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Chris Tarry by Brent-Anthony Johnson
When I first heard that Chris Tarry was releasing “Almost Certainly Dreaming”, his 2007 follow-up to the previous year’s” Sorry To Be Strange”, and the 8th release under his own name, I had to get his unwaveringly humorous look into the process that brought about the this latest result of his mind boggling prolificacy! Chris relocated to NYC in 2003 from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and has been incredibly busy playing with John Scofield, Ben Monder, Mino Cinelu, Dave Binney, Jim Rotondi Group, Keith Carlock, Anton Fig, Donny McCaslin, Lew Soloff, Chris Cheek, and Oz Noy.
BAJ: Hi Chris! Congratulations on your Juno Award for “Almost Certainly Dreaming”! What was different about how this disc came together?
CT: Hey BAJ, how are ya? Long time no chat… Lets see… “Almost Certainly Dreaming” came together in one very different way – as it was recorded live in the studio in basically one day. Which, I guess, is a little different from how some of my albums were made in the past (time-wise that is). We did it the “ol’ fashioned way”… we just went in and played the music live off the floor.
BAJ: I think it’s funny you’ve had such a tremendous career in Canada, yet most US listeners remember you from Metalwood – the US/Canadian group! What has changed for you since relocating to NYC?
CT: I guess what’s changed is the variety of kinds of gigs I get to do. In New York I play with so many different types of players and all types of music. Moving to New York has made me a more well rounded player, I think.
BAJ: Who are the current players in the Chris Tarry Group? Also, does the group morph as you spend a great deal of time on the road?
CT: It’s been the same core group of players for the last few years. Dan Weiss (drums), Henry Hey (piano), Pete McCann (guitar), and Kelly Jefferson (sax). Kelly is the only non-New Yorker, so when we do gigs in the city it’s usually Dave Binney or Donny McCaslin who fill in. The group is such a tight bunch of guys, not only musically, but personally as well. The music is always growing, morphing, we never really play a tune the same way twice! We always try and push ourselves each and every night.
BAJ: Okay man, let’s do the gear/tools thing… what are you using in the realm of basses, amps, effects, and recording tools and process? Also, what is you take on endorsements?
CT: I dig the endorsement thing and I’m fortunate to have a few endorsements of gear that I actually really like to use! I recently switched to Markbass amps and really enjoy the sound of them. I also really dig the company! Everyone there helps hook me up with amps on the road and around the world! Markbass is just terrific! I also use DR Strings “Sunbeam 5” string set – having switched to them a few years ago… and love them!
As far as basses, for my gig I mostly use my Fodera Emperor 5-string. For gigs as a sideman I use a bunch of different basses. My current favorites are the bright orange sparkle bass made for me by Jimmy Copolo, and a baby blue four string jazz bass made for me by the great Carey Nordstrand. I also use my four string 65′ P bass on a lot of stuff.
BAJ: I was listening to your composition, “Same Clothes, Different Day” while running errands the other day… What a great tune! What is your composing process and what inspires you to write?
CT: Well thanks! “Same Clothes, Different Day” was written by keyboardist Henry Hey specifically for the band. It figures… (laughs) Generally, though, with composing I spend a lot of time playing things into the computer via Apple Garage Band or some type of other sequencing software. Once I get the tune to where I want it I make a lead sheet, send the guys an mp3… and we just get to work playing it, taking it in, and messing with it. I generally give the band stuff in lead sheet format to keep the music as open to interpretation as possible. I never tell anyone what to play. These guys are in my band because of how they sound, and I never try and stifle that energy. I play in a lot of bands where the leader is very uptight and trying to control everything… This is not the way to build a great band! You have to let the music happen, and trust the players around you.
BAJ: Other than the release of “ACD” what else are you working on to promote your incredible playing ability? Will there ever be an instructional DVD? Along those lines, your soloing approach (and touch) nod heavily to a couple players. Who are you primary influences?
CT: The band actually just did a DVD that may see the light of day sometime soon. There are also some instructional aspects to the DVD that may be included in a new book I’m working on. Have been talking to a friend at a big publishing company that’s helping me put it all together. Stay tuned for some word on that!
(Editor Note: When I know, Bass Musician Magazine will know!)
As far as influences… Well there are many! Most of who aren’t bass players (piano, sax, etc..) at all! But of course I spent a lot of time checking out the greats. I’ve been really into Pino Palidino, lately, and old R&B guys! I’m always trying to grow, get better, and become better rounded.
BAJ: As you do spend so much time on the road, how do you attempt balance? Are you still into mountain biking and being in Nature, in general?
CT: Not so much of the mountain biking thing lately – as a good friend of mine broke both his arms and it kind of scared me! But I am still really into hiking! In fact, we’re heading off for a vacation next week, to hike the famous John Muir trail in California: 211 miles in 11 days, 6 peaks over 10,000 feet. I’ve been preparing for that quite a bit over the past year! It’s hard to keep up with the training on the road. I try my best, a lot of running, going to the gym in the hotel… and drinking beer late into the night.
BAJ: In your opinion, what is the most important aspect of leading a group and what is a valuable tip you’ve gained from being led by other great musicians?
CT: I think my work as a sideman – in great, and not so great situations – has taught me how to be a good leader. I know how I want to be treated as a sideman, so I treat my guys that way. It’s hard to be away from home. But if you, as a leader, can make it as painless as possible and have the rest of the band trust that you’re looking out for their best interest’s at all time… it makes a big difference.
A few golden rules:
Everyone always gets his or her own hotel room
No connecting flights
Sound Check as late as possible
Travel with as little gear as possible
Never talk about the music… let it happen
Have fun
BAJ: What is the coolest sideman gig you’ve ever played… and why?
CT: Wow, there’s been a few. One of the best is not with someone who’s actually that famous but is a great leader and good friend: New York jazz trumpeter Jesse Selengut and his band Noir. He took us to Kenya, Africa for three weeks last year and it was one of the best organized, and most life changing, tours I’ve ever been on! The places we played, the people we met, the care he took of the band… really, really amazing.
BAJ: How often do you allow yourself to simply listen to music? What is your favorite disc at this writing?
CT: I’ve been slightly lax in listening over the past few months as my schedule has been pretty grueling! Which is odd… because I’m always generally listening a lot. As of late though I’d have to say I really dig the new Viktor Krauss solo album, and the new Avashi Cohen.
BAJ: Thank you for joining me at Bass Musician Magazine, Chris! What’s next for you?
CT: Hey BAJ thanks for having me, it is always a pleasure! What’s next? Well… after a long few months of touring with a bunch of different acts (as well as with my own band) I’m taking a few weeks off to hike the John Muir trail at the end of July and then my wife and I are heading to China for a few weeks during the Olympics. I’m excited about that! It’s going to be pretty amazing! Man cannot live on bass alone and life experiences like these go a long way to making me a stronger musician! Thanks again man, we’ll see ya on the flip side!
Visit online at www.christarry.com
Bass Videos
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes…
It is always great to meet a super busy bassist who simply exudes a love for music and his instrument. Erick “Jesus” Coomes fits this description exactly. Hailing from Southern California, “Jesus” co-founded and plays bass for Lettuce and has found his groove playing with numerous other musicians.
Join us as we hear of his musical journey, how he gets his sound, his ongoing projects, and his plans for the future.
Photo, Bob Forte
Featured Videos
Visit Online
www.lettucefunk.com
IG @jesuscsuperstar
FB@jesuscoomes
FB @lettucefunk
Bass Videos
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
“These stories from the front are with real-life, day-to-day musicians who deal with work life and gigging and how they make it work out. Each month, topics may include… the kind of gigs you get, the money, dealing with less-than-ideal rooms, as well as the gear you need to get the job done… and the list goes on from there.” – Steve the Bass Guy and Shawn Cav
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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…
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Bass CDs
New Album: Jake Leckie, Planter of Seeds
Bassist Jake Leckie and The Guide Trio Unveil New Album Planter of Seeds,
to be released on June 7, 2024
Planter of Seeds is bassist/composer Jake Leckie’s third release as a bandleader and explores what beauty can come tomorrow from the seeds we plant today.
What are we putting in the ground? What are we building? What is the village we want to bring our children up in? At the core of the ensemble is The Guide Trio, his working band with guitarist Nadav Peled and drummer Beth Goodfellow, who played on Leckie’s second album, The Guide, a rootsy funky acoustic analog folk-jazz recording released on Ropeadope records in 2022. For Planter of Seeds, the ensemble is augmented by Cathlene Pineda (piano), Randal Fisher (tenor saxophone), and Darius Christian (trombone), who infuse freedom and soul into the already tightly established ensemble.
Eight original compositions were pristinely recorded live off the floor of Studio 3 at East West Studios in Hollywood CA, and mastered by A.T. Michael MacDonald. The cover art is by internationally acclaimed visual artist Wayne White. Whereas his previous work has been compared to Charles Mingus, and Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet with Charlie Haden, Leckie’s new collection sits comfortably between the funky odd time signatures of the Dave Holland Quintet and the modern folk-jazz of the Brian Blade Fellowship Band with a respectful nod towards the late 1950s classic recordings of Ahmad Jamal and Miles Davis.
The title track, “Planter of Seeds,” is dedicated to a close family friend, who was originally from Trinidad, and whenever she visited family or friends at their homes, without anyone knowing, she would plant seeds she kept in her pocket in their gardens, so the next season beautiful flowers would pop up. It was a small altruistic anonymous act of kindness that brought just a little more beauty into the world. The rhythm is a tribute to Ahmad Jamal, who we also lost around the same time, and whose theme song Poinciana is about a tree from the Caribbean.
“Big Sur Jade” was written on a trip Leckie took with his wife to Big Sur, CA, and is a celebration of his family and community. This swinging 5/4 blues opens with an unaccompanied bass solo, and gives an opportunity for each of the musicians to share their improvisational voices. “Clear Skies” is a cathartic up-tempo release of collective creative energies in fiery improvisational freedom. “The Aquatic Uncle” features Randal Fisher’s saxophone and is named after an Italo Calvino short story which contemplates if one can embrace the new ways while being in tune with tradition. In ancient times, before a rudder, the Starboard side of the ship was where it was steered from with a steering oar. In this meditative quartet performance, the bass is like the steering oar of the ensemble: it can control the direction of the music, and when things begin to unravel or become unhinged, a simple pedal note keeps everything grounded.
The two trio tunes on the album are proof that the establishment of his consistent working band The Guide Trio has been a fruitful collaboration. “Santa Teresa”, a bouncy samba-blues in ? time, embodies the winding streets and stairways of the bohemian neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro it is named for. The swampy drum feel on “String Song” pays homage to Levon Helm of The Band, a group where you can’t always tell who wrote the song or who the bandleader is, proving that the sum is greater than the individual parts. Early jazz reflected egalitarianism in collective improvisation, and this group dynamic is an expression of that kind of inclusivity and democracy.
“The Daughters of the Moon” rounds out the album, putting book ends on the naturalist themes. This composition is named after magical surrealist Italo Calvino’s short story about consumerism, in which a mythical modern society that values only buying shiny new things throws away the moon like it is a piece of garbage and the daughters of the moon save it and resurrect it. It’s an eco-feminist take on how women are going to save the world. Pineda’s piano outro is a hauntingly beautiful lunar voyage, blinding us with love. Leckie dedicates this song to his daughter: “My hope is that my daughter becomes a daughter of the moon, helping to make the world a more beautiful and verdant place to live.”
Bass CDs
Debut Album: Nate Sabat, Bass Fiddler
In a thrilling solo debut, bassist Nate Sabat combines instrumental virtuosity with a songwriter’s heart on Bass Fiddler…
The upright bass and the human voice. Two essential musical instruments, one with roots in 15th century Europe, the other as old as humanity itself.
On Bass Fiddler (Adhyâropa Records ÂR00057), the debut album from Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and bass virtuoso Nate Sabat, the scope is narrowed down a bit. Drawing from the rich and thriving tradition of American folk music, Sabat delivers expertly crafted original songs and choice covers with the upright bass as his lone tool for accompaniment.
The concept was born a decade ago when Sabat began studying with the legendary old-time fiddler Bruce Molsky at Berklee College of Music. “One of Bruce’s specialties is singing and playing fiddle at the same time. The second I heard it I was hooked,” recalls Sabat. “I thought, how can I do this on the bass?” From there, he was off to the races, arranging original and traditional material with Molsky as his guide. “Fast forward to 2020, and I — like so many other musicians — was thinking of how to best spend my time. I sat down with the goal of writing some new songs and arranging some new covers, and an entire record came out.” When the time came to make the album, it was evident that Molsky would be the ideal producer. Sabat asked him if he’d be interested, and luckily he was. “What an inspiration to work with an artist like Nate,” says Molsky. “Right at the beginning, he came to this project with a strong, personal and unique vision. Plus he had the guts to try for a complete and compelling cycle of music with nothing but a bass and a voice. You’ll hear right away that it’s engaging, sometimes serious, sometimes fun, and beautifully thought out from top to bottom.”
While this record is, at its core, a folk music album, Sabat uses the term broadly. Some tracks lean more rock (‘In the Shade’), some more pop (‘White Marble’, ‘Rabid Thoughts’), some more jazz (‘Fade Away’), but the setting ties them all together. “There’s something inherently folksy about a musician singing songs with their instrument, no matter the influences behind the compositions themselves,” Sabat notes. To be sure, there are plenty of folk songs (‘Louise’ ‘Sometimes’, ‘Eli’) and fiddling (‘Year of the Ox’) to be had here — the folk music fan won’t go hungry. There’s a healthy dose of bluegrass too (‘Orphan Annie’, ‘Lonesome Night’), clean and simple, the way Mr. Bill Monroe intended.
All in all, this album shines a light on an instrument that often goes overlooked in the folk music world, enveloping the listener in its myriad sounds, textures, and colors. “There’s nothing I love more than playing the upright bass,” exclaims Sabat. “My hope is that listeners take the time to sit with this album front to back — I want them to take in the full scope of the work. I have a feeling they’ll hear something they haven’t heard before.”
Available online at natesabat.bandcamp.com/album/walking-away
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Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
New Gear: Spector Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II
New Gear: The Dingwall John Taylor Signature Model
This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
New Gear: Esopus Guitars Launches New Acoustic/Electric Bass
Debut Album: Nate Sabat, Bass Fiddler
