By Joe Gagliardo 

 

Bassist Ted Ansani and singer/songwriter/guitarist Jim Ellison met at Chicago’s Columbia College in 1986 while pursuing music / entertainment related studies.  Mike Zelenko was added on drums …. and Material Issue was born!

 

A power pop powerhouse that was so influential, it prompted David Bash to create the International Pop Overthrow Festival, taking the name of Material Issue’s first LP release on Mercury records.

 

Long before Material Issue, Ted rented, and eventually purchased a 1984 black MusicMan StingRay bass Guitar with a maple neck so that he could play in the High School Jazz Band.

 

That instrument remains his main bass today, along with a late 70’s MusicMan Sabre bass, and can be heard on many Material Issue tracks.  Check out the bass on the MTV show where the band played “Diane” live.

 

“Diane” https://youtu.be/Lv5ovTVSAYg

 

Ted has had a significant collection of cool basses, as can be seen in the video for the song, “What Girls Want.”

 

“What Girls Want” https://youtu.be/JhIBh_L9RXk

 

Ted’s bass inspirations are many, including;  Carol Kaye, The Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Duck Dunn (Booker T and the MGs), Pete Farndon (The Pretenders) and the avalanche of 60’s music he heard growing up.

 

Those influences served him well, whether he was playing with a pick, his fingers or his thumb—with his objective being to find the best way to serve the music and serve the song.

 

Being a trio, Ted’s style provided that “bass bottom,” whether it was playing rhythmic chords, the descending melody of “Renee Remains The Same,” “The Problem With Jill,” or the staccato playing in “Valerie Loves Me.”

 

“The Problem with Jill”     https://youtu.be/qF4mbRimaHk

 

“Valerie Loves Me” https://youtu.be/YcRtlj8KXT4

 

Material Issue released three studio LPs for Mercury, and a live LP recorded at the Metro, where they are joined by Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen for a scorching cover of Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz.”

 

“Ballroom Blitz” https://youtu.be/eAejTHBdpMY

 

Ted and Mike also collaborated on the issuing of Telecommando Americano, the final Material Issue release after the untimely passing of Jim Ellison.

 

Ted kept busy in the post-Material Issue days, releasing a solo album, Throttles and Pistons, in the early 2000’s, and you can catch Ted and Mike Zelenko these days with their Material Reissue Project. 

 

 

By Thomas Semioli

A giant of the instrument and among the most innovative, identifiable, and creative electric jazz bassists, the player born Rudy McDaniel in Hempstead Long Island, and raised in Philadelphia hardly garners recognition outside the free jazz / free funk / fusion / avant-garde / experimental circles.

Tacuma made his name as the anchor of Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time collective as a 19-year-old in 1975 on three watershed slabs: Dancing In Your Head, Body Meta, and Of Human Feelings.   

In the 80s Jamaaladeen commenced to recording under his own name, waxing several sides which erased the boundaries of funk, pop, jazz, world, and every permutation thereof.

Among Tacuma’s impressive sideman credits include Nona Hendryx, The Golden Palominos, Wolfgang Pusching, Linda Sharrock, Marc Ribot, and James Blood Ulmer to cite a select few.

A multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, educator, composer, collaborator – Tacuma has been recognized by his peers with several prestigious awards and hosts the annual Outsiders Improvised Musical Festival.

Citing Val Burke and James Jamerson as, Jamaaladeen’s more recognizable weapons of choice include the Rickenbacker 4001, Fender Jazz, Steinberger XL, WAV Radius, and WAV Radius Upright.

Dig Jamaaladeen with Max Roach and Carlos Santana https://youtu.be/oWIe6Benbu0

Dig Jamaaladeen with The Last Poets https://youtu.be/oWIe6Benbu0

Dig Jamaaladeen with Ornette and Prime Time https://youtu.be/hSzC3ICoOds

 

By Thomas Semioli

 

“I asked myself: how would a collaboration between Miles Davis and Metallica sound like? Who said you can’t head bang on jazz?” – Etienne Pelosoff

 

An innovative multi-instrumentalist, composer, collaborator, journalist, among other endeavors – bassist Etienne Pelosoff takes a decidedly unconventional approach to the black metal / thrash artform – incorporating a jazz aesthetic not usually associated which the genre. Pelosoff, to my ears, evokes a balance of the free jazz and soul jazz methodology – outlining the “changes” with a combination of deep pocket grooves punctuated by “dissonant” note choices which bring out the colors of the composition.

 

Etienne Pelosoff Sound & Vision…

 

“So What” https://youtu.be/2LGJ-qf4PxA

 

“Tritone Labyrnith” from Trve Black Metal Jazz https://youtu.be/zwhfgYqjjGI

 

Dig Etienne’s soundtrack work for “Art of Chare” https://youtu.be/yjn29OuA9ug

 

Why choose brutality or jazz when you can have both? Stay “trve,” stay jazz. – Etienne Pelosoff

 

Amy Humphrey

For well over 10 years now, husband & wife duo Clatter have been creating rhythm section chaotic goodness. Hailing from Missouri, and soon to be hailing from Sweden, Clatter (Amy Humphrey, bass & Joe Hayes, drums) recently performed a quick run of gigs in Austin, Texas.

 

Amy Humphrey is a self taught bassist and her unique style and tone are an integral part of the sound of Clatter.

 

With her trusty Rickenbacker bass, Amy uses a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier with a matching 4×12 cabinet and an SWR SM-900 with a matching 8×8 cabinet simultaneously by using and A/B splitter box. This rig, combined with her unique plucking style creates some gnarly but beautiful tones.

 

Amy is not afraid to play her bass with the zeal of a flamenco guitarist in order to get what she needs from the instrument. And on top of those wacky bass lines she also holds down the lead vocal duties in the band. If she’s not on your bass radar then look her up.

You won’t regret it!

 

Amy also has an extensive rig rundown and deconstructed bass lines series available via their YouTube channel. 

 

Clatter’s latest single and video can be heard here: https://youtu.be/hbJLgYmfpYM

 

Clatter’s discography is available here: https://clatter.bandcamp.com

 

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Mike Swarbrick

Cortége is an Austin, TX bass/drum duo with bass duties held down by Mike Swarbrick. With an ethereal, otherworldly sound, the duo traverses vast soundscapes that have a uniquely Spaghetti Western feel to them. Not only does Mike cover bass duties he also plays a variety of synthesizers and tubular bells! In December 2021, Swarbrick took over low end duties for Destroyer of Light.

 

Cortege “Horizons” https://youtu.be/5au1abxvDP4

 

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Rain Nox

Rain Nox is the second of two bassists in the Austin, TX based rock band Rise From Fire.

 

Rain is an accomplished musician, holding a degree in music composition from the University of Texas at Austin. Not only does Rain cover lead vocals and hold down the low end in her band, as an accomplished pianist and vocalist she also has her musicals and mini operas performed in Austin. As a bassist, she does her job expertly, keeping the groove and laying the foundation for her husband’s ‘lead bass’ riffs and solos. Rain can be seen performing with Rise From Fire around the Austin club scene.

 

Rise From Fire “Serenity” https://youtu.be/4uSsmUfmFUI

 

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Tony Salvaggio

Tony has been an active bassist in the Austin underground scene since approximately 1996. He plays bass in his band Deserts of Mars and is also the primary lyricist and songwriter. With his wife, Rain Nox, he serves as ‘lead’ bassist in the all bass & drum group Rise From Fire. Tony’s style is rooted in metal, drawing heavily from the late 70’s and 80’s metal styles (Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden). Both bands can be heard regularly around the Austin metal club scene.

 

Deserts of Mars “Return from the Void: 01 Raise the Pyramids” https://youtu.be/5UinzorUkMs

 

Rise from Fire “Die by the Sword” https://youtu.be/NKNwtRHfdP0

Rob Jenkins by….Rob Jenkins!

Rob Jenkins is an Austin, TX bassist and KYBP Austin Bureau Chief!

 

For 30 years now, he has been slogging away in the underground club scene, playing anything from rock, folk, metal, jazz, blues, musicals, funk, classical, hip-hop, and whatever other genre may need a bassist. Holding a degree in music composition from the University of Texas at Austin, Rob spent a number of years teaching double bass to middle and high school students in the Austin metro area.

 

Now, playing electric bass almost exclusively, he focuses on playing with his band and working in his home instrument setup and repair shop.

 

Although Rob has experience in a variety of genres, heavy metal is his first love and he currently serves as the bassist for local Austin heavies Flooded Tomb.

 

Another project he has begun experimenting with is creating various ‘supergroups’ of other local underground scene musicians for one-night-only psychedelic jams.

 

You can catch Rob playing regularly with his band Flooded Tomb around the Austin metal club scene.

 

Rob’s band, Flooded Tomb, can be seen and heard here: https://youtu.be/EvbblqLPur8

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOsAnibwZBP-NKJpjarFJ4AtY0BwJ462Q

 

Rob’s classical chamber music compositions can be heard here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kdOAD5Cp-jjXq-MTwKKMJIa4WdW_BY6fs

An acclaimed bassist, recording artist, educator, Bass Musician Magazine columnist, sideman, touring musician, composer, collaborator, band-member… James Rosocha is what we here at KYBP refer to as “a bass lifer!” No explanation needed!

A mainstay on the New York, New Jersey scene, among Rosocha’s career highlights include a two-decade working relationship with jazz fusion guitarist B.D. Lenz which produced nine albums.

Dig James tearin’ it up with B.D. Lenz on Stevie’s “Superstition” https://youtu.be/xdxEWku8VY8

You may have seen and heard James onstage with Trey Anastatio, Hiram Bullock, Joel Rosenblatt, Jay Beckenstein, and Randy Brecker, among others….

Check out tracks from James’ debut collection Avalon www.jamesrosocha.com

A versatile player – as you would surmise from his list of credits, dig James at the 2019 Phil Jones Brooklyn Bass Competition: https://youtu.be/AKMHRFui6dQ

By Thomas Semioli

If you have ears, you’ve heard this cat anchor major artists spanning rock, country, alternative, Americana, contemporary soul, dance,  and every permutation thereof!

Paul Bushnell’s remarkable career jumpstarted as the producer / arranger / and bassist with The Commitments band and film adaptation soundtrack of Roddy Doyle’s novel, which ignited interest in old-school American rhythm and blues amid the hair metal fallout and onset of grunge in 1991.

A versatile song player with a command of rhythm and harmony; composer, multi-instrumentalist, and sound-engineer – Bushnell migrated to Los Angeles and quickly became a first-call session player, waxing slabs with Paula Cole, Celine Dion, Jewel, Meredith Brooks, Sinead O’Connor, Sir Elton, Phil Collins, Joe Cocker, Alanis Morisette, Melissa Etheridge, Kelly Clarkson, John Fogerty, Martina McBride, Jason Mraz, Shakira, Miley Cyrus, Melanie C, Michael Buble, Katy Perry, Orianthi, Chris Cornell, Neil Young, Richard Marx, Avril Lavigne, Chris Isaak, Kelly Clarkson, Tracy Chapman, and Tim McGraw to cite a very, very select few….

To describe Paul’s playing style is impossible – he adapts to every situation with the right tone, right note choices, right approach …

Dig Paul with The Commitments “Mustang Sally” https://youtu.be/ZEsoq0B1IOo

Dig Paul recording “Love Shows Me” for Rain Boe Wave https://youtu.be/T-yqr0WnmE0

Dig Paul with Paula Cole “I Am So Ordinary” https://youtu.be/gx5wWohnBIE

Dig Paul with Neil Young “Peach Trail” https://youtu.be/Le-IUDtamIA

By Joe Gagliardo

He is Chicago’s “bass doctor!”

From violin, to bass violin to bass and guitar player and eventually guitar maker – Carl Pedigo used the skills he learned in his high school machine shop and wood shop classes, and made his first guitar cobbling together pieces from a Teisco Del Ray guitar!

This passion ultimately led to him playing a 35” scale four string bass tuned BEAD. Carl later moved on to a fretless five string with flat wound strings.

Among Carl’s bass heroes include Alain Caron (UZEB); and Larry Graham of Sly & the Family Stone and Graham Central Station: universally acknowledged as The Godfather of “thumpin’ and pluckin!’

Carl spent a large part of his live bass playing career in Chicago with various bands including legendary singer/songwriter Jim Desmond, The Hightones, and L & L All Stars.

He has the distinction of playing his own hand-made basses for most of his playing career.

Over the years, Carl’s work on musician friends’ gear, led him to going to work with a luthier.  His repair work showed him that many of the issues he was dealing with were the same, no matter the brand name of the bass guitar.  In 1994, he was thinking that the situation could be rectified if basses were made that eliminated the most common issues he was seeing. Dan Lakin and Hugh McFarland shared that same thought,  and that was the beginning of Lakland Bass Guitars, using parts of Dan and Hugh’s last names.

Carl has made Lakland Basses for a virtual who’s who of bassists, including Prince (the bass was commissioned by Rhonda Smith who was then playing bass with Prince), Duck Dunn (Booker T & the MGs, The Blues Brothers), Bob Glaub (Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen), Jason Scheff (Chicago), Adam Clayton (U2), Joe Osborn (“The Wrecking Crew”) and the first Jerry Scheff Lakland Signature Bass, with  Kent Armstrong hum cancelling lipstick pickups.

For a complete list of client’s check out http://www.chicagobassdoctor.com/clients.html

These days Carl still works with Lakland, and he is also doing repairs— as well as making custom basses and guitars for his Carlo brand.

And Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine) is a fan!

To learn more about Carl – visit www.chicagobassdoctor.com