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Tales from the Pit: Hair, with Ross Hoekman by Jonathan Moody
Tales from the Pit: Hair, with Ross Hoekman by Jonathan Moody… There are few shows that, when I hear the title, bring forth a slew of memories and imagery. One of those is Hair, possibly the most well-known musical of the “rock opera” genre and a vivid snapshot of the counter culture movement of 1960s America. And, while the subject matter is dated, it’s surprisingly apropo for this day and age, which is why this musical is still regularly staged. I got the chance to compare notes with Colorado native, Ross Hoekman (find him at www.rosshoekman.net) to talk about how we both “let the sunshine in.”
Ross’ Specifics:
- Hair at the Evergreen Theater, for a 5 weekend run
- The pit consisted of 4 musicians, upstage “behind” the set. Still on stage, but the back of the warehouse.
- Gear used: 2009 Fender Precision V and a pedalboard consisting of Ernie Ball VP Jr., Boss TU-2, Ampeg Sub Blaster, EP2, 3Leaf Pwnzor, 3Leaf GR2, Tech21 Bass Boost Chorus, Hardwire Reverb and Sansamp BDDI, direct into the house system
Jon’s Specifics:
- Hair at Whole Art Theatre, for a 3 weekend run
- The pit consisted of 6 musicians, in the pit behind the stage
- Gear used: Heavily modified P-Bass, Line 6 Bass Pod XT Live! pedalboard, early 70’s Univox UB-50 1×15 combo amp
Because this is a snapshot of a different time, you will find that entire production follows suit. As Ross put it, “Since the director didn’t want to mic the vocalists, we all used in-ear monitors, including the drummer who was playing a V-drum kit. It was actually a pretty sweet setup; the soundguy was really good and we got compliments on sound/levels almost every night.” Because this show is in the “rock opera” genre, it is not uncommon to see the pit stripped down to just a core rhythm section. In Ross’ case, that opened the door for some wild experimentation with effects.
“Because there were only four of us (guitar, bass, drums, keys), we had to get a little creative to cover some of the parts. The guitar player actually bought an EHX Ravish Sitar pedal specifically for the show to cover sitar parts and the drummer programmed things like woodblocks, a gong and other various sounds to the triggers in his kit. He also hung a pair of Tibetan tingsha cymbals from his kit for that extra little bit of flavor.”
My situation was similar, in that mics were not used (with exception of some floor mics for soloists over the company). We were literally backstage in one of the wings, so we could hear everything fairly well, but needed to heed our volume in order to make sure that we could maintain that rock energy without overpowering the singer(s). In terms of the orchestration, we were more filled out as we included a trumpet and trombone player for the horn parts. Everything else was easily covered by the guitarist, myself or the keyboardist with the use of effects. Any auxiliary percussion was absorbed into the drummer’s kit, which also included a very large gong hanging right behind his head.
When it comes to embellishing or filling out a section, this is one of those shows where you would think that the musicians would be given free reign and permission to go wild. However, after playing it twice myself and talking with many musicians that have had it, I’m surprised by the answer. As Ross put it, “We played Hair fairly straightforward, so I didn’t have a whole lot to fill in that the other players weren’t already covering. We added group fills/runs in a couple spots, but other than that, we had all worked together before on a number of occasions, so he pretty much trusted us to do our thing.” And in regard to the bass score itself, Ross said this: “For the most part, we struck somewhat closely to the book, but generally used it more as a guide than a strict map. There were a few sections/songs that we changed on the fly or revamped completely.”
The Whole Art production that I did was a little different in this regard; the choreographer really wanted the more funky version of the show that was featured in the movie over the hippy rock feel of the musical production. A couple of numbers we completely rewrote the style and feel, using the score more as a roadmap in terms of how long the song needed to be over anything else. As someone that had played the show prior, this was quite a change to create something completely different than what you are used to (and led to a little head butting during the tech rehearsals). The end result however, was something that everyone was proud of, after we all put egos and preconceived notions aside for the benefit of the show.
One thing that Hair has always meant for me was that I could pull out as many effects as I wanted (many of which my wife would hear and say “When are you ever going to use THAT?!”), and it would be okay. For my run, I had a very customized P/J bass run into a early 70s Vox amp, which had that old school vibe DOWN. From there, I used a slew of effects on my Line 6 Bass Pod XT Live board to give me everything from slight dirt to full on fuzz, slightly delayed to completely trippy, syrupy tones.
Ross approached it roughly the same way that I did. “I played my go-to 2006 MIA Fender Jazz V with nickel rounds for the first couple rehearsals and didn’t feel it was fitting the sound as much as I wanted. I switched to my 2009 MIA Precision V with (D’Addario) Chromes, which was a much better fit. I set up my pedalboard for the show to include pedals like my Pigtronix EP2 for spacey phaser or trippy envelope sounds, the reverb for ambient parts and the BDDI for preamp duties direct to board.”
If there’s one thing that everyone can agree upon, any theatre that does a production of Hair will wind up with large audiences and packed houses, leading to unforgettable nights. Ross’ theatre had 95% of the run sold out. They are currently in the running for a Henry Award (awarded by the Colorado Theater Guild). Our run was no different; I remember holding the show to allow the stagehands to scramble and add extra seats in an effort to accommodate everyone.
Hair is a show that everyone on some level can relate to. The issues that faced the characters in the late 60s are surprisingly similar to the ones that we are still facing today, hence its appeal. Thanks to Ross for taking the time to compare notes. Check him out at www.rosshoekman.net or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rosshoekman).
If you’re a fellow “theatre rat” and would like to be included in an upcoming “Tales from the Pit” article, contact me at moody@justmoody.com or find me on Twitter at @monjoody. Thanks for reading, and have a great month!
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
Gear News
New Gear: Esopus Guitars Launches New Acoustic/Electric Bass
Esopus Guitars Launches New Acoustic/Electric Bass…
Esopus Guitars is proud to announce the new “Tailwater” bass guitar, from legendary bass luthier Stuart Spector. This 32” scale bass is handcrafted by Stuart using the only finest woods and components at the Esopus Guitar workshop located near Woodstock NY in the Catskill Mountains.
From its fully carved spruce top (the top is carved on both its exterior and interior surfaces) with a thumb rest that is elegantly carved into the top, to its custom-made Fishman piezo pickup and super hard Carnauba wax finish, every detail of the Tailwater is part of creating the ultimate playing experience.
The Tailwater bass features a fully chambered spruce over alder body (15.5″ lower body bout width, 2.25″ body thickness measuring from the peak of the carved top) that delivers a super comfortable tonal tool for all your low-end needs.
Each Tailwater bass is hand-signed and numbered on the back of the peghead by Stuart Spector. A very limited number of Tailwater basses are handcrafted each year at the Esopus workshop.
“I am proud to present the Tailwater bass, a bass that I have spent the last three years perfecting. The Tailwater is a culmination of all of my 45 years of experience, knowledge, and passion for bass guitar crafting. I am so eager to hear what fellow musicians create with this exciting new instrument.” -Stuart Spector
Direct Pricing : $4995.00 plus options.
For more information about Esopus Guitars and Stuart Spector’s handcrafted instruments, visit www.EsopusGuitars.com.
Bass Videos
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
Ian Allison Bassist extreme…
Most recently Ian has spent the last seven years touring nationally as part of Eric Hutchinson and The Believers, sharing stages with acts like Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Rachel Platten, Matt Nathanson, Phillip Phillips, and Cory Wong playing venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Staples Center and The Xcel Center in St. Paul, MN.
I had a chance to meet up with him at the Sellersville Theater in Eastern Pennsylvania to catch up on everything bass. Visit online at ianmartinallison.com/
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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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Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
New Gear: Spector Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II
New Gear: The Dingwall John Taylor Signature Model
Interview With Bassist Edmond Gilmore
Have Fret Sprout? Sharp Fret Management… a How-To Video
This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
Interview With Audic Empire Bassist James Tobias
New Album: Avery Sharpe, I Am My Neighbors Keeper
