for a week, for example, will likely teach you both a great deal. I currently have 2 upright, 24 electric, and 3 synth basses, all of which perform a specific function in my overall 'tone palette' and all of which have drastically different setups depending on what I want them to do. Also don't be afraid to experiment with different string gauges, setup heights, etc. At the end of the day sounding the way you want to takes priority over what's 'normal' or 'correct'. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The other way I learned a lot about good tone production is through emulating my favorite bassists on albums as closely as possible, both playing and gear wise. For example, if you're a Paul McCartney fan, learning his basslines is great by itself but playing 'Come Together' on a modern-sounding 5-string through a digital amp is a VERY different experience from playing them on a Hofner with flatwound strings and a felt pick through a vintage optical compressor and Ampeg B-15 amp, and playing Paul Chambers solos with gut strings on your bass for the first time is nothing short of a revelation! There are a ton of great resources online that can help with this process, as can your teacher. Ultimately since tone is such an important part of one's playing any time you spend educating yourself about signal chains and tone production will be time well spent. Also engineers will LOVE you for it. :) </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">My main website is www.marcrogers.com, it's currently being redesigned and will be up and running soon. I'm also launching a new website, www.thebass.expert which is dedicated to my online bass tracking work (which has been picking up quite a bit the past few years), and I'll be launching a third site, www.thebass.guru later this year which will be dedicated to music education, online bass lessons, and will contain a bass forum for people to exchange tips/thoughts/etc. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Twitter: @marcrogers</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Instagram: @marcrogersbass</span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Any other thoughts to pass along?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">These questions were really tough but fun to answer, I really enjoyed reading the responses from the other bassists you interviewed. Thanks for providing this resource for people! </span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930862015-12-21T19:00:00-05:002021-10-22T06:45:45-04:00Interview - Duncan Hopkins<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;">Duncan Hopkins</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Double bassist, composer and arranger Duncan Hopkins has worked with such luminaries as Rob McConnell, Scott Hamilton, Houston Person, Warren Vache, Bobo Stenson, Mark Murphy, Dianna Krall, Kenny Wheeler, Sam Rivers and Edward Simon to name but a </span><span style="font-size: small;">few. Recently he has been touring Europe with former Jazz Messenger Bobby Watson as well as Bruce Barth. He has toured extensively throughout Canada, Great Britain, Europe, Brazil and the United States. He can be heard on over fifty albums, numerous CBC, BBC and NPR recordings. He is a long standing member of the jazz education group the Global Music Foundation and continues to be visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England.</span></p>
<p><br><span style="color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on</strong></span><br><span style="color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>to aspiring bassists?</strong></span><br><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Be prepared always. Show up on time, be wearing the appropriate clothing, bring the right </span><span style="font-size: small;">equipment and play the gig. If you really love music, the other things will sort themselves.</span><br><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to</span></strong></span><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">check out?</span></strong></span><br><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Three is very difficult.</span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-size: small;">Jaco Pastorius — Jaco Pastorius 1976</span><br><span style="font-size: small;">This was very important to me. It really grabbed me and drew me into jazz. His </span><span style="font-size: small;">sound was so unique and his time impeccable. No one has really come close still but he </span><span style="font-size: small;">paved the way for how everyone approaches the instrument. From this album I checked </span><span style="font-size: small;">out Weather Report - which led me to Joe Zawinul - which led me to Cannonball </span><span style="font-size: small;">Adderley’s group etc etc.</span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-size: small;">Jim Hall Live - Jim Hall Trio 1975</span><br><span style="font-size: small;">I learned so much from this recording. The songs, the interplay, listening and </span><span style="font-size: small;">musicality. Don is so melodic. Still is. I am certain that lifting Don’s solos from this </span><span style="font-size: small;">recording moved my playing ahead by leaps and bounds. And of course TC! Not to </span><span style="font-size: small;">mention how important Jim was to my musical development.</span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-size: small;">Gnu High —Kenny Wheeler 1976</span><br><span style="font-size: small;">For me, this is as good as it gets. I later studied with the bassist Dave Holland at his </span><span style="font-size: small;">home in New York state. Dave played jazz differently than other bassists at the time. The </span><span style="font-size: small;">time was much more broken up and it really interested me. He also played with more </span><span style="font-size: small;">weight and precision than others of this period. Ken’s songs also intrigued me and lead me </span><span style="font-size: small;">to really investigate composition. And in fact lead me study composition and bass with Ken </span><span style="font-size: small;">and Dave.</span><br><span style="font-size: small;">On reviewing these three albums there are two things that stand out. One is the </span><span style="font-size: small;">dates of the recordings mid 70’s. Hardly the great era of jazz but maybe it was. </span><span style="font-size: small;">(Incidentally 1976 was also the year of another favourite of mine - Stevie Wonder’s “Songs </span><span style="font-size: small;">in the Key of Life”) The other thing I realise is the absence of Ray Brown who for me is the </span><span style="font-size: small;">ground zero of jazz bass. There are many of course who could fit in this spot but for me, </span><span style="font-size: small;">Ray was the one. Sorry I couldn’t pick more.</span></p>
<p><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What</span></strong></span><br><span style="color: #800000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>worked/works for you? </strong></span><strong><span style="font-size: small;">I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' </span></strong><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong> </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">I had a rather boring but steady practice routine. Scales, scales and more scales. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Always with a metronome. Always! If you do this enough, you will be working on time, </span><span style="font-size: small;">tone, scales, intonation, playing in all keys and a whole lot of other important stuff. Also, </span><span style="font-size: small;">listen to good music and practice good music. As NHØP said to me, “do this and you will </span><span style="font-size: small;">play good music.”</span></p>
<p><br><strong><span style="font-size: small; color: #ffff99;">Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</span></strong><br><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Break it down into a simpler form. Take your time and it is all about repetition. On a larger </span><span style="font-size: small;">note, pace yourself. It is (hopefully) a long life and a long career with any luck. Stay </span><span style="font-size: small;">focused on your goals and don’t be discouraged by others.</span></p>
<p><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">I am definitely not a gear guy. I have a couple of good basses which helps. A Vuillaume c. </span><span style="font-size: small;">1850 and more recently I bought an Italian Bianchi c. 1936. I stick to simple amps…I still </span><span style="font-size: small;">use and love my Polytone bass amp. Ray Brown used to borrow it when he came to town. </span><span style="font-size: small;">I figure that if it worked for him, I can manage. I like the ‘woody’ pick ups. I used to use Underwood but the Realist seems to have taken over for that. When I studied with NHØP, I </span><span style="font-size: small;">noticed he had three pick ups on his bass. Although he sounded best acoustically and </span><span style="font-size: small;">simply. I do use different strings. I like the Velvet Garbo strings. They are all the same </span><span style="font-size: small;">diameter and are very supple on the fingers. They sound like gut strings and it slows me </span><span style="font-size: small;">down a bit which I like. I also endorse the string. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</span></strong></span><br><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">I am currently living in Belgium and I have certainly taken a lot of time for myself since </span><span style="font-size: small;">arriving. Treating it like a sabbatical of sorts. I have been enjoying playing a lot less but </span><span style="font-size: small;">when I do, it is in new and interesting places with new and interesting people. I am about </span><span style="font-size: small;">to work on a new recording which will likely involve some solo playing which is new for me </span><span style="font-size: small;">as well as with some new European friends. As to my website, the times are changing. I </span><span style="font-size: small;">am soon to be dismantling duncanhopkins.com and moving to an artist page on Facebook </span><span style="font-size: small;">and also using my google + page with the very catchy URL https://plus.google.com/u/</span><span style="font-size: small;">0/106760426476705377679. </span></p>
<p><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Any other thoughts to pass along?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><br><span style="font-size: small;">It can be a long and lonely road sometimes. There will be ups and downs. Surround </span><span style="font-size: small;">yourself with good people and people who care about you. They will support you when </span><span style="font-size: small;">things are tough, and they will keep you grounded when things are too good to last.</span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930852015-12-21T19:00:00-05:002022-02-03T15:57:30-05:00Interview - Wesley Allen<h2><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Wesley Allen</span></strong></span></h2>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wesley Allen is a creative, and award-winning bassist, composer, and educator, from Toronto, Canada. He has played with world-famous Juno and Grammy-award winning artists such as: Kellylee Evans, Molly Johnson, Jackie Richardson, The New York Voices, Andrew Craig, Larnell Lewis (Snarky Puppy) Mark McLean (Nikki Yanofski), Grammy nominated producer Matthew Burnett, three time Grammy Award winner Ricardo Voght, Whitney Rose, Mike Stern, and has recorded with Daniel Ceasar for his past two releases. Wes is currently working on his own record, which will be available in the spring of 2016. <br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Try to love the process, never say when I get better I’ll be happy, strive to be a happy person who is also getting better. <br></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Don’t be difficult to work with. </span>Almost every bit of work I’ve gotten has been based on referrals.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Be professional - On time, prepared, dressed appropriately etc…</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Learn how to say no. This is the hardest one for me and I have definitely learned the hard way that if you don’t say no to some things and end up being too busy you will sacrifice the first three points I mentioned. I think it’s really important to play a lot and take as many opportunities as you can manage, but know where the line is, and try to keep your priorities in mind when accepting work.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">If you’re turning down a gig for any reason, be careful not to be rude about it. People care deeply for their music, and can be sensitive.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">If you’re stressing out on a gig, focus on your feel and tone. If you know the material the rest will fall into place.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Be yourself.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I wouldn’t say that they’re essential for any bassist. I love that no one sounds the same, and I feel like if we all lifted the same lines things would get pretty boring around here. But these are some records that have really inspired me.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye. </span>Jamerson is sublime on this record. I’m having a hard time putting into words how much this record means to me, but if you don’t like it, don’t tell me.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Joel Quarrington – Garden Scene. I used to feel like classical musicians weren’t as musically expressive as jazz or RnB players because they’re not improvising. Joel ripped that idea out of my head and ate it. Also, Roberto Occhipinti produced this record, and though I think Quarrington would still sound great if you recorded him with a potato, Occhipinti certainly did an amazing job behind the glass.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The Oscar Peterson Trio – We Get Requests. A swinging good time. Ray Brown’s feel is as amazing as usual, and the bass is really well recorded.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">I have noticed lasting improvements from periods of time when I was able to practice the same concepts every day for at least a few weeks.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Make sure you are applying what you are practicing every day. For example, if you are learning some new tunes, make sure you play them with people. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Only perfect practice makes perfect. So try to set small goals for yourself and really make sure you are accomplishing them as perfectly as you can before you move on. This can be difficult when you’re at school because you’re being asked to learn so much, but make sure you keep it in mind.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Record yourself.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Talk to your friends, and talk to your teachers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Remember hard work gets rewarded, even if it doesn’t pay off immediately or in the way you thought it would.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Remember that ups and downs are normal and healthy.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">My favourite piece of gear is my DPA 4099 microphone for my double bass. The microphone enables you to have a very loud, and very acoustic sound out of the double bass, which is very hard to get when you’re being asked to play at high volumes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Other than that, I love my precision bass and like playing on D’addarrio Chromes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">As for what to look for, use your ears!</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’ll be releasing my own record in the spring of 2016, and my upcoming performances are posted on my website.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.wesleyallen.weebly.com">www.wesleyallen.weebly.com</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://twitter.com/wesallenmusic">https://twitter.com/wesallenmusic</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/wesallenmusic/">https://www.instagram.com/wesallenmusic/</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #800000; font-size: small;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong> </strong></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Try to think long term, and remember that the relationships you develop with your friends and teachers, your reputation, and your constant dedication to your craft matter more than if you’re getting called for every gig you want right now.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Take the time to eat healthy and exercise. Being a musician can be very taxing on your body, so when you are able to, be good to yourself!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Listen to a lot of music!</span></li>
</ul>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930842015-12-21T19:00:00-05:002022-04-11T12:14:31-04:00Interview - Jodi Proznick<h1><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Jodi Proznick</span></strong></span></h1>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">JUNO nominated and National Jazz Award winning bassist Jodi Proznick has performed with many of the top Canadian and international jazz stars over the years and has been a featured jazz soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Jodi’s vibrant performing life is coupled with her deep passion for music education. She is in high demand as a guest clinician and adjudicator. Jodi serves as a faculty member at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Capilano University (on leave) and the VSO School of Music, where she developed the jazz program and is artistic director of the summer jazz workshop.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong> </span> <br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Bass playing is physically, emotionally and intellectually exhausting at first but, like anything worthwhile, leaning into the early challenges sets you up for a life of ongoing, intense musical joy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A relationship with the bass must be viewed as a long-term project. It takes time to nurture and grow. Aspiring bassists need to find joy in the process, exercise patience and take delight in small improvements.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Rudiments are key. Clear tone, good intonation, solid time and a handle on the major, melodic and harmonic minor systems will set you up for years and years of wonderful music making with others. These basic skills unlock the capacity to make deep and flowing music in any genre.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Developing competence as a bassist is not about how fast or how much you play, but the quality of the sounds you produce. Dig deep into the music you love. Check out a variety of approaches. Choose a favorite bassist to study and try to embody that musician - the sound, the articulations, the feel and the note choices. Imagine that you are an actor playing a role. This way you will be able to access deep wisdom from the past when the music in front of you calls you to respond. Bring the richness of the past into your musical present.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The same focus on quality holds true for practice time - the priority is depth, consistency and efficiency over quantity. Practice daily, trying multi-faceted exercises slowly. Make a pot of tea, get comfortable, start with a simple and satisfying opening exercise and imagine practice as a meditation. Be mindful to dismiss negative thoughts. Delight in the beauty of your sound. Feel the resonance of the wood against your body. Enjoy the sensuality of the experience. Let gravity do the work.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Recognize the importance of breathing and singing. When you sing you connect with the sensual roots in the lower part of your body, connect with your musical voice and activate the deep wisdom of your entire body. The simple act of singing a tune is a way of inviting the sensual into your musicianship – connecting the right and left brain and creating a feeling of not just “being in your body” but “being your body.” The greatest musicians we have ever known have integrated the sensual with the intellect and imagination. Whole-person integration is the state of being where creativity is born. Invite your wholeness into the music – body, mind and soul. Music is the art of FEELING; those feelings sing out from below your neck.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Two questions that I encourage all musicians to ask themselves:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> 1. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">What are your intentions as a musician? Why do you want to play music?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> 2. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">How do you want to feel in your body while you are playing music?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">When you answer these questions and set your purpose and desired intensions, the tasks to help you reach goals start to become very clear and your musical work will start to feel lighter and more joyful.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Some goals for beginner bassists might be:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hold the instrument in a relaxed way, feeling alignment and comfort in the body.</span></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Relax your pizzicato hand and arm, utilizing gravity to trigger sound production.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Develop a flexible and strong left hand so that the open hand position becomes strong yet relaxed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Develop a strong, relaxed shoulder position - back and down. Often, in the modern screen driven culture, the shoulders are tensed in a forward position. Do daily stretches to open up the shoulders and chest.</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><em>Setting your intentions – the path to tasks and goals.</em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Perhaps your intention might be:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">“I want to <strong>feel</strong> peaceful and open when I am playing, no matter what the circumstances.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> This may lead to the following question:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">“What asks and/or goals will help me achieve peace in my body?”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Dialogue with yourself. Be your own best friend and cheerleader. Remember that this is a life-long process and that the path involves one step at a time; if you look too far up the mountain you may become discouraged. Focus on your small, daily victories. Never let your success go to your head or failure go to your heart.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">2. Find a teacher/mentor who really sees you and encourages a feeling of peace while you are playing for them. Honour the intimacy and vulnerability of lesson time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">3. While practicing, always focus on your breathing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">4. Stretch your body often.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">5. Focus on your body’s alignment so that it is working for you and not against you. Check in with your body often asking, “How am I feeling this moment?”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">6. Make clean intonation your pathway to peace. There is nothing more satisfying to you play beautifully in tune.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Work slowly and diligently on your major scales, working each interval, tuning with open strings when possible.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Work on intervals while focusing on a solid hand position and intensely clear intonation.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favorite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ray Brown on <em>Night Train</em> (Oscar Peterson Trio)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">2. Scott La Faro on <em>Portraits in Jazz</em> (Bill Evans Trio)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">3. Ron Carter on <em>My Funny Valentine/Four and More</em> (Miles Davis Quintet)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? On what should aspiring bassists focus? What worked for you?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I like to think bass playing has three main components:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. sound (intonation, sound quality, articulation, gear),</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">2. time/feel (rhythmic concepts, tempos) and</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">3. harmony (what note you are on and why are you on it).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">When I started to find exercises that addressed all three at the same time, I found that my practice time became more efficient and effective.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Embrace your fear. After years of performances where I felt ill equipped, overwhelmed with the talent on stage around me and unworthy, I finally decided that music was a joyful experience and I was not going to let my ego-driven thoughts about my abilities or lack of abilities stop me from having a wonderful time painting with sound and connecting with others. No matter how famous or how beginner the musicians on the stage are – I choose joy and gratitude. This way, I have a better chance of both rising to the occasion and lifting others up.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I have been given great advice from people who know about these things. Gear talk is not my favorite topic of conversation but I’m pretty happy with my recent upright bass set up.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. Pirastro Obligato bass strings</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">2. Fishman Full Circle pickup</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">3. Finale Carbon Fiber French bass bow</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">4. Fishman Pro EQ Platinum Preamp</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">5. Gallien Krueger Combo Amp</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">There is a great lesson in this question. If you don’t know about something, and are not all that interested in doing all the research yourself, ask for help. Phone a friend. Get an editor. Hire an orchestrator. Ask questions. Collaborations are the best.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I am working on a few new courses at KPU including a History of Popular Music course which is proving to be really interesting and exciting. Musically, I have a number of concerts with my quartet (Tilden Webb on piano, Jesse Cahill on drums and Steve Kaldestad on tenor sax) and Triology (Miles Black, piano and Bill Coon, guitar) coming up in the new year. I am also really excited about a concert with Laila Biali as our special guest. I have been composing songs with lyrics, which is proving to be an exciting and vulnerable adventure.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I also have a written a few children’s books/songs that I hope to release at some point in the future. My son has been a big creative inspiration since his arrival on the scene.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">My website is www.jodiproznick.com. I am on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin if you want to get in touch or stay connected.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Music is so much bigger than any one of us. Just serve the song in front of you and all will be well. I love the phrase, “when you are nervous, focus on service.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930832015-12-11T19:00:00-05:002022-04-24T15:30:07-04:00Interview - Paul Novotny<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paul Novotny</span></strong></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: .1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" lang="EN-US">Bassist/composer/producer Paul Novotny has created Juno nominated and winning recordings for Carol Welsman, Joe Sealy and himself. Paul has performed with Cedar Walton, Joanne Brakeen, Junior Mance, Kenny Wheeler, Lynn Arriel and Geoff Keezer as well as with singers Holly Cole, Molly Johnson, Jackie Richardson and Louise Pitre. Novotny and Sealy have performed in Canada, Scandinavia, USA and opened concerts for Charlie Haden/Brad Meldau, Herb Ellis/Red Mitchell and Michel Petrucciani. Paul has composed themes for CBC <em>National News, </em>CBC <em>The Hour, </em>with George Stroumboulopoulos, CBC <em>News Now </em>and scores for feature and documentary films.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1) It takes time to refine yourself, be patient and work at it everyday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">2) You can’t be a great musician without being an even greater listener. Learn to listen like a hawk and make your decisions with consideration for the entire sound of the ensemble. Always be glued to the melody.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">3) Make sure that when you set up in an ensemble, listening, blend and sight lines are your guiding principles for placement. Remember that 1 foot = 1 millisecond.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you set up 20 feet away from your drummer, his perception of your note placement will be late by about 20 milliseconds.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">4) For small ensembles that perform at a natural dynamic level, about (80 to 95 dba) never put your bass amp on the floor and at your feet. There will be too much smeared bottom end, as the amp can make the stage and room physically resonate.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I elevate my amp and set its level and tone seeking a natural blend with the acoustic bass itself. For a big band you do need to play louder, but the amp off the floor is still helpful for a clear sound.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">5) Dynamics are everything. Music is the language of emotion and dynamics are the first tactic toward defining the emotional range of music. There is nothing worse for a listener than a persistent single dynamic presentation. Jazz presentation can often be this way.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">6) Don’t play your instrument too hard. Acoustic instruments tonally sound most balanced in the 40 to 60% range of their energy output.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">7) Bass must always play in the best range needed to support the music above it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I hear many bass players who choose to play parts an octave too high, which then congest the tenor range. Always consider the harmonic overtone series when you choose your range. Understand the tessitura (vocal range) of the bass within the context of the music. Choose the best note for the vertical chord structure, while creating a linear bass line that has good voice leading. The bass part should be a melodic counterpoint.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">8) Don’t overplay, let the breeze blow through the sound and the groove. Everyone should get a chance to contribute in the dialogue. Ensemble playing is a co-operative assembly of willing participants. Contribute with initiative, but respectful of others.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">1)<strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">1969-Quincy Jones, Walking in Space</span></em></strong>: This recording intoxicated me with music at the age of 13. As a bass player it introduced me to Ray Brown and Chuck Rainy. As a composer it introduced me to jazz composition and arranging that I viewed to possess an ideal balance between writing and improvisation. As a producer it introduced me to “state of the art” recording and mixingwith inspired performance from a very well-chosen cast. Quincy's arrangement of <em>What's going on (Marvin Gaye) </em>completely knocked me out. Looking back, I now realize it was my first exposure to jazz music that was combined with social commentary. When I read Quincy’s book I also learned that <em>Walking in Space</em> was very significant for him since he was leaving the musically subservient world of film scoring in order to undertake a jazz project that did not need to support picture and the directors vision. He wanted musical freedom and <em>Walking in Space</em> was his chance to stretch out. I'd encourage any young bassist to get very close to the bass lines on <em>Oh Happy Day, </em>and every other song on this recording. It’s timelessly inspiring for me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">2) <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">We Get requests (1964):</span></strong> is a favourite but all OP trio recordings are great.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">3) <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hampton Hawes, ...<em>All Night Session;</em> Red Mitchell, Jim Hall Eldridge Freeman.</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A recording that I will always love.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">These are all jazz recordings and there are many others I could mention, but if I were to add something different I’d suggest gaining an awareness of Olivier Messiaen.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY7g0ULVl2I">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY7g0ULVl2I</a></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I love practicing. For me I start with about 30 minutes of physical stretching in a meditational quiet environment to prepare my mind and body to delve into music.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I always warm up with metric subdivision exercises and long tones with click and drone. I do this to measure my daily level of physical control on the instrument. I divide my practice into sections and choose different topics each day, but I always practice sight-reading, arco - (Bach) and odd meter. I also dedicate a section to repertoire and work on learning songs. Daily practice is a chance to build inspiration and a continuum of individual experience with music.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Learning to engineer personal solutions is what becoming a good practitioner is about in any discipline. These days my method is to be as analytical as possible about all the aspects of a given piece of music. Observe, document and then bring that information into the woodshed. For me inspired practice solutions happen fairly naturally, but I try to listen to music that is outside of my own comfort zone in order to learn what possibilities exist, then figure out my own way in that door, or take a few lessons for an extra nudge. Always be curious, … your individual creativity will drive you forward naturally.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm not into bass gear too much. However, I have a string bass that is maintained and set up very well. I like a dynamic mic on my string bass for live performance. GK and Markbass amps sound good to me, but I like a tube sound and I have a Summit Audio DI for that purpose. It’s great on my all my basses, Yamaha 6, Hofner, Fender J and P, as well as my 150 year-old German string bass.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">As I write this it’s a few weeks before Christmas and I have several duo gigs coming up with Robi Botos. We’ve recently recorded a piano/bass CD titled <em>Look Ahead</em>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoJBUjPguwg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoJBUjPguwg</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">It will soon be available (Winter 2016) at highresaudio.com in 5.1 24/96, surround sound and as well in 24/96 stereo. Physical CD’s are currently available at concerts and by mail order through my record label, www.tripletrecords.com. iTunes will follow in the spring of 2016. 12/12/15: I’m at Koerner Hall with my associate Joe Sealy for a Frank Sinatra tribute. The best way to follow me is on social media.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Facebook-Paul Novotny<strong> </strong>| Twitter-@paulnovo | Linkedin-Paul Novotny | www.tripletrecords.com. | audioproducers.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoJBUjPguwg.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930822015-12-11T19:00:00-05:002022-04-21T04:31:39-04:00Interview - Rich Brown<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Rich Brown</strong> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Rich Brown has appeared on over forty recordings including his most recent as a leader entitled "Abeng." In 2012 and 2014 he was part of the faculty for the International Workshop in Jazz at the Banff Centre for the Arts. He has performed with Carol Welsman, Steve Coleman and the Elements, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Donny McCaslin and many others. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; color: #ffff99;"><span style="color: #800000;">What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</span> </span></strong><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I can’t stress enough the importance of gaining influence and inspiration from musicians who are not bass players. This is especially true for musicians playing jazz. There are aspects to this music that can’t be learned by listening to bass players alone. Listen to horn players to get a better understanding of the bebop language. I thought I knew how to play over a blues until I heard Charlie Parker. I also listened to a lot of singers to get a better sense of how to make my lines more emotive. I gained a better understanding of things like vibrato and the ornamental nuances of a melody from singers. These are also the kinds of things that set you apart from other players. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’ve also gained a lot from music indigenous to disparate cultures. I’ve learned so much by checking out music from Turkey, India, Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia… The list goes on and on. I can pinpoint how each of these influences (and more) has directly influenced my playing over the years. We are, as musicians, the sum of all our influences. Obviously the more we take in and add to our vocabulary, the more we grow and find our own individual voice on the instrument. </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Jaco Pastorious - Jaco Pastorius</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nearly everything you need to know about electric bass is on this album. This is a near perfect album that really does check all the boxes. It is a perfect example of tone, time, groove, melody, chops, versatility, and great music from start to finish.</span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> 2. The Tao of Mad Phat - Steve Coleman & Five Elements</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">With so many bands today delving into the world of mixed meter, this to me was one of the first (and might still be the best) examples of an artist taking a very different approach to rhythm and groove, and combining those ideas with funk, blues, hip hop, and of course jazz with seamless success. The bass player on the album is Reggie Washington. The way he and drummer Gene Lake handle these grooves makes it very easy to forget… we’re not in 4 anymore. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> 3. Graceland - Paul Simon</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is such a stellar album from top to bottom. Paul Simon recruited some of the best musicians from South Africa to play the music on this album. The bass player on the album is the great Bakithi Kumalo. To me, every single track on Graceland is a bass masterclass on African music. The invaluable lessons I learned studying that album not only helped me later on when I did find myself playing gigs with African artists, it also helped me to groove in a much more relaxed way and physically feel the music in my body. Every electric bass player should study this album. </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’ve always placed a very high priority on melody. I love playing melodies and learning all the little nuances that give certain melodies such an emotive quality. I think melody is the most effective way to reach any listener regardless of musical background or experience. When I play, I want to be able to speak to everyone in the audience with the same message in a way that the entire audience and the band will understand. Alain Caron had a great quote where he says he never wants to play faster than he can think. Sadly, I hear far too much of that specifically with electric bass players who have more chops than substance. That approach to soloing says nothing to me, and if you were to take out the rest of the band you wouldn’t be able to tell if you were listening to Giant Steps or Happy Birthday. I’m being harsh, but my point is this: When we let our ego get in the way of the music, we kill the music. To me the best way to remedy the situation is through pure melody. I like to work on this by playing ballads and slow bossa novas. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Also, I think there’s a lot to be said for transcribing, but there are a few questions to ask yourself while you do:</span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Is there a particular phrase or group of phrases that speak to you on an emotional level? </span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">What is it about the phrase that moves you? </span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Is it the way the notes are placed rhythmically?</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Is it the way the notes were chosen harmonically? </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The answers to these kinds of questions are integral to your growth as a musician. Gaining a deeper understanding of the things that move you in music allows you to add those concepts to your vocabulary, as opposed to just lifting phrases.</span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Another important part of my regular practice routine is taking some time to make music by myself. I clear my head and try to play as honestly and openly as possible with no agenda. There are no licks or new things I’m trying to work in. I start with one note or one chord and try to hear and play what I think should happen next until I feel the improvised piece has reached its conclusion. Here I’m working on my musical instincts, and my ability to play whatever it is I’m hearing in my head. </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I guess there are different kinds of obstacles. As soon as one says, “I can’t play that.”, or “I’ll never be able to play like…”, that becomes your reality. There’s no use for such language. We have to remember that we are all individuals with a unique voice. Your voice cannot be diminished by anyone but yourself. So practice diligently with an open mind and a forgiving heart. It’s ok to hit that wall sometimes. If you can’t get something today, it’s fine. Dedicate yourself and you’ll eventually think back to a time when you thought that now easy musical idea was a huge obstacle. </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’ve never really been much of a gear head. So much of my time was spent working on my own sound. To me this is the most important thing. I worked very hard on left and right hand techniques so that I would be able to take any bass, plug it into any amp, and still sound like me. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I choose to play gear that enhances my own sound as opposed to letting the brand do the talking. To me the best gear allows the players to be themselves. That’s what I’m looking for when I shop for gear. I’ve always loved Aguilar as well as MarkBass amps for that reason. Dunlop SuperBrights have been my goto string brand for a while now. I prefer the clean bright sound of nickel wound strings over stainless steel The treble control on my bass is usually set to 0, so the strings I use must have a certain quality in the high end without being too tinny. </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Right now my main focus is on my latest project Rich Brown & The Abeng. I released my latest album this past October, and so far the reviews and overall support has been super-positive. I’m looking forward to booking more shows for the band in and around Toronto with hopes of taking this music across Canada, and to the US and Europe eventually. </span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I don’t have a major online presence, but anyone interested can find me on Facebook, and check out some music on my SoundCloud page.</span><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">https://soundcloud.com/rich-brown </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Any other thoughts to pass along?</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Never stop learning. Take each and every opportunity to grow as a musician and a human being. </span></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930812015-12-07T19:00:00-05:002022-04-22T11:18:32-04:00Interview - Calvin Beale<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Calvin Beale</strong></span><br><br>Calvin Beale is an in demand Live/Studio bassist who lives in Toronto. Calvin has recorded on various Juno award winning/nominated albums. Calvin grew up playing country, blues and jazz but spends most of his time since moving to Toronto playing urban-pop. Some of the artists he has worked with are Divine Brown, Kardinal Offishal, Maestro Fresh Wes, John Scofield, Steven Page, Kesha Chante, Jully Black, Orianthi, Matt Dusk, Snow Bryan Mcknight, David Clayton Thomas, Debrah Cox and Amy Sky.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong></span><br><br>Play and practice as much as you can NOW. If you are lucky enough to do music as a career you will find that between gigs, rehearsals, writing, prepping for gigs and just plain old life; the time you get to focus on your own development as a player becomes much harder to schedule in. Enjoy this time you have to hone your skills. Most of us who do this professionally are envious of you for tha<span style="color: #800000;">t. </span><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span><br><br>Voodoo- by D’angelo- This album was a game changer for me and had a major impact on how I thought about bass.<br>Lewis Taylor- by Lewis Taylor- Such great songwriting and production. Every tune you learn makes you feel like you came out the other side a better musician for your effort.<br>Ten Summoner’s Tales-by Sting- I still listen to this without skipping a single track. For me it is an example of one of those “perfect” albums.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><br><br>In the broadest of strokes I feel that getting comfortable with the neck is the first thing that has to happen as quickly as possible. You won’t be able to get to that next level of your playing until you feel that the fret board is a comfortable space to move around. For me the key is always trying to remind myself that playing music should be comfortable and that practicing should be uncomfortable. If you can do a 1 octave scale in G with your eyes closed then add an element that makes it challenging again. for instance you could; change key, change the starting finger, lowest to highest note on the bass in G, say the notes as you play them etc… <br>Over time you get more and more comfortable and keep adding elements to make it harder you create a cycle of growth that you can look back on and observe the results..<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span><br><br>If you are bashing yourself against something over and over again without any progress then put whatever you are doing down and take a walk around the block and come back to it fresh. That change in scenery and a little exercise will really help.<br>But you HAVE to come back to it. Discipline and persistence used in an intelligent way is usually the way to go.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span><br><br>When it comes to gear; finding what works for you as a player is a very personal journey. For me I prefer a bass that can do as close to 100% of all the different musical situations I find myself in rather than having a bunch of different basses that are more style specific. I use Fbass basses. As to other gear I am finding that I am doing a lot of gigs on in-ears and so instead of using an amp I bring my ‘line 6 G75’ wireless system with a DI out the back and I am good to go. My bass’s preamp is powerful enough and I have solid drivers in my in-ears to give me what I need to hear.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span><br><br>I have been doing a lot of work and travelling with an artist named Sean Jones. 2016 is shaping up to be an even busier year with Sean. When at home in Toronto I keep busy with live work, recording, and teaching. I have been involved with a website called bassguitartips.com for the last few years as an online instructor. That has been a lot of fun and we are still putting up new content all the time.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any final thoughts?</strong></span><br><br>You may hear about “the good old days” of the music industry and a sense of pessimism from some musicians.<br>I feel like this is a great time to be involved in music as a profession. It has always been a career that requires self discipline, talent, luck, and the over-riding desire to make music the center of your life. Nowadays an individual with all those qualities has the ability to be rewarded for their hard work more than at any other time in history so if you want it- go and get it!<br><br></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930802015-12-07T19:00:00-05:002022-04-19T05:02:09-04:00Interview - Pat Collins<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Pat Collins</strong></span></p>
<p>Pat Collins moved to Toronto in 1988 and has been very active on the Canadian jazz scene ever since, performing with such luminaries as Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson, Herb Ellis, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Cobb, Ed Bickert, Rob McConnell, Moe Koffman, Peter Appleyard, Diana Krall, , and many others. He has appeared as a sideman on approximately fifty recordings, and leads his own quartet that features Mike Murley, Reg Schwager and Barry Elmes. Pat joined the full time faculty of Mohawk College in 2005.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong></span></p>
<p>I’m very lucky to have had some great teachers and mentors over the years. With many of these people, I don’t think I always fully realized or appreciated the extent to which they would affect and shape my approach not only to my bass playing, but to music I general. </p>
<p>One of my first “road gigs” was with the great vocal arranger, and pianist, Phil Mattson. In the group I was travelling with, there were six singers, called the “PM Singers”, and I was the bass player in the group’s rhythm section. We travelled all over the U.S. doing week long clinics at universities. Many of the people that attended the clinics were not necessarily vocalists, but every night they would each have to sing a tune that they had been working on that day, with the rhythm section. It was an eye opening experience to watch Phil make each of these people feel at ease, and be able to draw things out of each of the performances that I’m not sure the people realized they were capable of. This is something that I’ve never forgotten, and really helped me to understand the importance of being a good accompanist, something I always try to bring to the bandstand. To me, this is the primary function of a bass player – making the rest of the group you’re playing in sound good, and concerning yourself more so with the overall sound of the group, not your own performance.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p>The first bass player that I made a conscious decision to study was Ray Brown. There are countless recordings of Ray’s that I could mention here, particularly the early recordings with the Oscar Peterson Trio. However, the first recording that really got me excited about playing the bass was a duo record he with Duke Ellington, called “This One’s For Blanton”.</p>
<p>Some of my favorite recordings are from the Miles Davis Quintet in the 1960’s, and if I had to pick one, I would choose the “My Funny Valentine” album, with Ron Carter on bass.</p>
<p>Finally, any recording with Paul Chambers. Let’s go with Hank Mobley’s classic, “Soul Station”. Too many to choose from!</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span></p>
<p>When I was a student, I wasn’t a particularly good at practicing. I loved to play, and played a lot, but didn’t always enjoy the solitude of the practice room. I think one of the traps that a lot of students fall into, is trying to cover too much material in their practice sessions. I think there’s a lot of be said for practicing one or two things in your practice session, and really getting into it – at times it’s almost meditative, and the time can really fly by. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that a lot of what you practice isn’t supposed to be mastered in one or two sessions, but is designed for the long term – be patient and don’t let yourself get frustrated.</p>
<p>I’m a big fan of practicing with a metronome. To me, practicing with a metronome is a great way to expose your rhythmic tendencies, work them out, and develop some confidence. Adopt the mindset that you’re leading the metronome, not following it – this will become a skill that you’re able to bring to the bandstand, and make you a stronger player in that environment.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span></p>
<p>Patience, patience, patience. Embrace the challenge that what your difficulty or obstacle is presenting and enjoy the process you go through to figure things out. Once you have developed some problem solving skills, the next time you come across something that presents some difficulties, you’ll be better equipped to address that challenge.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<p>No. People that know me know that I would rather have a root canal than discuss gear! That being said, someone once told me that your instrument should be putting out what you’re putting into it. If you’re not finding this, whether it’s because of your bass, or other gear, take care of it – you don’t want to feel like you’re fighting anything. </p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>W</strong></span><span style="color: #ffff99;"><strong><span style="color: #800000;">hat's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</span></strong></span></p>
<p>I have a “birthday of significance” coming up on January 16, and I’ll be playing at The Rex with my quartet, Mike Murley, Reg Schwager and Barry Elmes. I recently recorded an album with guitarist, Nathan Hiltz that will be coming out soon, and we’ll be playing Wednesdays at the Rex throughout the month of January. I was lucky enough to be asked to play with the Canadian Jazz Quartet about a year and a half ago, and we’ll be playing the first Friday of every month at the Home Smith Bar, starting in January.</p>
<p>Feel free to follow me on Facebook, on Twitter @patcollinsbass, or check out my website, <a href="http://www.patcollinsbass.com">www.patcollinsbass.com</a>. The website is a bit out of date, but it’s still a good way to contact me.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></p>
<p>The way the music business and the local scene has changed, I think now, more than ever it’s important that young musicians be open to playing different styles of music and be adaptable to different situations. Always approach every musical situation with professionalism and passion and you’ll get hired again. If you don’t think you’ll be able to bring this to the bandstand, don’t take the gig!</p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930792015-12-07T19:00:00-05:002022-03-17T03:26:15-04:00Interview - Neil Swainson<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Neil Swainson</strong></span><br><br>Neil Swainson has toured and recorded with George Shearing, Rob McConnell, Woody Shaw and many others. He has played on numerous recordings, five of which have won JUNO awards. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong> </span><br><br>Let's see... I remember when I was just starting and practicing all day, wanting to play high and fast. I played a few gigs with older musicians, who liked what I was doing but pointed out various shortcomings in my playing. Basically what they said was "your solos sound good, but your bass lines suck. Check out Ray Brown!" Which is always a great thing for any bassist to do. As I matured, I started to hear the greatness in many bassists whom I initially overlooked because they didn't play high and fast. I realized there are certain things that are absolutely best in the low and mid register and that bass lines are vital to everyone else on the bandstand!<br>Another thing that stuck with me was when a colleague mentioned that you should hear everything you play, and not just play a bunch of notes. <br>When I was 19 or so I got to play with some great players coming through Victoria, where I'm from. One of them was saxist Sonny Stitt, who was notorious for being hard on rhythm sections. The pianist and I were young and green, but luckily he liked us! We played a couple of nights, and I remember he played some alternate changes, and chromatic 2/5s and things, which I didn't quite know what to do with. He took me aside after the gig and after a few words of encouragement, he asked me " Do you play piano?" I said "no" . He said " Learn".<br>So I would suggest to young bassist to learn at least functional keyboard for harmonic understanding. Listen to all the great jazz bassists, and try and learn from the things each one does best. Listen to all the great horn players for how they play melodically, harmonically and rhythmically one top of the chords. Listen to the players you play with, don't just close your ears while your playing together.<br>Finally, play with better, more experienced players whenever you can, and DONT BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS! No matter how dumb you think the questions are.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span><br><br>Well I think there are more than three, but three of my favourites are :<br>The Essen Jazz Festival All Stars, featuring Coleman Hawkins, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke and Oscar Pettiford. Oscar plays great as always. Check out Willow Weep for Me.<br>That's the Way it is, Milt Jackson quartet featuring Ray Brown. Ray in all his glory.<br>A fantastic bass feature on Tenderly which is full of techniques he uses in playing unaccompanied solos later on.<br>Thirdly, I love Everybody Likes Hampton Hawes.<br>Red Mitchell plays beautifully. Check out his solo on I'll Remember You.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><br><br>I spent a lot of hours in my early years practicing. In hindsight I think there was a fair bit of time wasted, but you need to put the time in initially to bond with the instrument. What I did a lot of was play along with recordings. I find if you get the volume right, you can get the feeling of being in the rhythm section. Also if you don't really know the song, you can practice hearing your way through in real time. It's also great for playing hard tempos! I think bassists should study with the bow at least for a few months to get a good start on that. It's a whole other ballgame but if you want to apply the bow to jazz, get someone to show you how it works.<br>As for pizz technique, start by copying your heroes until you can sound like them. Look at videos of Ray Brown, Sam Jones, Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, then look at guys like Eddie Gomez, Miroslav Vitous, Dave Holland, Neils Henning Orsted Peterson and Christian McBride. Note the similarities and the differences. Pick what you like from everybody.<br>Practice bass lines with a metronome on 2 and 4. Practice soloing the same way.<br>If you want more dexterity make yourself your own exercises using 8th notes, triplets and sixteenths. Transcribe horn solos on the bass. Learn as many melodies as you can on the bass as well as the chords. Make yourself a list of standards and jazz standards, and memorize them. <br>Play bebop heads on the bass. Play melodies in different positions and keys.<br>And most importantly play with your peers often. You can share knowledge.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span><br><br>If you encounter difficulties don't be afraid to seek help. Most musicians are pretty generous with their knowledge and experience!<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span><br><br>As far as gear goes lm pretty much a minimalist. I want the pickup and amp to sound as close to the acoustic sound of the bass as possible.<br>I will say for aspiring bassists, one of the biggest leaps in terms of progress is finding a good instrument. That may require help, but if you're dedicated it will be worth the sacrifices.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span><br><br>As far as my gigs, I'm still enjoying playing a lot, perhaps more than ever!<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any final thoughts?</strong></span><br><br>If you are truly dedicated all of the work seems worthwhile.<br><br></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930782015-11-30T19:00:00-05:002021-08-18T02:34:58-04:00Interview - Justin Gray<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Justin Gray</strong></span><br><br>Justin Gray is a Toronto based bassist, composer, producer, and educator based in Toronto, Canada. His main influences include jazz, Indian classical and world music. Justin co-leads the Toronto based Indo-Jazz ensemble Monsoon, and contemporary jazz ensemble Gray Matter. Justin is also currently on faculty at Humber College, where he leads the Indo-Jazz Collective. In 2010, Justin invented and co-created (with luthier Les Godfrey) the Bass Veena, an instrument designed for Indian Classical and Indo-Jazz music. In 2015 Justin was honoured to receive the 2015 Emerging Jazz Artist Award from the Toronto Arts Foundation.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong></span><br><br>One of the most essential lessons I continue to learn everyday is that love and passion for music are the most essential assets to a successful musical career. The time and energy required to continue growing each day as an artist is almost unquantifiable. I have therefore learned that it is essential for me to remain connected to music in this way, as that is how I am able to stay inspired and energized.<br><br>The most important musical lesson I have learned, and am reminded of constantly, is that listening is the most essential musical skill for any musician to develop. No matter what the musical context, listening intently always has a positive effect on my playing and helps me to know how to best support the music.<br><br>As a bassist, I have learned how important it is to have solid, yet flexible time feel. In every playing situation, I try to always remain open to hearing the collective interpretation of the music, and then judge how to best support it. It is a fine line that exists between confidently laying down the time and being flexible, but it is an essential balance to achieve in order to make sure that the music is always in the pocket. This is especially important when working with a variety of different rhythm sections.<br><br>Another lesson I would like to share with aspiring bassists is that is becoming more and more essential to be a versatile musician. I am fortunate to find myself regularly with a variety of artists who play in a wide range of musical styles. This does pose as a challenge, as each style often deserves a lifetime of dedication and focus. I have learned that in order to feel confident in a variety of styles, it is essential to have a rock solid foundation in the fundamental musical skills. These include: a strong sense of rhythm and melody, good listening skills, solid tone, accurate tuning, and a strong sense of form. These skills transfer beyond the confines of any one genre, and when well rooted, the specificities of any styles can be internalized much more naturally. In order to develop these skills, I have learned that it is best to go deep into one genre of music, as once these skills are developed at a subtle level in one musical style, they are much more easily transferable to other musical forms.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>Upright Bass:</strong></p>
<p><em>Wayne Shorter Quartet "Beyond the Sound Barrier"</em> – John Patitucci shines on this album. His creativity, tone, feel and virtuosity are combined seamlessly as he pushes the boundaries of music along side one of the greatest groups in jazz.</p>
<p><em>Tommy Flanagan "Overseas"</em> – This album features an absolutely stunning swing feel by Wilbur Little and Elvin Jones.</p>
<p><em>"The Goat Rodeo Sessions"</em> – This record features some of the most incredible arco playing I have ever heard on bass. Edgar Meyer joins a world-class lineup, who collectively bring these brilliant compositions to life with their endless musicality, pristine tuning and creative interplay.</p>
<p><strong>Electric Bass:</strong></p>
<p><em>Bela Fleck and the Flecktones “Live at the Quick” </em>– If you are going to listen to Victor Wooten, this is the record. It features him in a bass role, and features some of the most beautiful grooves and and virtuosic solos on electric bass since <em>Jaco Pastorius</em>.</p>
<p><em>D’Angelo “Voodoo” </em>– Pino Palladino redefined the R&B pocket with his hip-hop infused grooves on this record.</p>
<p><em>Robert Glasper “Black Radio”</em> – Derek Hodge has assimilated modern gospel/hip hop bass playing in a modern jazz style. His tone, groove and harmonic sense is incredibly powerful on this album, and this record is one of the best examples of where modern electric bass playing is going in 2015.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span></p>
<p>Long tones with a drone continue to be an extremely valuable upright bass practice for me. My routine includes setting the metronome very slow (40bpm or less), and choosing a pitch to use as a drone for that practice session (I change the tonic each time). I use an electronic <em>tanpura</em> (Indian drone instrument) as my pitch reference.</p>
<p>I will focus on one or two scales per session. I work my way up and down the entire range of the instrument, from the lowest note included in that scale, to the highest. I start with whole notes, and each time I complete the range of the instrument, and feel that I am ready to move on, I increase the rhythmic subdivision. For me it is important to remember that making it up and down the scale is not the only goal, and therefore I frequently stop to isolate harder areas on the neck when needed. This practice routine works out a number of fundamental technical elements including: tuning, time, arco technique, focus, and scale fingerings. I also sometimes do this same routine with pizzicato.</p>
<p>I have also used a similar system to develop a variety of right hand techniques on electric and upright bass. I set the metronome at a slow tempo (often closer to 50-60bpm) and work my way up through the rhythmic subdivisions. I use a variety of articulation, muting and polyrhythmic exercises as the repertoire for this routine. While doing this practice routine, I try to remain focused on my time feel, developing consistency in my attack, and building up endurance by remaining relaxed.</p>
<p>When practicing playing on a tune, I often isolate short harmonic sequences, in order to go deeper into the melodic and harmonic possibilities. It is of course essential to practice bass lines and improvisation on the entire form of a tune, but for me I find I get a much more thorough understanding of the inner voice leading and melodic shapes, when I work on shorter chord sequences. Often, I will use a looping pedal to do this, and work through the form 2 or 4 bars at a time. Sometimes, it will take a few sessions to make it all the way through the piece, at which point I will then either start practicing the entire form.</p>
<p>When practicing groove (whether straight or swing), I like to play along with my favourite recordings, and really focus into the subtleties of their time feel. I try to really get inside inside their articulation, tone, beat placement, and note duration. For this type of work, I just use my ears and improvise along with players I like. For me it is not about copying their exact bass lines, but rather learning to internalize their feel and nuance, so it can become a colour I use in my own playing.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span></p>
<p>Challenges and obstacles can come in so many forms, and everyone on the planet faces new ones each day. I believe that everything in life happens for a reason, and therefore there is always something to be gained from any situation. This philosophy is of course sometimes hard to keep in focus, depending on the depth of the challenge, however regardless of the situation, I have found that when I approach an obstacle with optimism, positive solutions always surface.</p>
<p>Often times, the most natural emotional reactions to obstacles are negative (denial, disappointment, anger). In my experience, these negative emotions only further enhance the obstacles, and are a complete waste of energy. It is not always easy to do, but the sooner that I accept the challenge that is presented to me, and start to search for positive and creative solutions, the sooner I am able to overcome it.</p>
<p>Something that helps me to overcome challenges is to focus on larger goals in my life. These can be artistic, or related to even broader aspects of my life. When my vision is narrow, obstacles appear to be overbearing, however when I am focused on the big picture, I find it easier to put the obstacle in context with the whole, helping to make it seem more manageable.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span></p>
<p>I think it is essential to note that there is no single piece of gear that is right for everyone. My interest in gear is rooted in my passion for finding tools that can help to further my musical expression. I personally advocate that all bassists should develop a very personal connection with the gear that they use, as the right gear can have a profound effect on your musical process, if used in the right context.</p>
<p><strong>Basses </strong></p>
<p>All of my electric basses are custom made by a luthier named Les Godfrey. I found that when I was able to customize how my instrument responds and feels, it opened up a new dimension of expression for me. Whether custom, or standard, it is all about finding an instrument that suits your playing style and tonal preferences.</p>
<p><strong>Amps </strong></p>
<p>Electric: I use a Markbass MoMark Bass Head. I match this with a Markbass 2x10 cab for R&B, and a 1x12 cab for Jazz. For electric bass, an amp is like it’s vocal chord. It is essential to find one that is voiced in a way that compliments the instrument. For me Markbass provides the perfect midrange for modern electric basses, while still having rich lows and clear highs to balance the tonal spectrum</p>
<p>Upright: I use a Markbass Mark Acoustic AC101 combo. For upright bass, I think it is essential to find an amp that has the ability to cut the unwanted midrange frequencies out of the pickup signal, while still letting the highs and lows to breathe. It is the midrange frequencies that can really destroy the sound of a good upright bass when amplified.</p>
<p><strong>Strings</strong></p>
<p>I use La Bella bass strings on all of my electric basses. I use nickel wound strings on my fretted basses. I use the nylon tape wound strings on my bass veena and fretless basses. The gauge and tension is a really important factor when choosing strings. The strings need to compliment your playing style, and allow you to dig in the way you want to.</p>
<p>Upright – I use a G string (Anima) by the company Velvet. For the E-D I use Pirastro Obligato’s. Every upright bass is very sensitive to strings. I think it is essential to try a variety of strings on each bass, in order to find the right overall tension and let the bass really speak.</p>
<p><strong>DI’s</strong></p>
<p>I use Radial DI’s on all of my concerts. I am also a huge fan of the Radial Bassbone as a flexible electric bass tone shaping tool, and the Radial PZ pre for upright bass and bass veena. These units are built like tanks, sound transparent, have ground lift switches, and always make sound engineers happy…which is really important.</p>
<p><strong>Pickups</strong></p>
<p>I use Q-Tuner Pickups on all of my electric basses. These just bring out the sound of my instruments without adding too much colour. I think of pickups like micophones for electric instruments. I prefer to capture the source as neutral as possible, and then let the amp to do the tone shaping (what it was built to do).</p>
<p>I use a fishman full circle pickup on my upright bass. Like strings, different upright basses react completely differently to different pickups. It is all about experimenting until you find the right one for your instrument.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span></p>
<p>In December 2015, I will be travelling back to India, where I will be playing some concerts with the Indo-Jazz ensemble I co-lead, <em>Monsoon</em>. I will also be doing some studying with my teacher there and working on further developing my playing style on the bass veena.</p>
<p>In 2016, I will be touring with a number of world music ensembles throughout the year. I will also be working on a new album, which will feature music I have written for bass veena. If you are interested, I will be performing some of that music in Toronto on February 27<sup>th</sup>.</p>
<p>Please visit <a href="http://www.Justin-Gray.com">www.Justin-Gray.com</a> to learn more about upcoming concert dates. If you are interested, you can also check out some of my music and videos on my site.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span></p>
<p>I have a few final points to share, which I hope will act as gentle reminders to aspiring bassists, and even just musicians in general.</p>
<p>1. To be an artist, it is essential to remain healthy both physically and mentally. Our mind and body combine to create the vehicle that we require in order to share our art, and they are indispensible.</p>
<p>2. Reading music is an essential musical skill, however it must be balanced with ear training and memorization. Make sure to learn tunes by ear as much as by reading, as both skills are essential.</p>
<p>3. Sing all the time. The bass is a tool to unlock the music we hear, and the voice is the most direct connection we all share to that music.</p>
<p>4. Remember that we typically practice for many more hours in our life than we play concerts. As a result it is important to note that the habits we develop while practicing will carry to the stage, and therefore we need to be very conscious of our practicing habits, from both a technical and creative standpoint</p>
<p>5. Play a lot. Play with other people, play concerts. In regards to musical development, there is no substitute to simply playing music with others musicians.</p>
<p>6. The last thing I would like to share is in regards to post secondary musical training. Many young artists are now pursuing musical training (as I did) in post secondary environments. I am a huge supporter of these learning environments, as they offer unparalleled access to training resources, and help an artist to build their own music community. It is however important to remind young artists, that 4 years of school is just the tip of the music iceberg. Music is truly an endless ocean of possibilities, and I see formal musical training environments as places to collect and understand the tools that we will use for a lifetime to come. I would like to remind aspiring young artists that when school is done, the learning has only just started. We learn music by playing music, by writing music and by imagining music. The tools we develop to express music are essential, however without connecting with our own unique musical voices, they will never reach their full potential. During one’s time in a post secondary education environment, it is essential to develop these tools to the highest level, as it is not until they are properly prepared that an artist is ready to successfully traverse the unlimited landscape that is music.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930772015-11-30T19:00:00-05:002021-08-26T01:02:07-04:00Interview - Vaughan Misener<p><span style="color: #800000; font-size: medium;"><strong>Vaughan Misener</strong></span><br><br>Vaughan Misener plays Electric Bass and writes music. He has done so in Boston, New York, Europe, Israel and Canada. Vaughan went to Berklee College of Music where he studied with Bruce Gertz and studied privately with Jeff Andrews in NYC. He has worked with some of the finest musicians of our time including Kirk MacDonald, Geoff Young, Barry Romberg, Vito Rezza, Ted Quinlan, Adam Rogers, Lorne Lofsky, and Mike Stern. Vaughan Misener teaches at Humber College in Toronto, Canada (humbermusic.ca) and has given clinics at Humber, Mohawk College and York University.</p>
<p><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong> </span><br><br>There's a lot of them, I could really go on here. I'll limit my answer to advice received from some great mentors I've had through the years that has proven to be very true...and maybe a little of my own interpretation of that advice.<br><br>From Mike Stern on staying the course and making music: "Keep playin' man. There's a place for everybody. Just keep playin'. It's good for the world".<br>I take that to mean that music is a very real and transformative force in the world. I think it's not for us as individuals to fully understand or know the full effect or reason for what we do as musicians. It's simply our job to play! Especially as bass players. We potentially can change the course of the music we play by what note we play on the bottom and how we articulate it...how we touch the instrument. That's power baby! With great power comes great responsibility. I would add that the responsibility should take the form of a certain mindfulness allowing the music to be what it is rather than trying to control it. After all, the musicians in any given situation should supposedly be working together to make the best music they can.<br> <br>From the great bassist Jeff Andrews with whom I studied at length: "Self doubt is your enemy" and "Learn your arpeggios".<br>One of the coolest things about Jeff is his self confidence. Bravado without attitude. Self doubt undermines your potential and you don't have room for it in your life. Many of us struggle with it in life and that's normal but knowing that self doubt is the result of external behavioural influences throughout our lives is key in keeping it at bay. Get out of your own way and be the best bass playing human you can be!<br>On learning your arpeggios: Since taking Jeff's advice I've learned that a comprehensive knowledge of chords ie arpeggios and diatonic harmony on the instrument you play - The Bass (not simply a theoretical knowledge or knowledge of them on keyboard) is invaluable. I cite here the depth and intelligence of Paul Chambers' bass lines and the brilliant use of upper-structure in the improvised solos of Jaco Pastorius. (this is clearly evident in Jaco's work with Joni Mitchell).<br><br>From Jerry Bergonzi: "a mind is a terrible thing"<br>My take? When we endure a long stretch without gigs, or practice a bunch without getting a sense of our own progress, or endure personal hardship emotionally or otherwise, that's when our minds can get in our way. Again, potentially undermining us with a lack of self-confidence. Even when trying to create or make new strides in our improvisational abilities, our minds can limit us by way of conditioning. Go forward acknowledging all the theory, tradition and contributions of those that came before you but don't let your mind prevent you from pushing past all of that into new musical territory. Somebody's gotta do it!<br><br>We are a product of our life experiences, everything we've ever been, done or seen shapes the way we play. Everything from our sound to our musical tastes and sensibilities. Live life and remember that everything we do contributes to our musicality. Don't question. Just live...and practice!...and play!<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span><br><br>It's really hard to limit myself to just three but I'll try...with maybe a few general suggestions of things to check out.<br><br>Jaco Pastorius' self titled first solo record. This was a transformative recording that changed the course of electric bass as we know it. It encompasses a great variety of styles of playing and introduced the world to the potential of the electric bass. <br><br>Elvin Jones, Puttin' it Together, The New Elvin Jones Trio. Elvin Jones with Joe Farrel and Jimmy Garrison. <br>This record shows the power of the chordless trio and exemplifies the relationship between drummer and bass player. It's a power trio in jazz at it's finest. The three men churn up some hard driving jazz music that's deeply grooving!<br><br>John Coltrane's Blue Train. Two words: Paul Chambers. This record is far from 'Trane's most innovative work but it has the most Paul Chambers solos of any single record I know of and showcases him in a somewhat work-a-day jazz setting where his groove, basslines and soloing are all clear and great!<br><br>I'd also recommend that every bass player check out James Jamerson. Master of the improvised R&B bassline. He's on a ton of Motown records and worth checking out. Getting a sense of his musical essence is key to learning how to make groove style basslines on the fly. That's a skill that's very often part of my reality. Carol Kaye is the main west coast contributor to this musical sensibility and is absolutely worth checking out as well! <br><br>Miles Davis classic quintet. Herbie, Ron, Tony, Wayne...and Miles. Anything from this era will give a window into how deeply creative, cohesive and interactive a rhythm section can be.<br><br>Listen to music as much as you find it constructive or enjoyable. Make a point of checking out modern trends in bass playing and take from it that which speaks to you. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><br><br>Learn to play time! Develop a relationship with time by using a metronome. It's always correct and as such you can use it a bunch of different ways to reinforce your time feel. It's not about developing metronomic time feel. I't about controlling your own muscles and strengthening your relationship with the bass. Lot's of people have great time but what they don't have is sufficient control of their muscles to play accurately. Use a metronome to strengthen this aspect. Also, once a basic accuracy is established, you can use it to establish internal rhythmic independence. For example, put the metronome on beats 2&4 at a fast tempo, say 144 = 2&4 or 288 bpm, and play a tune such that your walking bass line is the dotted quarter note of that tempo. Or, practice arpeggios, scales or exercises as 1/8 note triplets at a medium tempo. Any different way you can think of to subdivide the beat while the metronome is clicking away is good for you. The metronome can also be a motivator to keep you going while practicing scales, exercises, reading and the like. <br>We live in a time when there is a ton of recorded music of every genre available to us so when learning tunes or soloing vocabulary, sure, take the information off the page or book but also buy the recordings and play along with those who have gone before. That's where you are going to learn the nuances of improvised bass lines and solos (articulation, time feel etc.), the true feel of genre specific grooves and a good deal of the spirit and intent of the music or musical style you're trying to learn. With my students these days, I've found that this aspect of learning by listening to the music you're trying to learn is less prevalent than it was when I was in school. I'd encourage any student to be a voracious listener.<br>Reading. Ya just gotta keep at it. The more you do it, the better you'll get at it. I've always found that working on reading first in your practice routine and sort of rewarding yourself with the playing along with records part last is a good way of doing it. You don't get to do the fun part until you do some reading.<br>One of the coolest things I learned from meeting and playing with my musical heroes growing up is that they all view practicing as being a fun and desirable thing to be doing, second only to actually playing the gig. I found this aspect to be enlightening and inspiring.<br><br><strong><span style="color: #ffff99;">Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</span></strong><br><br>For this I will defer to something Jaco Pastorius said. "Concentrate. If you concentrate hard enough, you can walk through walls"<br>For me, the tenacity of people like Jaco and Miles Davis and many others has inspired me to keep going. Many of the great musicians who came before us have endured everything from drug addiction and mental illness to racism and all kinds of social injustice and have gone on to do amazing things that have changed music and the world for the better. If one reminds one's self of this then learning that soli part in the chart you're working on doesn't seem like such a thing now, does it?<br>Apart from that, just remembering that tomorrow is another day and that you don't have to accomplish your entire life's musical goals RIGHT NOW is important too. Go with the ebb and flow of life's energy. Being gentle with yourself is ok as long as you keep going.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span><br><br>I've been a Fender man most of my life, even before I ever owned one. The Fender Jazz Bass to be specific. I think on the whole it's the most versatile electric bass ever made. That being said, I don't have a Fender bass currently. In my lifelong quest for the sound in my head...my voice if you will, I've ended up playing a very "Fendery" bass made of Warmoth parts. Warmoth is a Washington state based company that makes Fender licensed parts out of select woods. My bass was arrived at by way of my experience with the many Fender basses I've owned previously. It has an alder body in the style of a '54 precision bass with a solid indian rosewood neck. I use cloth insulated wiring as was used on the old Fenders with CTS pots and a Lindy Fralin split coil (hum cancelling) pickup in the pre 1972 Jazz bass bridge position. This pickup has a 5% overwind which when combined with the dark tone of the rosewood neck, compensates for the fact that I'm only using a single pickup in the traditional bridge position. The 5% overwind adds more bottom and low mids without sacrificing high end making this a viable and versatile set up on a very simple bass. <br>For several years now I've used D'Addario .40-.95 nickel wound strings as I've found them to be the most consistent from set to set, are quite reasonably priced and give me the tone I want. They last a good long time too. Lindy Fralin makes hand made versions of the most popular Fender pickups with options for various overwinds etc. To me, they are more fendery than Fender pickups and some models feature a noiseless aspect in pickups resembling single coils. I have big stainless frets (.6000 gauge I think). The metal in the fret wire is harder than the nickel plating on the strings and as I usually change my strings before the plating wears off, fret wear is kept to a minimum. I use a solid brass Hipshot bridge. Again, these are made in a small, family owned factory and are very consistent, high in quality and reasonably priced. All these choices for my bass were arrived at through playing and modifying Fender basses through the years. I now have the best bass in the world!...for me. And, altogether, it was around $1000! I use Markbass amps as they give me my sound with very little manipulation of the EQ section and are very high in quality, workmanship and consistency from amp to amp.<br>Which brings me to the last part of the question. <br>What to look for? Regardless of brand or style I recommend finding a bass/string/amp combination that is versatile yet gives a sound that is inspiring to the player. Simple right? It can take years of trial and error though but, it is the way of our people. Look for a bass that is kind of lively with few to zero dead notes. As though the tree it was made from still wants to give, to sing as it were.<br>Electric bass players should be reminded that the amp is part of the instrument and as such one should compromise as little as possible. This is your sound we're talking about after all! <br>As far as basses are concerned, I think that a student should initially start with industry standard brands like Fender, Music Man, Ibanez or Yamaha and experiment with strings, pickups and amplifiers as budget permits. Of course, there are those whose musical needs and budgets enable them to have several basses and amps, all for the different sounds and styles they can used for. I'm not one of those people. As mainly a jazz player my quest has been to find "my sound" in an instrument/amp combination that is satisfying and even inspiring to play.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span><br><br>I have two great gigs coming up in February 2016 where I'm leading a trio with the awesome Ted Quinlan on guitar and the incomparable Vito Rezza on drums.<br>We'll be at The Rex in Toronto on February 4th and in Waterloo at The Jazz Room on February 6th. Much fun will be had and I hope lots of folks can make it out. I also have a book out on Lulu.com called Harmonic Origins. It's full of all those arpeggios, scales and metronome stuff I was talking about above.<br>You can find evidence of my existence online at the following links:<br><br>twitter.com/vaughanmisener<br><br>vaughanmisener.bandcamp.com<br><br>artistdata.sonicbids.com/vaughan-misener<br><br>lulu.com/spotlight/vaughanmisener<br><br>YouTube https://goo.gl/r25veM <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span><br><br>Playing bass and music in general is not always an easy life but as musicians we have an opportunity and perhaps even a responsibility to effect positive change in the world. <br>It's definitely worth doing. We don't need to have a full comprehension of the effect we have. By simply playing one note on the bass, or a million for that matter, we are changing the world.</p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930762015-11-30T19:00:00-05:002021-04-22T09:45:23-04:00Interview - Jon Maharaj<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Jon Maharaj</strong></span><br><br>Jon is a bass player from Toronto. He has played / toured / recorded with The Tenors, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Dione Taylor, Kellylee Evans, Reg Schwager, Allison Au, Harley Card Amanda Tosoff, Eli Bennett and many others. He has appeared on dozens of albums in a wide range of musical styles, and has performed on many national radio (CBC metro morning, Canada Live, Jazz Fm) and television (Canada AM, Breakfast Television, PBS) programs. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong></span><br><br>As far as musical lessons go, time tone and tuning are the most important things for a bass player to master. It's far more important to be able to play a simple groove (in any musical style) with a great feel and sound than it is to be able to rip on a bunch of chord changes. Some of us can do both of course, but if you have to choose you'll go a lot further as a functional bass player than a bass soloist. Whether you like it or not we play a supportive instrument and what we play decides what the chord is and when it happens. It's our job to make everyone else in the band think they're having a great day - if we get a solo that's a bonus. <br><br>Non- musically, the only advice I can give is don't show up late and / or underprepared for anything ever. There are a ton of great players out there and the ones who get the most calls are the ones who respect everyone else's time. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span><br><br>An impossible question, but I'll do my best. <br><br>Marvin Gaye - What's Going On <br>- this is the last big Motown record that Jamerson played on, and side two is Babbit. It's some amazing work by both of them. <br><br>Joe Henderson - Lush Life<br>- I have a real love for Christian McBride and he's amazing on this record (not to mention the fact that he's all of 19 years old). Both his sound and feel are so beautiful, and his forceful walking on Johnny Come Lately (never mind the ripping bowed solo) is unreal. <br><br>Peter Gabriel - So<br>- this record is all about Tony Levin for me. Whether it's his bass line on Sledgehammer (in which he has drum sticks taped to his index and middle fingers on his right hand) or his bass line on Don't Give up, everything he plays on this album is so unique yet completely defines every song. True story - I dressed up as Tony Levin for a concert with my high school band and nobody knew who I was supposed to be. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><br><br>I think it's crucial to be aware of your weaknesses when you practice so that you can prioritize what it is you're working on, and set goals that address specific things upon which you need to improve. What I lack in musical talent I more than make up for in self loathing and time management skills - this has served me well. <br><br>You may not remember this Mike but I first met you when I was 17 at a U of T rhythm section workshop. You ripped me apart over the course of the week (for which I'm grateful) and I made a point of writing down all the things you pointed out I was unable to do so that I could reorganize my practice time (I didn't know what rhythm changes were, couldn't really play bebop heads on the bass, had sloppy pitch, etc). I feel like it's more rare these days to actually have somebody call you out on your shit, and I'm glad I was young when that was still something that older musicians did regularly. I was schooled on the bandstand countless times in my late teens and early 20's, and those were some of the most valuable learning experiences I've ever had. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span><br><br>As somebody who can get really down on myself, the best advice I can offer would be to try to stay positive and remember that the night is often darkest just before the dawn (not my words). Try to remember why you picked up the bass in the first place. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span><br><br>UPRIGHT:<br>Pickup- <br>I think that the best sounding pickup is the Fishman Full Circle BUT it's a flimsy poorly built unit and I burned through three of them in about 15 months. Because of the nature of how they're installed (replace a bridge adjuster) when they die you basically have to take your bass into the shop to get them taken out, which is a total drag. For that reason I'm now using a David Gage lifeline which is the same concept as the full circle but it's easy to take off of the bass. The sound is almost as good so I'm living with it for now (I send a DPA 4099 mic to front of house anyway so hopefully the audience isn't hearing the pickup)<br><br>Strings-<br>All upright basses respond to strings differently, so the whole string thing is a bit of a rabbit hole. My bass really seems to like Evah Pirazzi weichs on the bottom 3 strings with an Evah medium on the G. On my folding travel bass I use Spirocore mediums, because frankly they're the only strings that can handle the constant detuning. <br><br>Amp<br>I've been using Acoustic Image amps exclusively for my upright for the last 15 years or so, and they're my favourite. Super clear and untouched tone, and the Ten2 has more than enough headroom to drive a big band if need be. <br><br>ELECTRIC<br>I'm a Fender guy, and my precision and jazz basses are all fitted with Lindy Fralin pickups. They have a nice vintage tone which is kind of what I'm going for. My 5 string is a G&L which is a whole other animal. <br><br>Strings-<br>D'addarios are cheap and have never broken on me so I like them. I put round wounds on all my basses. <br><br>Amp-<br>I find Markbass to be my favourite amp a for electric bass, but I always go through a sans amp bass driver and send that to FOH. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span><br><br>I'm doing a bunch of touring with Emilie-Claire Barlow in the next couple of months (I just found out we're going to Japan which is cool) in support of her record Clear Day. I just did a bunch of radio and TV with Dione Taylor in support of her record Born Free. In the new year I'm excited that records I played on by Amanda Tosoff and Allison Au will be released, and a TV special I did with the Tenors is supposed to air on the xfinity channel ( I don't know what that is). <br><br>I don't have Facebook or a website, but my Twitter and Instagram accounts are good for a laugh. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span><br><br>Just be cool and take care of business. The rest is out of your control.<br><br></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930752015-11-30T19:00:00-05:002022-03-15T07:55:10-04:00Interview - Roberto Occhipinti<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Roberto Occhipinti</span></strong></span><br><br><br>Roberto Occhipinti has performed and recorded with a range of artists such as jazz legends Sam Rivers,Tito Puente,Jane Bunnett , popular music with Gorillaz,Andrea Bocelli, world music with Afel Bocoum and Jamey Haddad, and contemporary usic with Steve Reich,Tan Dun and Elliott Carter. He has recorded 4 critical acclaimed discs of his own music for Alma /Universal and has produced albums for Hilario Duran, Dave Young, The Gryphon Trio, Michael Occhipinti and Bass Virtuoso Joel Quarrington. He continues to perform across Canada and internationally. He was artistic director for the Pan Am 2015 Music of the America's project with pianist Danilo Perez. Current projects include performances with Uri Caine and as a member of Under One Sky, a Global Jazz ensemble led by Jamey Haddad.<br><br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong></span><br><br>Try to keep learning, Follow you own curiosity and always respect every musical genre, whether you like it or understand it. Music is a very precious and personal expression, it's what makes us human and it can be hard to accept that other people don't like what you like and vice versa. You can't like everything but do try and keep an open mind. The same thing applies to versatility. Respect the genre enough, work at it and you will become a versatile musician, but only if it really interests you. <br><br>If you are doing it for the money , but not really liking it, don't complain, do something else and let someone who really does like do it instead.<br><br>You can't fake the funk, pretend to swing , express a melody like an opera singer , if you don't really like the music itself. <br>Same goes for Classical, Punk, Reggae, world or whatever else kind of music you come across. <br><br>There is also no shame in devoting your self to one kind of music either , if that's what you really want to do. I've done a lot of different music over the years and when I get tired or bored (short attention span) I move on to something else, but my main focus and underlying interest has always been playing jazz, whatever that is.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span><br><br>A hard choice to make , as the bass is a social instrument and there are so many great records to hear a bass functioning as part of a group so I'll limit this to some bass Soloists and ask that people check out who influenced them.<br><br> 1. Jaco Pastorius-Solo <br> 2. Bill Evans, Live at the Village Vanguard with Scott Lafaro<br> 3. Joel Quarrington's Garden Scene<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><br><br>John Patitucci has a great line: “The 2 non-negotiables for a bass player are great time and great pitch" and those are the 2 things I'm constantly working on. The best thing to take care of the pitch aspect is a bow.<br><br>I practice with the bow to really be honest about intonation and as a side benefit , a fluid left hand and some deep work on sound. I highly recommend my friend Joel Quarrington's new book The Canadian Bass technique for one of the most insightful and practical method I know of today.<br><br>As for rhythm, a metronome and a mirror are you friends. I like to take any scales or exercises i'm practising and do things like displace the beat (not always on purpose) to make them even more of a challenge , so that I can feel the inner beats and subdivisions the way a drummer does. Mike Downes has a great book for working on these things too. <br><br>When you are in control of your time feel, everything becomes so much easier and your basic musicianship can only improve.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span><br><br>Basically the same answer as I stated earlier. Try and take a scientific approach to whatever you are doing. Step away to get some perspective ,slow it down and examine the problem, whether it is technical, musical or personal.<br><br>Accept the struggle and use it as an opportunity to learn. It's a life long trip and the more that you learn, you realize how little you really know. The great Cellist Pablo Casals was asked why he kept practising at the age of 92 and he responded " because I feel like i'm making progress !!!"<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span><br><br>Try to have a bass set up that is comfortable and efficient so I trust a really good luthier to help me out on this. For the string bass, I try to have it sound as great as possible without amplification. For that I use a variety of strings but the quest continues. I like Pirazzi strings but I'm using the D'addario Zyex right now. I'm a firm believer in getting by with what you can and trying to make them sound good with your hands, especially now when it is tough to travel with your own bass.<br>I then try to replicate that sound with a realist pickup, a DPA mic and a Grace felix preamp going to a Mark Bass amp if possible.<br>For the electric bass, I'm old school. I play 62 jazz bass with daddario strings ( cuz they are cheaper) and agin, try to get the sound from my fingers.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span><br><br>I'm still touring with Hilario Duran trio, and my brother Michael's various projects but I'm also going to doing some dates and recording with Jamey Haddad in a new group and producing some discs for Alexander Brown, Dave Restivo, The Gryphon Trio and Nigerian vocalist, Sonia Aimey. www.robertoocchipinti.com<br>I'm also on Face book and Twitter.<br><br><br><br></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930742015-11-28T19:00:00-05:002022-03-16T15:17:48-04:00Interview - Alain Caron<p>My next interview is with Canadian iconic bassist Alain Caron. I first heard Alain in Halifax in the 1980s with his group UZEB. That experience blew my mind and has been an inspiration to me to this day. He continues to inspire bassists worldwide.<br><br><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Alain Caron</strong></span><br><br>Canadian bassist Alain Caron's musical career began at age 11 when he won an amateur contest. He began touring shortly after that and has since become one of the most revered electric bassists in the world. In the early 1980s he began touring with the super fusion group UZEB. That group toured worldwide and sold over 400,000 records. He has also toured and recorded with Gino Vannelli, Mike Stern, Billie Cobham, Didier Lockwood and many others. He has won numerous awards, released more than 20 records, collaborated on more than 25 recordings and was ranked Best Bass Player for 10 years in a row by The Jazz Report. <br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? </strong></span><br><br>Well, there are many things! But probably the first one would be to make sure you like playing the bass! This means understanding the role of the bass line in any style of music you play, enjoying supporting others and being responsible! Second, I suggest you learn harmony! The more you know about harmony the better you play the bass, especially if you want to play jazz and improvise! Third, try to always remember why you started playing music, this passion that you have! And last, the day you think you're good, the next day go in your shed and practice!<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span><br><br>Any recording of Ray Brown (Night Train with Oscar Peterson!)<br>Jaco Pastorius (Jaco or Word of Mouth, with Weather Report (Heavy Weather)<br>with Joni Mitchell (Don Juan's Reckless Daughter)<br>Stanley Clarke (Stanley Clarke and School Days)<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><br><br>First, work on rhythm and groove! Any bass line or melody you play without groove has no impact! Second, learn harmony with a good piano player or arranger. It starts by knowing your scales and how to make music with it! Analyze what you play and any bass line or music you transcribe so that you can develop your how language and identity!<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any advice for overcoming difficulties or obstacles?</strong></span><br><br>Think long term, picture yourself where you want to be in one year, two years, five years then work on it everyday with that in mind - make a plan!<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?</strong></span><br><br>It starts with your hands and your bass - the source! I suggest you go in a good studio, plug your bass through a good D.I and listen to it on great studio monitors, ask questions to the sound engineer, to have a basic knowledge of frequencies! If you don’t like the sound you have in the studio, you might have to try a different bass or pick ups, then find the amp that will amplify that sound!<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span><br><br>I’ll still be traveling playing with my band and other special projects, also doing clinics and master classes. I’d like to make another record next year! I’ll also start teaching at the University of Montreal next September.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span><br><br>I wish you all a very good musical year in 2016!<br><br></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930732015-11-28T19:00:00-05:002022-04-05T04:53:38-04:00Interview - Don Thompson<p>This is the first in a series of interviews with Canadian bass players. The questions are geared towards practical advice for aspiring bassists, although I've quickly learned that all musicians, from beginners to pros on any instrument, will get a lot out of reading the responses. Don Thompson has long been a hero of mine and I'm thrilled to share his insightful and valuable comments.</p>
<p><br><span style="font-size: medium; color: #800000;"><strong>Don Thompson</strong></span><br><br>Pianist, vibraphonist, bassist, composer, arranger, producer and educator Don Thompson has been a major international jazz figure since the early 1960s. He has performed and recorded on Juno and Grammy winning recordings and performed worldwide with legendary artists such as John Handy, Paul Desmond, Milt Jackson, George Shearing, Mel Tormé, Kenny Wheeler, Jim Hall and countless others.</p>
<p><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists?</strong> </span><br><br>Important lessons I've sort of learned or at least am still working on.<br><br> One of the most important things I ever learned about being a bass player was that it's a lot easier to learn how to play the bass than it is to learn how to play music. Playing the bass, or any other instrument is not much more than learning where to put you fingers in order to play the notes. Playing music is all about knowing the melody, the harmony, the inner voice movements, all the possible alternate chord progressions and the bass line and being familiar enough with all this information that you can play the tune in any key or time signature. <br><br> Bass players are often obsessed with "locking in" with the drummer in order to create what they perceive to be the "groove". I've found that a good band will usually have a collective time feel and it's often better if the bass player and the drummer just play with the band rather than trying to get the band to play with them. A lot of young bass players are concerned about their ability to play time but usually, if they are asked to just play quarter notes on a single note their time is perfect. I believe that most time problems are the result of the bass player not really understanding the music. I know, myself that if there's anything at all in the music that I don't understand my time will be the first thing to go. If you don't know what notes to play there's not much chance that you'll be able to play them in time.<br><br> Soloing is really important to me. When I began playing bass (in 1954) there were no pickups or bass amps so soloing was pretty difficult. There were a few guys that had recorded some terrific solos but playing solos live was really difficult simply because it was almost impossible to even hear the bass in most playing situations. As a result many bass players went through most of their playing careers never playing a solo. Today however, with every bass player being amplified they are all expected to play solos whether they know the tune or not and whether they even want to or not. <br><br> My biggest problem with most bass solos is that they sound just like bass solos. The bass is an impossibly difficult instrument and every bass has it's own limitations so I, and most of the bass players I know have spent years trying to find a way of playing anything at all. Most of what we play is a compromise between what we'd really like to play and what the bass allows us to play. When I began playing professionally I was playing mostly little dance jobs and bar gigs and I never actually got to play any solos but eventually I wound up in jazz situations and so I had to come up with something. For a couple of years I'd just play random stuff and try to do little things but it was all pretty meaningless 'till one night I heard Stan Getz in a concert and he played Quiet Night of Quiet Stars. When he played the melody he changed one note at the end and it was so pretty I couldn't get it out of my head. As soon as I got home I picked up my bass and played the tune and I changed that note. It was the first time I'd realized that I could play something on the bass that had been played on the Saxophone.<br><br> From the day I heard Stan Getz change that note it's been my mission to take the music of the players that I really love (Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Paul Desmond, Sonny Greenwich) and just see what there is in their playing that I might be able to borrow and play on the bass. It might be the way they play the melody, the way they use vibrato, the way they hold notes, the dynamics within the phrase (Bass players are taught from the beginning how to get a big sound and some of them take this seriously to the point that they just play loud all the time) the way they anticipate the harmony, the way they outline the harmony in their solos and everything else that goes into making the music beautiful. I've spent years, for example trying to play (on the bass) the first eight bars of "I Want to Talk About You" the way Trane played it. Charlie Parker played something at the end of his solo on "Old Folks" that was so beautiful It's hard for me to play the tune without playing it. It's not about "lifting" exactly what they play. It's about the idea of what they play and the feeling in their playing. I could never play, on the bass what any of them played but I think that someday I might play something that gets across the idea. To me it's about how I feel, what I'm feeling and how to get my feeling into the music so that someone listening might feel it too. <br><br> I think it's important to know why you like the music you like and conversely, why you don't like what you don't like. We all have our favorites and the music we love is usually the inspiration for the music we end up playing.<br> <br> Another thing I learned a long time ago is the importance of listening to classical music. I've been obsessed with Bach's music for years to the point that I can't really imagine my life without it. There are so many "most important" pieces there's no point in naming them but I've often thought that it should be a requirement that all jazz bass players listen to and study Bach for at least two years before they actually go out and play in public. This may sound a bit extreme but it's impossible to overstate the importance of Bach's music.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?</strong></span><br><br>#1 - Pretty well anything with Ray Brown. Ray's concept of Bass Lines and his groove are as good as it gets, for me at least.<br><br>#2 - Everybody likes Hampton Hawes (the one with the alligator on the cover). Red Mitchell was my first favorite soloist on the bass and his solo on "I Remember You" is perfection.<br><br>#3 - Waltz for Debby (Bill Evans with Scott LaFaro) Scotty's playing generally changed the way I thought about playing bass but this record changed bass playing for all of us forever. Scotty brought a whole new approach to playing bass in a jazz group. He was able to become an almost equal partner in Bill's trio playing contrapuntally in a way nobody I'd heard do before. It's important to remember though that he played acoustically and that if he'd been amplified a lot of his stuff might have been pretty intrusive. It's also interesting to remember that Red Mitchell was a really good piano player and that Scotty was originally a Tenor Saxophonist. Red was also Scotty's teacher.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you.</strong></span><br><br>Concerning practicing.......I practice a lot and it's usually stuff I know I'll have to do in order to get my hands ready for my next gig. I've been playing along with records as long as I can remember and I now have a playlist in my itunes that includes Opus De Funk (Milt Jackson), Bag's Groove (Miles Davis) Blue and Boogie (Miles Davis) and Chasin' the Trane. My playlist is well over an hour long and a real work-out. Just getting through Chasin' the Trane is a challenge and Blue and Boogie is really a burner. <br><br> When I was with George Shearing in New York I'd have one feature tune each set and I'd usually spend two or three hours in the afternoon getting the two tunes together for that night. I'd play the melodies in a bunch of keys 'till I found the key that was best for me and my bass. Then I'd just play the tune and solo on it for the next couple of hours 'till it started sounding like I knew what I was doing. I did this pretty well every day. The last time I played there we were in the same club for eight weeks, five nights a week, two sets a night. That comes out to eighty sets and eighty tunes. I got through the eight weeks without repeating a tune. When I left George Shearing Neil Swainson replaced me and I think he did the same thing.<br><br> Now I just practice the hardest tunes in the hardest keys all the time. I figure that if I can play those tunes in those keys everything else will be pretty easy.<br><br><span style="color: #ffff99;"><strong><span style="color: #800000;">Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)</span>?</strong></span><br><br>Concerning pick-ups and amplifiers etc...I'm not really that interested in most of that stuff. I think the most important thing is to get a good instrument and then to get it set up so it's easy to play. If you have to fight with the bass you'll never enjoy playing it. It's important to figure out what kind of sound you want and get it on the instrument first. Then find a pick-up and an amp that works for you. I have an ATM mic. that attaches to the bass that I really like. I put the mic in the house PA and use my amp for an on-stage monitor.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?</strong></span><br><br>I don't have many gigs coming up and very few of them are on bass. I spend a lot of time writing music and most of the work I do is with Diana Panton. I love playing duo with Reg Schwager but that is a guitar/piano situation.<br><br><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Any other thoughts to pass along?</strong></span><br><br>One more thing that I think is important. If you really want to know what is possible on the bass check out Joel Quarrington. Joel is probably the greatest classical bassist in the world and he's renown for his flawless technique, perfect pitch and fantastic sound. I think the biggest challenge for any musician is to make the music more important than the instrument or the player and Joel is the only bass player I know that is able to do that. When I listen to him play It's all about music. The bass and all of his technique are simply there to make the music happen. <br><br> One final thought. Always remember that when you're in a band your first responsibility is to the music. The bass player is really the most important player in the band and can make the band sound great by simply playing what the music needs. The bass player can also completely destroy the music by playing too loud, not listening to the rest of the band and basically playing for himself (herself) instead of the music. Remember that there's only one best note and always try to find it. <br><br><br></p>mikedownes.comtag:mikedownes.com,2005:Post/59930722015-10-31T20:00:00-04:002022-03-26T05:18:43-04:00Bass interviews<p>I'm planning on interviewing a series of prominent Canadian bassists for the purpose of tapping into their advice for aspiring bassists. Let me know if you have any specific questions you'd like me to ask. These are the questions I have so far:</p>
<p>What are some important musical and other lessons you've learned that you can pass on to aspiring bassists? <br><br>What are three of your favourite recordings that you consider essential for any bassist to check out?<br><br>Can you share some practice ideas? What should aspiring bassists focus on? What worked/works for you? I realize this is a very broad question that varies with individuals' needs, but I'm looking for some general ideas, and in particular what worked for you. <br><br>Do you have any gear advice (specific pickups, strings, amps, etc. and what to look for)?<br><br>What's coming up for you and how can we follow you (website, social media, etc,)?<br><br></p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Mike</p>mikedownes.com