Bass Player Live! 2012
Another late October weekend means another great Bass Player Live! event at SIR Studios in Hollywood, CA. Once again, FBPO was there!
This year’s two-day bassfest, October 20-21, included everything from a “Groove Therapy” session with Alphonso Johnson to clinics by the ever-versatile Marco Mendoza, legendary groovemeister Nathan East and “pick maniac” Bobby Vega. Other noteworthy breakouts included a one-on-one interview and book signing from Duran Duran’s John Taylor; real-world advice from The Tonight Show’s Rickey Minor; Jerry Watts leading the John Daversa Big Band; “dueling metal basses” with Megadeth’s David Ellefson and Anthrax’s Frank Bello; and Janek Gwizdala, leading a discussion with Juan Alderete and Damian Erskine about marketing in the digital age – in conjunction with a ceremonial celebration of the release of Gwizdala’s new eBook, You’re a Musician. Now What?
Conforming to BPL tradition, interviews were conducted in front of standing-room-only audiences, with this year’s Lifetime Achievement honorees, Aston “Family Man” Barrett of Bob Marley & the Wailers, and Chris Squire, founder of the rock supergroup Yes. Appreciation tributes to the recently departed Bob Babbitt and Donald “Duck” Dunn also took place, hosted by Phil Chen.
The highlight of BPL-12 was a very powerful and moving tribute to the late bass giant Jaco Pastorius, including a sneak preview of the trailer to Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo’s forthcoming documentary about Jaco’s life, tentatively titled simply Jaco. Trujillo, along with three of Jaco’s children, Johnny, Julius and Mary, recalled Jaco the man, as well as the story behind the recovery Jaco’s famed “Bass of Doom,” in an often emotional conversation, moderated by Steve Bailey.
Video: FBPO attends Bass Player Live! 2012 |
As usual, the SIR exhibit hall was in full swing, exuding the typical strong and sturdy rumblefest brought about by incessant demonstrations of all things bass. This year’s exhibitors included everyone from Aguilar, Benavente and Carvin to Tech 21, Warwick and Yamaha.
Also worth noting were Kala Bass demonstrations by Abraham Laboriel and Bakithi Kumalo, Stuart Hamm leading a group of MI students in a live performance and the growing buzz about Brian Bromberg’s still relatively new “Bass On The Broadband” website. Other bass luminaries spotted throughout the two-day affair included: Leland Sklar, Andrew Gouché, Oskar Cartaya, Norm Stockton, Russel Blake, Putter Smith, Tal Wilkenfeld, Ariane Cap, Dann Glenn, Jimmy Earl, Phil Buckman, Joey Vera, Robert “Bubby” Lewis, Byron Miller and – remember this name! – Francisco “Pancho” Tomaselli.
Saturday night’s event at the Key Club included presentations to the aforementioned Barrett and Squire and a touching tribute to the Pastorius family. The annual bass jam included the likes of Brian Bromberg, Hadrien Feraud, Bernhard Lackner, Bunny Brunel, Phil Chen, “Ready Freddie” Washington, Igor Saavedra and Gary Grainger.
All in all, it was a great event. Be sure to check out our video and see for yourself!
Story by Jon Liebman
Out and about at Bass Player Live! 2012
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Steve Bailey (with Jaco looking on) |
Dann Glenn and Hadrien Feraud |
Brian Bromberg |
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Jimmy Earl |
Nathan East |
Megadeth's David Ellefson |
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The Wailers' Aston "Family Man" Barrett |
Metallica's Robert Trujillo |
Yes founder Chris Squire |
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Bunny Brunel |
Ariane Cap |
Phil Chen, Dann Glenn, Brian Bromberg & Steve Bailey |
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Chris Jisi and Igor Saavedra |
L-R: Phil Buckman, David Ellefson, Stu Hamm, Frank Bello, Joey Vera, Francisco "Pancho" Tomaselli |
Bakithi Kumalo |
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Steve Bailey, Robert Trujillo and Jaco Pastorius' children |
Robert "Bubby" Lewis |
Juan Alderete |
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Damain Erskine |
Anthrax's Frank Bello and dUg Pinnick |
Gary Grainger |
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Julius, Johnny and Mary Pastorius |
Bobby Vega |
"Ready Freddie" Washington |
Also see our exclusive coverage of Bass Player Live! 2010 and 2011
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Bass Player Live! 2010 |
Bass Player Live! 2011 |
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Visit the FBPO store
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