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Mark King – Bass Musician Magazine Q&A by Bob Considine

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Mark King with band Level 42

Mark King – Bass Musician Magazine Q&A by Bob Considine… Many of the faces were the same when Level 42 front man and slap bass legend Mark King took to the intimate stage of the infamous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London this past winter.

But despite being flanked with his long-time band mates, these shows were a definite departure for the British thumbslinger. Rather that pulling from a safety net of hits and familiar toe-tappers that still make Level 42 a steady draw during his self-proclaimed semi-retirement, King played only his lesser-known solo material.

The results, captured in a new live CD called “Mark King & Friends – Somewhere in Soho,” are much more Mahavishnu than mainstream, but no less blistering. Many of the tracks are pulled from King’s 1984 solo album, Influences, which had never been played live and is arguably the most intricate and fusionist music he has recorded.

The bass sound is as-in-your-face as Level 42 fans have grown accustomed to, but with a greater range of rawness and atmospherics, all thanks to a pair of brand new Status Graphite King basses with new parametric EQ that King says “sound awesome” along with his TC Electronic Blacksmith amp, a pair of TC 4×10 cabs and a slew of TC pedals.

Level 42 will continue to endure, King says. And the last few years have been good to the band, with regular tour dates and festival appearance all over the world and an acoustic version of their biggest hit, Something About You, finding its way into regular rotation on Sirius/XM’s Coffee House in the U.S. for two years running.

But with the feedback and fulfillment resulting from Somewhere in Soho – available on www.level42.com – King hints there could be more solo gems in his crown going forward.

BC: The Ronnie Scott shows were definitely a departure from the typical Level 42 performance, both in music and venue. What prompted you to put this together and what did you get out of it?

MK: I was asked to open the first London Bass Guitar show back in March 2011. And as part of the day, the organizers asked if I could play a short set. I wanted to do something other than the Level 42 material, so I came up with an instrumental piece called Gadaffi Duck – which he should have done! – and I thought it would be super cool if I could get (ex-Level 42 drummer) Gary Husband to play keys for me. He is such a talented guy, and although I’d been playing with him since 1987, I really hadn’t had the chance to play with him tearing up on keyboards. And boy can he shred the ivories!

I also wanted to get (current Level 42 drummer) Pete Ray Biggin involved on drums too, to see how he would interact with Gary. And then I invited (current Level 42 sax man) Sean Freeman in to do his thing. So we did this short set and I absolutely loved it!

But it was all over so quickly and I needed another fix. My agent, Neil Warnock, called me up and said how about a week at Ronnie Scott’s Club in London. Perfect! So fast forward 11 months and I get a call from Neil asking what was I going to do at Ronnie’s exactly… Erm….I dunno. I’d better make some calls and put a band together. What to play? Erm… I dunno. How do I put together a 90-minute set in two weeks of material that hasn’t been seen live before? Of course!! Influences!

Mark King and Friends

BC: Influences, which you played most of the instruments on, came out in 1984. Having been on the shelf that long, was there anything that you re-discovered about the music going through it with a band 28 years later?

MK: Yeah. After 28 years, it really was like re-discovering a side of me that I’d forgotten existed – that freedom to take an idea and just run with it without any concerns about “Will it sell? Will the label like it? Isn’t it too self-indulgent?” It was a very liberating experience and when I put the band together to play the pieces, I was really excited to hear how, or even if it would work.

So I had Gary in mind on keys and Pete Biggin on drums, but needed a percussionist. So I called an old friend, Miles Bould, who had played on the Forever Now album with Level 42 and also my One Man album back in 1998. But more recently, I had drafted him in to play with Pete as part of The Princes Trust house band last November and the two of them worked really well together. I had Sean Freeman down for sax of course. He’s brilliant, but wanted to add trumpet and trombone, so enter Dan Carpenter and Nichol Thomson – great players and vocalists too. Always a bonus!

So, I still needed a Rhodes player and guitarist and the best Rhodes player I know is (Level 42 keyboardist/cofounder) Mike Lindup and he sings beautifully, of course. But better still, he had played on much of the original material. With the guitar, I know loads of amazing players. But with such a wide range of duties to cover here, I had to call my brother Nathan, and it was the best call I made I think, because he was fantastic.

BC: The band members, particularly Mike Lindup and Pete Ray Biggin, really enthusiastically spoke out on how much they enjoyed these shows. Do you think that was a matter of them wanting to do something that was a bit of a departure from the Level 42 material, as well?

MK: Well, this is good, meaty stuff for any player to get stuck in to and it was the sort of opportunity that doesn’t come along everyday. For a lot of these guys who make their living as session players, the chance to just “do your thing man” is rare and they certainly rose to the occasion.

BC: You opened the shows with “The Essential,” off of Influences, which is often viewed as the Mark King Opus, clocking in at nearly 19 minutes on the record with some really thunderous bass during the end ‘Barcelona’ section. How do you feel that translated live and was it a challenge to get it to where you wanted?

MK: It was rather daunting, yes. But when I knew that we would be playing The Essential, I thought ‘Well, let’s just jump in and open the show with it!’ It was a good move too, I think – a real statement of intent. It was a big ask of the guys, though, because we only had four days of rehearsal before Show One and there is a hell of a lot of mood changes through the six parts in the song that really need to be spot on or it just doesn’t work. But to a man they nailed it. I’m really proud of them!

BC: You have two new tracks on the CD, “Headhunt” and the “ATs,” which definitely has that 80’s “Micro-Kid” vibe. How did those come about?

MK: These were from some sessions I laid down in The Summerhouse at my old home on the Isle of Wight back in 1996/19977 with my old buddy (saxophonist) Gary Barnacle. He came down with a car full of saxes and I started filling up my DA88 rack with tons of riffs and melodies that were knocking about. Then I transferred it across to an 8-track Pro-Tools system and spent ages chopping it all into some kind of order. It worked out quite well, but remained on the shelf, as so often happens with me! Until I thought they might work well with the horn section for the Ronnie’s shows. They were great fun to play and it was lovely to see the audience really get into the vibe too.

BC: Level 42 has had a pretty steady schedule over the past decade. With the response from these shows, do you think you will gravitate to including more of these solo shows in your calendar or instrumental music going forward?

MK: I would love to do more of this kind of thing. But I also love playing the Level sets too, so I’m spoiled for choice, really. I think I should come up with some NEW stuff and see where that takes me. But it’s all good though!”

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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