Bass Videos
Reader Submission and Video – Gratitude for My Great Teacher, Jaco by Mike Frost
Reader Submission and Video – Gratitude for My Great Teacher, Jaco by Mike Frost
Mike Shares…
In 1982, I was studying with Jerry Jemmott, and he knew I was a disciple of Jaco; he arranged for me to get some lessons with Jaco.
Jaco changed my life forever and I wanted to do a tribute to him. www.mikefrost.co
Gratitude for my great teacher, Jaco
Like anyone that heard the opening track on Jaco’s first solo album, I was in left in awe. It seemed impossible that a bass could be played in such a fashion and more impossible that I would be ever able to play it. That has been my view for that past 35+ years.
I had recently been reflecting on the impact of Jaco on my life, the bass world and the world of music. And in my opinion, in all three cases that impact is immeasurable. It is with this awareness that I was able to realize the debt of gratitude owed for all my teachers; Jerry Jemmott, Chuck Alder, Carlos Castillo, and of course, my time studying with Jaco. Those precious hours would transform my approach to the bass and music forever. Moreover, they gave me the inspiration to make this precious art form the main route in life’s precious journey.
With all the noise and anticipation around the new Jaco documentary to be released this year, I began to reflect on that moment when many years ago I placed the Jaco Pastorius LP on the turntable and heard the opening track. Donna Lee – the ‘impossible’ made possible by Jaco. With the suggestion of a friend, I began to ponder tackling the ‘impossible’. Note by note, week by week, and month by month I strived until the end was reached. The video above is the culmination of this effort. I often imagined who was Donna Lee? That is the inspiration for the video track. Having Edwin Hamilton on congas, my main drummer these days, was a no-brainer.
The effort started in the Spring 2015 when I began listening to the track over and over to reacquaint myself with the form. I also needed to become familiar with the nuances of the track and trying out different fingerings in an attempt to capture Jaco’s inflections. It’s not 100%, but close enough for now. I can’t tell you how many times I changed it up. In fact, right up to the very video shoot I was re-thinking the lines.
After all these decades I am still in awe of this piece and of Jaco’s work in general. To think there was no track, nor Jaco, for Jaco to emulate is indeed mind boggling. I can’t imagine electric bass today without his pioneering work or imagine how he was able to single-handedly reinvent the instrument.
I will never be done with the piece. I will never master it. It will be an everlasting challenge that I may or may not pull off each time I attempt it, but it has brought me, as Jaco did, to higher ground and an even greater appreciation for the greatest bass player we have ever seen. Jaco, where ever you may be, thank you for the music, the lessons, and the inspiration. You are certainly missed by me and many.
The recording is direct. No effects, no compression. Just a preamp and then into Logic. The bass is a Clifford Roi with an ebony board, wenge and santos mahogany neck, an alder and mahogany body. The top is flamed redwood.
Visit Mike online at www.mikefrost.co
This month, we discuss right-hand techniques to minimize injury while playing bass.
Dr. Randall Kertz is the author of The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health. Click here to get your copy today!
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Adam Russell, bassist for Story of the Year, hasn’t slowed down for a second.
With the band’s latest album A.R.S.O.N. dropping on February 13, 2026, they’ve not only delivered new music but also pushed their creativity further through a series of visually striking videos, several of which Adam himself co-directed and edited.
In this interview, we dive into the making of the new record, explore how Adam shapes his signature bass sound, and get the inside scoop on the band’s upcoming Camp Screamo Tour with Silverstein and Origami Angel.
Here’s Adam Russell.
Photo: Ryan Stephens
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Get ready for a conversation with one of Southern rock’s enduring forces, Tim Neilsen. For over 35 years, Drivin N Cryin has been delivering a powerful blend of grit, melody, and heart, and they’re not slowing down anytime soon. With their brand-new album “Crushing Flowers” set to drop on April 10th, the band is gearing up for another exciting chapter.
At the core of that signature sound is bassist Tim Nielsen, whose driving grooves have helped define the band’s identity and earned them a place in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
In this interview, we sit down with Tim to talk about the new album, the secrets behind his unmistakable tone, and what lies ahead for Drivin N Cryin.
Here is Tim Nielsen.
Photos: Chris Neilsen, Carlton Freeman, Ted Lanthangue, and courtesy Tim Neilsen
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Oteil Burbridge & Lamar Williams Jr. Champion Love Over Hate in New Single “Hush” | New Album ‘The Offering’ Out May 1.
Bassist Oteil Burbridge and vocalist Lamar Williams Jr. continue the rollout of their forthcoming collaborative album The Offering, with the release of its second single, “Hush”. A slow-burning Southern soul meditation rooted in love, peace, and emotional clarity, the track is a centerpiece on the album with a potent, thematic statement, in Williams’ words to “block out all of that nonsense” and “remember that there is more love in the world than hate.” The full-length album arrives May 1 via Flóki Studios, recorded on Iceland’s northern coast and produced by drummer, engineer, and Soulive co-founder Alan Evans.
While much of The Offering grew out of Burbridge’s banjo-based writing, “Hush” emerged from he and Williams’ shaping a deliberate sonic vision. Burbridge says they were “trying to capture a more old school Memphis, Macon, Muscle Shoals vibe,” leaning into a Southern soul feel that fits Williams’s phrasing. The end result is a song that is unhurried with a deep pocket that allows the groove and the song’s message breathe and stand at the forefront.
The album features an all-star lineup of drummer John Morgan Kimock, percussionist Weedie Braimah, organist Melvin Seals of the Jerry Garcia Band, pianist and violinist Jason Crosby, guitarists Tom Guarna and Jaden Lehman — musicians whose overlapping histories connect the Allman Brothers Band, Dead & Company, the Jerry Garcia Band, Soulive, and West African percussion traditions.
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When I heard that American Vanity, formerly known as Burn the Jukebox, was gearing up to release a new album this summer, it felt like the perfect moment to catch up with bassist and vocalist Virginia Franks.
With a fresh name unveiled just this past January and a clear shift in musical direction, the band is entering an exciting new chapter, one defined by both sonic evolution and a deeper, more focused message.
In this conversation, Virginia opens up about the inspiration behind the upcoming record, how she crafts her distinctive bass tone, what fans can expect from their upcoming tour, and where she sees both herself and the band heading next.
Join me as we dive into it all.
Here is Virginia Franks.
Photo, Devin Kasparian
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