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Conversation With Dan Lutz by Mikel Combs

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Meet Mikel Combs

Dan Lutz is a first call bassist in Los Angeles. His successful career is credited to his strong groove, versatility, experience and dependability. Playing both electric and upright bass, Dan’s 15 years on the scene has proved himself to be a seasoned professional and respected musician able to swing, groove, improvise, and enhance any musical situation. Whether as a Music Director or sharing stage with the greats of the jazz world, Dan brings a funky and innovative style to the stage and studio alike. He has toured the world over with various artists, played on countless sessions for commercials, movies, and television, and maintains a busy schedule in L.A. on the local club circuit. Dan is comfortable in many styles including gospel, rock, jazz, R&B, pop, and soul.

Dan Lutz is a first call bassist in Los Angeles. His successful career is credited to his strong groove, versatility, experience and dependability. Playing both electric and upright bass, Dan’s 15 years on the scene has proved himself to be a seasoned professional and respected musician able to swing, groove, improvise, and enhance any musical situation. Whether as a Music Director or sharing stage with the greats of the jazz world, Dan brings a funky and innovative style to the stage and studio alike. He has toured the world over with various artists, played on countless sessions for commercials, movies, and television, and maintains a busy schedule in L.A. on the local club circuit. Dan is comfortable in many styles including gospel, rock, jazz, R&B, pop, and soul.

MC:  I had a chance to hear you play in the early nineties when we were both in Texas. When I listen to you now, I can hear the continuation and growth of what you were doing back then.  What kinds of things have helped you stay on that path; for instance, personal thoughts or experiences that may have reaffirmed your direction?

DL:  Well, when I left North Texas, I went to Florida to play in the Disney All-American Band. After that I decided to move back home to California were I continued studying at Cal State Northridge and got my music ed. Degree. It was when I was at Northridge that I started meeting a lot of musicians in town.  I had this mindset to say “yes” to any gig or rehearsal or anything that would benefit my playing. I didn’t care if it paid or not, I just wanted to play and meet people. That’s one thing I tell students or other people:  just put yourself in as many different environments and playing experiences as you can because who knows who you’re going to meet. Someone may be looking for a bass player or someone for their band.  I was always trying to put myself in any position or situation from jam sessions, to birthdays, to weddings. As I did this, I started to meet more and more musicians and would play with them more frequently. That was my mentality. I would take whatever I could get. In fact, one of the big gigs that I got was touring with Tony Danza. He had a Vegas-like show. I got that gig because I could sing and play bass. There were great musicians on that gig and one thing led to another and I started to be able to make a living playing. Through the years, the circle of musicians I was playing with, hopefully all of their careers would keep going up into the next level, and I maintained relationships and connections with those people and my career moved up with them. I’ve just been able to keep doing a bunch of different things. Eventually, as the gigs got better, I could become more selective and I wouldn’t have to play a wedding or Bar Mitzvah on the weekend. From that I was able to do a little more touring, got some pop gigs, did more sessions, and lot of jazz stuff. I kind of went from there. It all started from that mentality of “put yourself in as many musical situations as possible” and try to play your best no matter what. My old band director used to say, “You’re only as good as your rock gig.”  What he meant was you always have to be playing at your best and you always have to be respectful and honest with the music.  Don’t think that people aren’t listening or aren’t hearing you in any and every situation. Bring you’re A-game to every gig and hopefully that will lead to the next thing.

MC:  Very true. Would you say it’s advantageous to be in a larger metroplex, like LA, to experience these things or do you know of stories, outside of your own, that mirrors that to some degree or another?

DL:  I think that a big city that has a thriving music scene is going to allow you more opportunities than you would find if you were in smaller cities or towns. I think that anybody’s talent is going to take them pretty far. You always hear of these young, amazing players that are coming out of random cities. You know, these great high school players who are getting scholarships and going to colleges. Of course, your talent is only going to take you so far. But after that, you could be able to play all the Jaco stuff or slap for days and days like Victor Wooten, but if you’re not getting experience and playing with different people and trying to cultivate the business aspect, and the relationship aspect of your musicianship then you’re going to be one of these people who can do all these things and have all this technique but nowhere to really play, except your bedroom. The larger the pond you’re in, the more experiences you’re going to have and the more chances you’re going to have to cultivate an actual career where you can raise a family and make something of yourself instead of living from gig to gig. It’s a matter of being a pro and putting yourself out there in as many situations as you can.
MC:  What words of advice would you give about listening?

DL:  I love that question. It’s different for every person, but I love listening to anything that people would recommend and anything from classical to jazz to pop to gospel to hip hop. If there was something I didn’t like, I wouldn’t write it off.  I would figure out why I didn’t like it. Specifically from a bass standpoint, I ask myself, “Why don’t I like that?  Is it the tone of the instrument?  Is it the feel of the rhythm section?” Once I figure it out, I try to avoid doing it myself. I like to learn from those situations as opposed to just moving on the next thing.  Conversely, when I like something, I figure out those aspects and try to incorporate those into my playing. No matter what, if you’re listening to a broad spectrum of things, I’m sure there’s something to learn, even from the stuff you don’t like.

MC:  We are constantly making these choices when playing as well.

DL:  Exactly.

MC:  How do you feel about time and where to put the beat?

DL:  It’s tricky. When playing jazz, I like to play on top. Often, with younger players, when you tell them to play on top of the beat, they’ll start to rush. There’s a fine line between keeping a forward, linear motion or feel, and rushing, where you’ll push the band the whole time and make it feel uncomfortable. That’s something I’m always trying to learn and do it the right way, and sometimes I do rush and it can feel uncomfortable, especially if the drummer and I aren’t on the same page. Luckily, you get to know drummers and you get to play with a bunch of guys on a regular basis and you can figure out where it feels comfortable for them. My whole thing, hopefully, that I’m trying to do is get to know what people want. I don’t want to just go into a situation and force my method or my feel onto the band. I want to try to meet everybody where they’re at and make a comfortable feel for the tune. There’s a little bit of getting to know your voice and your approach. At the same time you’re trying to understand the role of the bass player, which is to be supportive and make everybody sound good and lay down that foundation that everybody’s comfortable with. Sometimes that means sacrificing exactly where you want to put it for the sake of the band. If you want to work you have to have that mentality. Otherwise you’ll be known as the dude who always pushes or drags.

MC:  Great point. The word ‘foundation’ can often be misunderstood. We hear it and read it all the time: “the bass player provides the rhythmic foundation.” What that really means is that the ‘foundation’ doesn’t have to be embedded in bedrock all the time. It’s flexible and organic, and it’s important to be aware of that.

DL: That’s great, absolutely. Being flexible is the key to a feel, but also to your approach as a bass player in trying to build your career. You have to be flexible. The exception is if you’re going to be a solo-bass-player artist and you’re developing your own thing, and the way you play is the way you’re going to play. Some people have done a really good job of doing that. A good example of that is Mark Egan. I saw him at a jazz festival in Reno with Pat Metheny a while ago. The whole time he was laying it down in the pocket, you know, way in the back not being anything special, so to speak, just being real supportive. When it came time for him to solo he just ripped it. It was incredible. When you mention Mark Egan you think of his work as a fretless solo artist. From then I had a new level of respect for players like that, who can do both, but understand the role of the bass and they understand how they need to be supportive. Then, when the time comes, they’ve developed this technique or the ability to solo or be melodic that’s way beyond the normal expectations of the average, everyday bass player.

MC: Let that be a testament to why Mark Egan’s name is known and how he has managed to stay in the business for so long.

DL: You know, lately, I’ve been into note length: the space between notes and something as simple as a dotted quarter and an eighth note and how it contributes to the feel. It’s dramatic, as a bass player, to be conscious of the space between notes and the length of your notes and how that affects the feel and the groove of any tune. That carries over to how I’ll think about my right hand placement or how much pressure I’m using with my left hand. Then I’ll zone into the high hat or bass drum. How I match with those depends on whether the feel is an eighth note feel or a sixteenth note feel. Altering the note length or the space between notes allows me to approach a tune I’ve played a hundred times with something fresh and continue to contribute something new each time.

MC: Excellent. That’s a whole other level of the awareness of time mentioned earlier. What would you like the people to understand about you as a person, and as a musician, and how you balance the two to maintain your success?

DL: I’m very conscious to not let the idea of success for me be what gig I have. The idea of success for me is to have a healthy marriage, strong friendships, a sense of spirituality and a career that allows me to play in as many different situations as possible. If that stuff gets out of order and I start to place success of what gig I have, and who I’m playing with, then I think I’d get out of balance. For my career, I’m trying to be as diverse as possible. I love playing jazz and straight-ahead, and I love playing R&B and pop, and doing the sessions that I do. I love teaching. I love playing both basses. I love playing Broadway shows here in LA. I love going on tour with a rock or gospel thing. I wouldn’t necessarily be happy if I had to choose one genre within music. I just like playing the bass. I like playing the bass in any genre and trying to make that happen.

Dan Lutz uses Nordstrand Basses, Agiular Amps, and Elixir Strings.

Visit online at www.myspace.com/triplelutz

DL: Absolutely.

MC: There’s always room for making something artistic but part of the art is the craft. Would you agree?

DL: Yeah. There are so many aspects to playing an instrument: being able to find the right moment to make a statement, musically, being sensitive to the feels of each player in a band, particularly in the rhythm section. I’m playing with Patti Austin now and her band is huge. There are two keyboards, bass, drums, guitar, and three background singers. There’s a lot of stuff going on. I approach it from an R&B/pop perspective, but to really find your place, you have to be aware of what the horn parts are doing, what the guitar is doing, how the drummer is approaching the tune. Is he playing on top, behind, is it greasy or right down the middle? All that stuff goes into how you shape your overall feel, groove, and approach. If you walk in thinking about a bass line that you want to play you’ll miss the point. You have to listen to every aspect of that musical moment happening around you, and make your best effort to contribute musically to that situation.

MC: It’s better to make the band happy with one note than to make yourself happy with ten notes. (We chuckle)

DL: Exactly, and you’re going to get hired again.

MC: Have you had any epiphanies lately?

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

Follow Online:

k3sistersband.com/
TikTok
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook 

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Bass Videos

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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Features

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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