Bassist Matthew Jurasek – Bass Musician Magazine Q&A

Meet Bassist Matthew Jurasek in this Bass Musician Magazine Q & A…

Name: 

Matthew Jurasek

Born In What City:

Bergenfield NJ

Current Band(s) I am playing with:

D & M

Former Bands I Have Played With:

Zero Strikes Back, The Matthew Curran Band, MTM Trio, Outside The Box

CD’s I’ve Released/ Been a Part Of:

D&M – Wait For Me EP – (April 2012)

Matermathu – Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City (Nov. 2011)

Describe The Way You Play Bass:

It has been drilled into my head through schooling that the bass defines the composition. I try to do this by adding subtle melodic lines to everything I play.

What Made Me Decide to Play Bass: 

Bassists always have work. Really though, I played guitar and piano before I ever considered bass, and I quickly realized that everyone is always looking for a bassist.

Musical Influences:

Matt Grundy from Donovan Frankenreiter’s band is a major influence on my style, as well as Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas from Mutemath. These guys push the boundaries in a sense, and keep coming up with innovative lines. Other major influences range from Noel Redding and Billy Cox, to Jaco Pastorius and Charles Mingus.

Favorite Musical Styles:

Anything that grooves, including disco and maybe a little polka in there too.

My Bass(es):

Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass

Warwick 5-string Corvette Std.

My Amps and Other Gear:

Acoustic – 260 100W 1×10” Mini-stack

Electro-Harmonix – Bass Micro Synthesizer

Best Bass Advice You’ve Ever Received:

If you play a wrong note, play it again and its jazz.

One Piece Of Advice For Other Bassists:

If you play a wrong note, play it again and its jazz.

Favorite Quote or Life Philosophy:

Don’t eat the yellow snow; metaphorically speaking.

Most Amazing Gig so Far:

Every gig is amazing in its own way. Its hard to pick just one, but headlining at the Stone Pony, where I grew up seeing my favorite artists, was probably my most gratifying moment.

Dream Gig:

To play a private recital for Kevin Spacey and Joan Rivers.  And I wouldn’t mind having a headlining spot at City Winery in New York.

Most Embarrassing Moment on Stage:

When I was 14 or 15, someone told me it would be cool if I tried to spin my bass around my body and catch it. Needless to say I failed at that, and ripped the cable out from the amp and it nailed me in the head.

Favorite Tip to Share on Traveling With Your Bass:

Always have it close to you. I usually don’t trust anyone else to look after my things.

What Would You Be Doing If You Weren’t A Musician:

I’d probably be working in a fish market in NJ somewhere. But I could never see myself not playing music.

The Question No One Ever Asks Me, But I Have Been Dying to Share:

How much can you bench – and the answer is 6 reps of 5,230 pounds….. on a bad day.

What You Can Look Forward to From Me this Year:

D&M will be touring a lot this summer, so look out for updates on our website: www.wearedandm.com Check out my Facebook for more info about shows!

Find Me Online:

Website www.matthewjurasek.com

Twitter: follow me @mathu_john

Facebook: www.facebook.com/matthewjurasek