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Chicago Bassist Chuck Webb by Vuyani Wakaba

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Chicago Bassist Chuck Webb-2

Featured bass Interview – Chicago Bassist Chuck Webb

In this issue, we sit and chat with Chicago bassist Chuck Webb about his new CD/DVD project.   Chuck, for those who may not be aware, has a very long resume of being a sideman to many great players.  He has toured and recorded with many musicians who are known around the world.  In addition to that, he also maintains a very active teaching schedule.

Bass Musician Magazine (BMM): Chuck, thank you so much for taking the time to sit and chat.  We appreciate your fitting us into your busy schedule.  Word on the street in Chicago is that you and your new band, The Chuck Webb Band just recorded a new CD/DVD.  Can you tell us a little bit about what you chose to record, where you recorded…and the line up of players you used?  Of course, please tell us the title of your new CD and DVD.

Chuck Webb (CW): Firstly, Vuyani I really want to thank you for the opportunity to talk to you & BMM readers.  I truly appreciate it!   Yes, after many years of being a sideman last year I decided to start my own band project, The CWB (the Chuck Webb Band).

I really have my wife to thank (or to blame) for giving me the kick in the behind to finally do this.  Just before my birthday last year she decided to throw me a party at a very popular weekly jazz event here in Chicago hosted by the Hyde Park Jazz Society.  Not only did she arrange for the party to be held there she also booked ME to be the featured performer!  I put together some of my favorite players and we performed two sets of straight ahead jazz & contemporary jazz/funk to a packed house.

The whole event went over so well that I knew I had a great concept for a band.  After several great performances around the city I decided to take it to the next level and record the CD/DVD “No Smoke, No Mirrors.”  I knew that even though I’ve been touring & recording for quite a while, I am a new name to a lot of people, so I wanted this CD to be a good representation of all of my bass identities.

Since I am a doubler on upright & electric, the CD is half acoustic and half electric.  I chose to record the whole disk live with an audience in great little studio called Sound Mine which is just minutes from my house on the south side of Chicago.  Some of my favorite jazz and contemporary recordings are live sets so I wanted to capture that same energy but with the audio quality that you can only get in a studio environment.  Best of both worlds!

Some of the best musicians in the world are either from Chicago or still live here & I was very fortunate to pull together the best of the best for this project.  You know, sometimes I get a little disappointed when I get a CD from a musician that I really like and the music on it is all about their compositions, or their production chops and they don’t really get down and play.  I can guarantee that listeners won’t be disappointed with  “No Smoke, No Mirrors” because we play our hearts out!

The line up on the CD is:

  • Me on electric & upright bass
  • Ben Johnson on drums
  • Buddy Fambro on electric & acoustic guitars
  • Tom Vaitsas on acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes and Hammond B3 organ
  • Steve Eisen on tenor sax & flute
  • Michael Scott on vocals

BMM: You definitely brought out the big guns, in terms of players, for this project.  Your concept of recording live with an audience pays homage to the essence of jazz performance.  The emphasis on “getting down and playing” fits in very well with the Chicago musical culture.  Can you talk a little bit with us about the songs on “No Smoke, No Mirrors”?  How were they chosen?  Did you include your own compositions?

CW: It was really tough to decide on what tunes to put on “No Smoke, No Mirrors”.  I felt that I needed to show as many sides of my musical personality as possible & still have the record be cohesive.  That was a challenge because I play in and love so many different styles of music.  My heart is in straight ahead jazz, electric funk, and R&B/ soul music so that is the essence of what the CD is about.

I included two of my original songs on the CD.  “Swank” is an angular minor blues that features some cool left hand piano doubling the bass line and some ridiculously killer solos.  “Momo’s Groove” is a song that I wrote for my mother (affectionately called Momo by the family).  It’s a modern take on that 60’s Soul/Jazz sound that I grew up listening to as a kid.

I chose the cover tunes to represent the music that I love & the artists that influenced me.  On the acoustic side there’s the beautiful but not often covered “Beatrice” by Sam Rivers.  I first heard Chet Baker’s version of this song and fell in love with the elegant melody.  It features me on upright bass in a traditional trio setting.  Next is “Armando’s Rhumba” by Chick Corea.  I always dug this tune for it’s Spanish/Latin vibe.  I actually played this song a lot on tour with Ramsey Lewis.  Most of the other versions of this song are played really fast and, for me, that kind of kills the groove a little bit.  I decided to slow it down to what  I call South Side Chicago Groove tempo!   It’s actually very danceable the way we played it.  We did it all acoustic with piano, upright, drums, acoustic guitar and a brilliant performance by Steve Eisen on flute.

Finally I covered “Song For Bilbao” by Pat Metheny.  I first got hip to this tune from Michael Brecker’s version.  I rearranged it a little to feature our drummer, Ben Johnson who IMO is one of the best soloists on drums today.

For the electric tunes I paid tribute to Charles Mingus with “Goodbye Porkpie Hat.”  A lot of bass players have done this tune but I put a different spin on it with an extended solo electric bass intro and melody  (on my Sadowsky RV5) and some interesting re-harmonizations.

We also did Thelonius Monk’s “Epistrophy.”  I heard Russell Gunn’s version of this while I was driving one day & almost crashed the car it was so funky.  I adapted that concept for my version and did a lot of slapping for the funk fans.  I knew I wanted to do some straight up R&B or soul songs on the CD, so of course I went with the Godfather-James Brown.  My all time favorite JB tune is Get On The Good Foot.  The simplicity and the groove factor are just killing on that tune.  I always loved the little bass breaks James put in the record but I wished the were longer, so of course for my version I did an extended bass solo on that break section.  I used my Fender Road Worn P-bass on this track so there’s some real P-funk going on.

And finally I had to do some Stevie Wonder because he is my all time favorite composer.  I chose a version of “Living for the City” that features the bass playing the 3/4 interlude section as a solo and some hot New York style sax and piano solo sections.  Michael Scott came in and laid down some serious vocals on these tunes for me live with the band in one take.  Smoking!

Chicago Bassist Chuck Webb-1BMM: Your selection of tunes sounds great.  I’ve always loved “Good Bye Pork Pie Hat”, as well as the bulk of Stevie Wonder’s catalog.  Of course, you can’t go wrong with any James Brown song.

Although we are focusing on your new Chuck Webb Band CD/DVD release “No Smoke, No Mirrors”, we should talk a little about your background.  I know, from a conversation I had a couple years ago with our mutual friend, Nashville bassist Roy Vogt, that you attended the University of Miami.  In addition to that, you toured, recorded or performed with a spectacular list of artists from various genres.  In your opinion, what gigs, tours or music classes were pivotal in helping you arrive at this point in your musical development and career?

CW: I have been very very fortunate in my career.  Even though I’m not a household name I’ve been able to sustain a great touring, studio, teaching and local schedule that has supported me & my family for many years.  I’ve toured or recorded with Al DiMeola, Ramsey Lewis, David Sanborn, Grover Washington Jr., Freddy Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Bill Withers, Joe Sample, Jerry Butler, Phil Perry and many others.

As far helping me to arrive at where I am today, the Al DiMeola situation taught me to never underestimate your potential.  I was living in Chicago and got a phone call out of the blue from Al’s tour manager that my name was put on the list to be invited to audition for Al’s upcoming tour.  At that time I was only vaguely familiar with Al’s music.  Of course I was hip to his Return TO Forever work but not much else.

My initial impulse was to say thanks but no thanks to the audition because I didn’t think an unknown Chicago guy like me would ever get that gig.  Fortunately, my inner voice said “You’ll always regret it if you don’t at least try!”  So, I bought a round trip ticket to New York for that Thursday morning, returning that same night!

The audition was at S.I.R. in Manhattan & when I got there the hallway was literally packed with bass players all shredding DiMeola licks!  I thought to myself “Oh hell no, no way you’re going to get this gig!”  When it was my turn I went in & the cats in the band were very cool, friendly & laid back.  I really didn’t know any DiMeola tunes but my reading was decent so we went through some things.  I thought I did pretty well on the basic parts of the songs, but there were some 16th note unison lines that I knew I didn’t nail.

When it was over everybody said nice job & I cabbed it back to the airport and came home.  I figured I wouldn’t get the gig but I was proud of myself for giving it my best shot.  2 days later I got the call that I did indeed get the gig and I toured with Al for close to two years from 1987 to 89.

I found out after the fact that the reason I got the gig over the other players was that even though a lot of them knew the tunes & could play all the fast licks Al & the band liked the way I made the music FEEL and they dug my groove the best.  They said they could tell that I could learn all the licks, but the groove was something you either had or you didn’t have.  Needless to say GROOVE FIRST has been my credo ever since.

Another big lesson I learned was on a short tour with David Sanborn.  David & the guys in that band played with such intensity it was like every gig was the Superbowl.  That taught me the importance playing with complete conviction at all times.  Ramsey Lewis taught me about the power & importance of playing softly.  Most inexperienced players play too loud all the time.

In Ramsey’s band we had to be able to groove as hard as hell but do it at a whisper volume.  When you can do that it makes your loud playing really mean something.  If you just play loud all the time it’s like someone shouting at you.  Eventually you just tune it out.

BMM: Those are great lessons!  Teaching is another significant part of your career.  Currently, you are the Director of Bass Studies at Columbia College in Chicago.  How has teaching impacted you as a player?

CW: I really love teaching and I am a MUCH better player because of my teaching experience.  Having to continually teach basic concepts to intermediate level students really solidifies my knowledge of the essentials of theory and functional bass playing.  Then when I get the occasional super talented & gifted student it really makes me bust my butt to stay a step or two ahead of them so I have something fresh to teach in each lesson!   The administrative roles that I have at Columbia came about by really being a reliable, professional presence and being the kind of person that will get the job done no matter what, no excuses.

BMM: As a doubler on acoustic upright bass and the electric bass, what do you do to keep your chops up on both instruments?

CW: Practice a lot! (laughs…) Really, there is no other way.  I try to practice every single day and if I have to miss a day for some reason I feel “off.”  My practice time is split about 65/35 upright/electric.  Because I have more years behind me as an electric player it comes more naturally to me.  Upright definitely takes more time and effort for me.  I start every upright session with arco studies.

I’ve found that the other big thing about being a doubler is perception.  It’s important that people in your musical circles know what you do and perceive you the way you want them to.  When I really got serious about playing upright I only listened to acoustic jazz for about a year.  I would go to jam sessions and just be seen on the jazz set.  It worked so well that some people didn’t even know that I played electric bass.  You have to REALLY love to play both instruments because it’s a lot of work to play them both well and authentically!

BMM: Thank you for being so candid in sharing how much effort you put into being the first call double you are.  Most of all, we appreciate your sharing how much of your practice time you devote to each instrument.

When is “No Smoke, No Mirrors” being released?  Aside from your website (www.chuckwebbmusic.com), where else will it be available for purchase or download?  I hope you are planning a CD/DVD release party as well so Bass Musician Magazine readers can hear about that.

CW: “No Smoke, No Mirrors” will be released on May 23 on ITunes, CD Baby, Amazon & my website (www.chuckwebbmusic.com).  Clips from the live recording session will be on YouTube and my Facebook page (facebook.com/chuckwebbbass).

BMM: Thanks so much Chuck for taking the time to talk to Bass Musician Magazine.  We hope that your CD/DVD project “No Smoke, No Mirrors” will be wildly successful for you!

Chuck Webb can be found at www.chuckwebbmusic.com on the web, or at www.facebook.com/chuckwebbbass on Facebook.

 

Bass Videos

Interview With K3 Sisters Band

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Interview With K3 Sisters Band

K3 Sisters Band Interview…

It is very rare when I talk to a band where all the members play bass. The K3 Sisters Band is a perfect example of a group where Kaylen, Kelsey and Kristen Kassab are all multi-instrumentalists and take turns playing bass.

Hailing from Texas, these three sisters have been playing music since they were very young and have amassed an amazing amount of original music,  music videos, streaming concerts, podcasts, and content that has taken numerous social media platforms by storm. On TikTok alone, they have over 2.5 million followers and more than a billion views.

Join me as we hear the story of their musical journey, how they get their sound, and the fundamental principles behind these prolific musicians.

Here is the K3 Sisters Band!

Photo, Bruce Ray Productions

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k3sistersband.com/
TikTok
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook 

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Interview With Bassist Danielle Nicole

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Interview With Bassist Danielle Nicole

Bassist Danielle Nicole…

Blues music has universal appeal. We all have our ups and downs and this particular musical genre often fits our reality. Just hearing that we are not alone makes us feel a bit better. 

Danielle Nicole writes and sings the Blues. She does an amazing job at delivering both exquisite smoky vocals but plays just the right bass line to drive the tune home. Danielle recently released “The Love You Bleed” last January and will be touring the album this upcoming year.

Join me as we learn about Danielle’s musical journey, how she gets her sound, her plans for the future and more.

Follow Online

daniellenicolemusic.com/
IG @daniellenicoleband
youtube.com/daniellenicoleband

Photo, Missy Faulkner

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Bergantino Welcomes Karina Rykman to Their Family of Artists

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Bergantino Welcomes Karina Rykman to Their Family of Artists

Interview with Karina Rykman…

Karina Rykman…The high-energy bassist discusses her path on bass, her upcoming tour, how she came to find Bergantino through another Bergantino artist, and more!

A lifelong Manhattanite diehard New Yorker, Bergantino welcomes new Artist Karina Rykman. Jim and Holly had the privilege of meeting Karina and her band in Boston to see her perform. She lights up a stage with her charismatic passion as a bass player and singer – a true powerhouse of joy and energy. On stage, she smiles from ear to ear, hopping, jumping, and dancing; the entire room overflowing with positivity! If you don’t know this titan of bass yet, you will soon enough. Karina’s JOYRIDE 2024 tour picks up this month with the debut of her new album. We had the opportunity to ask Karina some questions about her career so far. 

You have quite the career that began at a very young age. You have so much going on!! Can you share some of your musical path highlights you are most proud of?

Oh man, thank you! What a long, strange trip it’s been. I’m proud of still being so absolutely enthralled by music after playing in a million bands and finally ending up at this current juncture: being able to make my own music and tour under my own name. It just seems completely surreal – every gig, every recording…I’m on cloud 9 being able to continue to do this, and we’re just getting started. I’m extremely proud of being so young and being able to learn so much from Marco Benevento, without whom I’d be absolutely nowhere. Being put up to a large task with enormous shoes to fill, and stepping in even though I barely knew what I was doing at the time. Every gig with Marco is extremely special to me. 

Tell us about your new album release Joyride and your 2024 tour.

Joyride is my debut record! It came out in August 2023, and we’ve been touring behind it nonstop ever since. You only make your first record once, and I’m so proud of this one – it’s fun, searing, lush, with chantable choruses and, of course, incredibly thick bass and infectious grooves. It was produced by Phish’s Trey Anastasio, who also contributes guitar parts to 5 of the 9 tunes. 

What makes the bass so special to you particularly, and how did you gravitate towards it?

There’s nothing quite like feeling the subs rumbling under your feet in a venue and being responsible for those sounds is thrilling. I played guitar first, at age 12, but essentially completely switched over to bass when I was 22 and got the gig playing bass with Marco Benevento. I haven’t looked back since, except for a few gigs on guitar here and there (notably in the house band on Late Night with Seth Meyers and on The Today Show backing up Julia Michaels). 

People hate this question, but: If you were constructing your personal Bass Mt. Rushmore, who are the four players that would make the cut and why?

Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton, Bootsy Collins, Les Claypool. The list goes on and on, of course, but those four have imprinted their unique styles upon my brain since I was so young, and I’m perpetually learning from them – even in the case of the deceased Cliff (RIP), going back and watching Cliff ‘Em All videos is something I do all the time. Endlessly compelled by these four players and their original takes on the instrument.

How did you learn to play?

I never took lessons, but in middle school and high school, I just surrounded myself with equally music-obsessed people. All we did was play music and go and see live music, which is wildly accessible when you grow up in New York City. I had a really tight-knit crew of amazing players as my friends, and everyone would teach each other riffs and licks. I was fearless – playing with people much better than me and saying “yes” to every cool opportunity that came my way. I essentially learned from playing in a million bands and playing along to Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin records. 

Are there any other instruments you play?

I started on guitar, and still love to write on guitar. I can get around on keyboards a bit, but you’d never hire me as a keyboardist. The same goes for drums – I LOVE playing drums but you’d never hire me as a drummer. 

Describe your playing style(s), tone, strengths and/or areas that can be improved on the bass.

I play both with a pick and my fingers, depending on the specific needs of / vibe of the tune. I love playing fuzz bass and writing bombastic “lead bass” moments, which are a staple of my live show. I’d say I’m about the least “traditional” bassist in just about every way – which is both a strength and a weakness depending on how you frame it. I play what I hear, what I like, and I adhere to very few rules. I’ve always hated rules, and I didn’t start playing rock n roll to follow them. 

How did you find Bergantino Audio Systems?

I’m pals with Mike Gordon, bassist of Phish, and his tech is named Ed Grasmeyer. Ed suggested he bring Mike’s Bergantino for me to try out at a show I was playing in Vermont, and I fell instantly in love. 

You have been using the Bergantino Forté HP2 head. How have you been setting the controls on this and what changes to those settings might you make as you plug into your other individual instruments?

I love my Forté HP2! The versatility and headroom are incredible, and I’ve been having a lot of fun dialing it in at home. The real fun will begin this weekend when I take it out for 2.5 weeks of tour – dialing something in an apartment just isn’t the same as on a big stage with a PA and subs and all that good stuff. I like to roll my highs a bit and I keep “punch” on all the time. So far, it’s been a dream.

You are the inspiration behind Bergantino cab the new NXT410-C. Can you tell us more about this cab and your experience so far?

Firstly, I’m beyond touched to be the inspiration behind, well…anything! But this is truly insane, and such an honor. I love this cab. Not only is it light and extremely good-looking, it can handle all my loudest, most abrasive and obnoxious effects. My old amp didn’t come close, and could just fart out or I’d have to turn down to appease it. I’m a big fan of playing at earth-shattering volumes, so this is going to be a match made in heaven. 

We all love your custom-made Goldie Hawn bass guitar! Can you share more with us about this bass design and why it is so special to you?

Thanks! That’s made by “Zeke Guitars” – it’s the second custom bass he’s made for me! He reached out in the summer of 2019 and asked what my dream bass would be, and I said it was basically my 1978 Fender P-Bass, but lighter, whiter, with Lindy Fralins, gold hardware, and shorter scale. And, well..he did exactly that! I love that bass so much. And the gold, which is referred to as Goldie Hawn, was born in December of 2022, and has the same specs. I just love it, it sounds amazing and looks, arguably, even better. 

Jim and I were lucky to get to meet you in person when you came to Boston with the band. The members of the band are such a great group of people! Can you share more with all about the band and crew. 

I’m so lucky to keep such incredible company. My bandmates, Adam November and Chris Corsico, are not only unbelievable musicians but also incredible humans. We just laugh and laugh, and we’re there for each other when the road gets tough or we’re exhausted or whatever life throws at us. It’s the joy of my life to get to tour the world with these guys. And the crew! That night was Connor Milton on sound and Nick Koski on lights – we have a rotating cast of people who play those roles based on availability, and everyone who works for us are absolute consummate professionals and the sweetest humans. They are my team of experts and I just adore them so much. Shout out to Zach Rosenberg, Jeff Volckhausen, Dylan Hinds, Dom Chang, for being the best rotating crew a gal could ask for!  

What else do you do besides music? 

Not much! I love going to the beach! I love eating dinner! 

Because I am a foodie, I always ask people what their favorite food is!

Oysters, caviar, sushi. I’m a raw bar fanatic. 

At a very young age, Karina is a diligent hard worker. She juggles many balls managing her business and is savvy beyond her years. We are very happy to be working with Karina and are excited for her continued success!

Follow Karina Rykman:

Instagram: @karinarykman
X (formerly Twitter): @KarinaRykman
Facebook @karinarykman/

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Bass Videos

Interview With Bassist Ciara Moser

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Interview With Bassist Ciara Moser

Bassist Ciara Moser…

Ciara and I sat down for this interview a few months after the launch of her debut album, “Blind. So what?”

Blind since birth, she is a powerhouse of talent; she is not only a professional bassist, but also composes music, and is a producer and educator. I am just blown away by her talent and perseverance.

Join me as we hear about Ciara’s musical journey, the details of her album, how she gets her sound, and her plans for the future.

Visit online:

www.ciara-moser.com 
IG @ moserciara
FB @ ciara.moser

Photos by Manuela Haeussler

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Bass Videos

Interview With Bassist Travis Book

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Interview With Bassist Travis Book

Interview With Bassist Travis Book…

Bluegrass music has had a very solid following over many years and I am always happy to hear from one of the pioneers in that genre.

Travis Book plays bass for the Grammy award-winning band “The Infamous Stringdusters” and has recently released his first solo album “Love and Other Strange Emotions”. As if he wasn’t busy enough, Travis also hosts a podcast, Plays a Jerry Garcia music show with Guitarist Andy Falco, and is constantly gigging locally in his neck of the woods.

Photo, Seyl Park

Visit Online:

www.thetravisbook.com
www.thestringdusters.com
FB @ TheTravisBook
IG @ travisbook

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