Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, Will Lee, Jimmy Haslip, and Bakithi Kumalo each anchor different tracks on the new release from the acclaimed pianist and composer, produced by Grammy-winning drummer Poogie Bell
It is rare for a single album to gather even one bass icon. We Are Just Human, the new vocal album from pianist and composer Kenny Peagler, brings together five of the most influential bassists alive — each taking a different track, each bringing a distinct voice to the low end.
Marcus Miller plays on “Come Close To Me” and “Kiss and Make Up.” Five-time Grammy winner Victor Wooten anchors “Time Machine.” Will Lee appears on “Like No One’s In the Room” and “I Believe,” Jimmy Haslip on “Where Is The Love,” and Bakithi Kumalo — the voice behind some of the most recognizable bass lines in pop history — on “Live This Life For You.” The result is a record that doubles as a master class in modern bass: five players, five philosophies, one cohesive body of songs.
The album is produced by Grammy-winning drummer Poogie Bell, a fellow Pittsburgh native who holds down the kit across all nine tracks. The supporting cast extends the pedigree further, with saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin and percussionist Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez among the contributors.
At the center is Peagler himself — a classically trained pianist with more than three decades on international stages, from Carnegie Hall to the Umbria Jazz Festival to a performance for President Barack Obama. With We Are Just Human, he steps forward as a vocalist and songwriter for the first time, building songs sturdy enough to hold a roster of this caliber.
Critics have taken note. Music Connection awarded the album 8 out of 10, praising Peagler’s voice as “strong and warm” and the musicianship throughout as exceptional, while SoulTracks highlighted the project as revealing a powerful new dimension of an artist long respected on the bandstand.
For bass players, the appeal is direct: a chance to hear Miller, Wooten, Lee, Haslip, and Kumalo on the same album, in service of the song rather than the solo. The masters are owned outright, and isolated bass stems, hi-res audio, and interviews with Kenny Peagler and Poogie Bell are available on request.
We Are Just Human is out now on Apple Music, Spotify, and all major streaming platforms.
Visit online at www.kennypeagler.com