Musical Influences

I'd like to claim that my influences are varied, but they're really not. My primary musical influences are great bassists who play with technically proficient bands, especially jambands. Then there's a wider range of stuff that influences me a little.

I almost never sit down and think "I'll write a bassline like..." one of these people. But I do, while jamming, occasionally think, "Let me try playing something like..." one of these people. And every once in a while, I string together three or four notes that sound like a lousy recording of that person playing while ill.

Victor Wooten

Victor Wooten is the world's greatest living bass player. His amazing technique coupled with his firm grasp of music theory make for some of the most mind-boggling basslines you'll ever hear. He sounds like two really talented bassists playing at once...but it's just his four strings and him. In addition to his work with the brilliant Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, he's got several great solo albums: I recommend A Show Of Hands.

Jaco Pastorius

Well, no list of bassists is complete without Jaco, right? His influence on the jazz and bass landscape has been chronicled many times, but for me, the big deal is he was a pioneer in making the bass naturally seem to be the most important instrument in the band. His Punk Jazz is a big favorite, but I particularly enjoy Weather Report: The Jaco Years.

Tony Levin

Tony Levin plays with a range of musicians from Peter Gabriel to King Crimson. The KC song Elephant Talk is a great example of his Stick playing and composition. If you haven't heard it, go download it. If you like beautifully crafted bass-oriented music, check out Waters Of Eden. If you like the crazy stuff, I recommend the Liquid Tension Experiment. I'm driven to strengthen my tap technique every time I listen to him.

Rob Derhak

Rob Derhak plays bass for the world's greatest jamband, moe. Though I've heard the appeal of moe. is lost on some people, I fail to understand it. Go listen to Not Coming Down and tell me it's not a great song, with some phenomenal basswork. Rob's quick, compressed, slap-happy style drives the music but doesn't overwhelm it. And then listen to Opium, with it's laid-back, slow and simple bassline, providing a solid skeleton for the rest of the band to gently float around. Rob rules! Check out Wormwood, and of course, the live albums.

Mike Gordon

Mike Gordon is a weird-looking bassist who spent some time playing with an obscure Vermont quartet, which eventually disbanded due to its failure to generate any type of faithful following. He's since released Inside In, a solo album, and Clone, with Leo Kottke. Recently, he produced an intriguing album for Joey Arkenstat, another weird-looking bassist. He also directed Outside Out, a movie about...uh...about...er...hrm.... Well, anyway, it's a good movie. Well, it's a movie.

John Entwhistle

Every time I climb way up the neck on those thin strings, I think about The Ox. All of The Who's songs benefit from his solid basslines, but the fast, high basswork on Quadrophenia is truly inspirational. Nobody plays like he did above fret 15, and it just goes to show you: a bassline is about providing a rhythmic and harmonic foundation, not just pounding the low frequencies.

Robert Mercurio

Rob writes some of the most compelling, addictive, groove-oriented basslines I can think of. Galactic has a loose, funky, jam-oriented sound, and Mercurio's groove is always there to back up the action. You may not find many people who say he's as talented as Victor, or as influential as Jaco, but if I could choose to play like anyone, I'd choose Robert Mercurio. Reach into the vault and check out Church on Coolin' Off. How does someone write a bassline that great?