I began playing piano at age 7 and upright bass at age 12.   During high school, in the late 70s, I would jam in the high school band room almost every lunch hour, emulating my jazz heros and honing my chops. 

 

After a few years in college, I achieved some success as a military bandsman in the early 80s.  Later, I completed degrees in music performance, education and instructional technology, industrial management, and earned an MBA.

 

After twenty years in the United States Air Force, I went on to a successful career in aerospace.  I found myself living in Switzerland with my family while assigned to the corporate headquarters of a global Aerospace manufacturer.   

 

The percussionist from that high school band had developed into a masterful musician who performed with jazz legends worldwide for  four decades.  We saw each other at a festival he performed at in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2011.   It was then,  that I thought we might do a project together.             

 

My bass style is different than most players.   I’ve always used double and triple stops in my playing and studied improvisation under saxophone professors in college. In jazz, bass solos aren't uncommon, in fact, they're expected.   I maintained my playing over the years since the Air Force Band, performing either at Church,  clubs and restaurants, pit orchestras, festivals, weddings, wherever.    

 

I started a three song demo in late 2018 using some entry-level equipment.  On March 16th, 2020,  I got serious and started recording at Brick Road Studios in Scottsdale, AZ.   When I walked in alone with six of my basses, the owner looked concerned and asked if I was using any other instruments.  I said “no” and gave him a thumb drive with my demo.  After a listen, he said, “don’t change a thing”. A day later,  the pandemic lockdowns began.    I purchased the equipment he recommended and kept recording and refining the music in a studio I put together in a spare bedroom.

   

I had messaged my old bandmate later that week and he was excited about the work.   And, due to the lockdowns, we both had the time.   So the unique and stressful circumstance of COVID rekindles the musical energy we both shared forty years ago.   

 

The album C'Est LaBasse is collection of 13 tunes and are influenced by the many conversations we had during the lock down.  Not many of your friends start a phone call by saying "I just got off the phone with Randy Brecker.."

 

So why produce a collection of music exclusively for the bass instrument?  Because that’s what I play.   So,   in my broken Suisse-French; C’Est La Basse!