Features
SA Bassists – An Interview with Cesare Cassarino by Martin Simpson
For this month’s interview, we’ll stay in JHB just a little while longer so we can speak to extremely talented, bassist extraordinaire, Cesare Cassarino. Cesare is the bass instructor at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg. He’s another one of South Africa’s rising bass talents. This is what he told me in June this year.
What are your earliest musical memories, Cesare?
I grew up in an Italian household filled with the musical traditions of Alpine Choral music, Classic show tunes and Opera. My mom was an Art student in the early seventies and my parents had loads of parties, so I absorbed the Disco, Pop and Psychedelic music of the era. Unfortunately, I didn’t have very high standards, and at the age of 5 I loved to sing along with the soundtrack to Grease and Summer Holiday! Ouch! I did manage to redeem myself at age 11. That’s when I was introduced to Punk Rock music: Stiff Little Fingers, UK Subs, Dead Kennedys, and GBH. I loved it ‘cause adults hated it and the lyrical content went beyond ‘Baby I Love You”, and “Ooh Yeah”. These guys were pissed off.
Tell us about the local music scene at the time.
During the 80s, South Africa was in a dark night of the soul. Society was constricted on all levels as a result of cultural sanctions and Apartheid legislation. The government banned any art, music or cinema that was considered liberal. People were angry with that and it was musically inspiring. On the positive side, the pigeonholes that throttle contemporary music were not in place. Record companies were taking more chances and music was not as stylistically stunted like it is today.
Who were the bass players that you were checking out?
As a youth, I was physically imposing and would get into clubs from around the age of 13. My friends were all much older and they introduced me to beer and good music! I would go to Jameson’s in Commissioner street, Johannesburg, which was a mixed race club and very liberal. I would be in the front row checking out ‘Mac” Mackenzie of the Genuines, Ian Cohen of Bright Blue and the late Gito Baloi, who’s playing inspired me to buy my first bass.
The radio was bursting with traditional music and the bass playing was unique. A lot of the traditional guys of that era were playing up high on the neck with a harsh plectrum tone. Coming up with these repetitive, percussive, rudimentary melodic patterns that inspired those on the Juluka tracks, Zodwa, Sonqoba and Umfazi Omdala.
Did you study formally?
I studied in order to dodge the army. I weaseled my way into the Pretoria Tech Light Music program in 1991. There was nothing light about it though. It was Bebop or death and I think that was the first time that I was exposed to Jazz and I was definitely not prepared.
Johnny Fourie became a mentor and encouraged me to explore harmony. He also got me to focus on the real function of bass. I remember him telling me to “stop that tapping shit and play piano instead” after I played him my shaky solo bass version of Stolen Moments. He had a way of getting to the point! I recall that I was in one of his ensembles with several rock guitarists and every week one or two of them would drop out. Eventually there was only myself, a drummer and Johnny left. During that time, he arranged a chord melody for me of Blue in Green (to play on bass). He added many of his own voicings and showed me walking bass concepts. I started to get a glimpse of the depth of possibilities He opened up my mind and was always very supportive. I recall him saying that if he were my age he would probably be playing Metal instead of Jazz! This was a revelation to me.
Huh? Electric Jazz?
Around the same time I started listening to Jeff Berlin and got into the idea of playing Jazz on electric bass. His chordal playing and Bebop solos became the basis of my own playing and I spent the rest of my studies trying to create that sound on bass. At the time, Jazz was a little more stylistically open. Electric bass was tolerated on straight-ahead gigs because of the Fusion hangover from the 80s.
No. My tastes vary. I check out new stuff all the time. That would apply to playing different styles too. I can’t see how one’s interest in music can be contained in one style. It seems impossible to me. Repressed? Stunted? For example, my interest in reggae led me on a journey through Jungle and Drum n Bass. I soon realized there is also a connection between D & B and Brazilian music. That led me to Cuban music; so one style can organically lead to another. I want to understand different styles and interpret them with some kind of authenticity. Ideally, I would like to maintain personality while doing this so as not to churn out the “session-guy” licks.
…and…the wolf at the door?
During my studies I started taking all the gigs that came my way. I spent many years backing artists like Steve Hofmeyr, Valiant Swart, Mel Botes, Manuel Escorcio, Richard van der Westhuizen, Lochner de Kok, Anton Goosen… the list goes on and on. Around 1996 I somehow wound up on a support slot on ZZ-top’s SA Tour in the band Jack Hammer.
Before leaving Pretoria, I took a detour into television for a year or so. I was mixing sports programs, swinging boom in documentaries and eventually starred in John Barker’s Music Mockumentary, “Blu Cheez”. That film served to take the piss out of Rock n Roll bands. It also confused the crap out of people who knew me as a real-life bass player. It was a kind of Reality TV ‘Spinal Tap’. It was hard to tell if we were acting or not. We played ourselves and the lines of reality were blurred. I think the humor was lost on a lot of people who really ended up buying into it.
Through that experience, I kept only one choice Afrikaans gig with artist Riku Latti. He was a very liberal bandleader and the band had cart blanche in the creative domain. I contributed to the arrangements and was afforded solos. It was a band in the true sense of the word. After a year or two of part-time gigging and Television work, I was back hustling small gigs.
Johannesburg was good to me and I spent the next ten years playing casual jazz gigs on 4-string electric for a living. It was a precarious position to be in and I eventually succumbed to the pressure from bandleaders, switching to double bass. The segue was made easier by initially playing electric upright, but that couldn’t satisfy for long and I was soon playing acoustic double bass 4 nights a week.
Do you favor upright or electric?
I am more proficient on electric and that is a good reason to play more upright. I do enjoy upright but I was kind of forced into it. It has positively affected my electric playing and vastly improved my electric chops. It has pushed me to listen more as a result of being less technically adept…gotta come up with stronger musical ideas, ‘cause I can’t shred on the Doghouse! I enjoy getting away with fewer notes on upright, and I have become more conscious of spaces and choose collaborators that are tuned into this.
I still maintain a couple of gigs that allow me to play my electric bass. I have been playing with Gang of Instrumentals (or G.I. as they are known to fans) for around three years now. I have enjoyed the opportunity to play in front of massive audiences. G.I. singers Mandla N and Tumi Masemola are bona fide celebrities as a result of their TV show, City Se’sla. This means the band almost exclusively plays larger venues and so I get a chance to play from a different angle. The contrasts between that and my usual jazz gigs are vast. I find that very stimulating. I did a short tour to Cape Town a few years ago on guitar with the Industrial band Battery 9. I managed somehow, to get booked on a series of Cocktail and background gigs on the same tour. I was playing packed clubs at night on heavily detuned guitar to kids in latex and Jazz standards in coffee shops during the day. What a trip! I get to do that kind of thing now and then and I love the perspective it gives me. I get a rush out of those extremes.
Could you elaborate?
A new gig often means new music, new musicians and new types of audiences. It’s nice to have something stylistically different after that to pull me back into my own reality- like a bungee rope.
Do you have G.A.S.?
I pursued tone relentlessly to the point where I would change pickups and electronics on a weekly basis. From gig to gig I would play different strings, use different instruments and amplifiers. Eventually found strings, came to terms with the flaws of my instruments and settled on a good amp. The tech talk and flashy lights can bamboozle one. I think when it comes to gear less is more. No piece of equipment will compensate for crap technique. There are amps I prefer and strings I avoid, but a good D.I. is always necessary. After that, the sound comes from the mind and hands. Although I have a choice rig, I only use it on smaller gigs, preferring to travel light. G.I. doesn’t travel with a tech or do sound checks. On festivals, I prefer to make sure the monitors are sounding good rather than setting up my rig and messing with cables.
I have a love/hate relationship with efx. Just like slapping chops, it is rare that I get to utilize them in musical context. That is not say that I haven’t tried. I have experimented with distortions, filters, time-based effects and midi for a number of years. I don’t care for true-bypass, and blending effects. I love electronic music and have spent years trying to find a synth bass tone for bass guitar. I have found that it is best achieved with analog square wave distortion, analog octave pedals and cheap analog filter pedals. On the new G.I. album I got to lay down some synth tracks on “My baby “. There is a dance element to that music, and so I can get away with some gadgets here and there but it really is just icing on the cake. Some guys make it work all the time, but the music needs to be written around the technique or effect.
Do you think recent advances in technology have helped improve the quality of music?
Not necessarily. People played fantastic music before electricity.
So you don’t use computers to make music?
Yes I do. I enjoy the convenience.
What obvious changes has the Internet brought to the business?
Record companies are taking a beating from the Internet. Musicians can’t sit back and rely on record sales and royalties as much as in the past. Touring and selling merchandise has become a necessity.
Is there any balance in your life?
The music business is rough on the body and there is a lot of waiting around to be done. Usually somewhere that doesn’t have fresh food, clean drinking water or a place to rest. Marriages take strain, health is neglected, and people are stooping low to get the glory. As hunter S. Thompson is so often misquoted, the music business “ … is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs”. There is also a negative side.
How do you feel about teaching?
I generally find it rewarding.
What makes the gig worth it?- In the long run?
I use a common musician filtering system for judging the desirability of a gig. There are 3 factors involved. The music, the money and the hang. Any gig should meet at least two of these important criteria – preferably three. In short, the ideal gig is musically satisfying, lucrative and a pleasant get together. It is no use earning top money whilst secretly wanting to off yourself (or someone else!) because the musical director is a #%*! One should also not have to move back in with your mother so you can afford to join your favorite nose flute ensemble. I have my own self-preservation in mind when taking on a gig. When I was younger I would do anything and everything, often running myself into the ground after weekends of six different gigs in a row. Things have changed. I can’t say that I am driven by the search for glory and I have stylistic preferences. I actually don’t like being in the limelight and shy away from anything that takes my focus away from my family. This can be bad for one’s bank account but I have been fortunate.
And lastly, what do you get up to when you’re taking a well-deserved break from music?
Aah…that one’s easy. I just avoid anything to do with work.
Bass Videos
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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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.
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Photo, Missy Faulkner
Features
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
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Facebook @karinarykman/
Bass Videos
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.
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Photos by Manuela Haeussler
Bass Videos
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
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