Winter NAMM 2008
Current mood: sick
Category: Music

hey all,

I don't want to whine or offer up excuses but the reason it's taken me so long to post this blog is twofold. first, I have been sick since the night I got home from NAMM. literally. a lot sick. lost my voice, fever, coughing up stuff I hesitate to describe... the whole nine yards. second, my computer has decided that I spend too much time on the internet and keeps booting me off. I've tried discussing it nicely, but, well, I keep getting the cold shoulder. might have to call in a professional soon.

so, on to NAMM...

as usual the evening of set up was insane. loading in was delayed because there was no carpet in our booth and we could not block the aisle with our gear. luckily a handful of hipsters swung by and made the passing of time so much nicer. Yves Carbonne and Darren Michaels are flanking me and Seth Horan is behind the camera...

eventually we finished setting up and all was cool. if you want some idea of what set up is like, wander to Seth's page and root through his NAMM pics from this year. luckily, I got some decent sleep that night.

one of the hallmarks of the show for me was that I got to (FINALLY!!) catch Seth playing live, which I've wanted since I first heard him online back in New Orleans almost 3 years ago. for anyone who's had the pleasure, it's a great show. aside from tremendous technical command of his instrument and a great voice, Mr. Horan is one hell of an entertainer. combine all that with his great material and you have an actual event. then afterwards we got to hang a bit with a host of weirdos including Steve Lawson, Yves, Darren, C3 and the mighty Eugenia Horan. and we had sushi!

the show kicked off in a pleasant, low key vein. got to see a bunch of friends, which for me is the best part of NAMM. it's a very different show when you go as a player as opposed to being an exhibitor and to be completely honest I still haven't really made the switch. when Jean Baudin or Andy Cervantes wanted by with their gig bags and I know they've been playing already and are on their way to play more, it's kind of tough to spend most of my time in one booth. but I do still get to do the hang, and that is very hip. some of the visitors to the Nordstrand booth included Lee Barker, seen here talking to Carey...

Lee has been a good friend since we met at the Bozeman Bass Bash years ago. he is the designer and builder of the Barker Bass, a different approach to the electric upright. it's really designed for electric players who want to venture into the realm of the upright but do not necessarily want to devote years to learning the technique that instrument requires. he developed it for personal reasons but it is a ridiculously cool instrument and I'm still trying to find a way to get one.

another visitor was Dale Woolum...

aside from being a wild player, Dale designed the new AccuGroove Synergy amp. I knew little about the amp before the show but I am going to get one of them if it kills me! this thing is unbelievable. for what I do and my personal taste it is absolutely perfect. now, I don't mean to gloss over the fact that Dale is one of the kindest and most genuine people you're ever going to meet. 'cause he is!

I'm really lucky in that my friends are some of the best people on earth.

as I couldn't get out of the booth much (and generally forgot my camera when I did wander), there were lots of people and jams I didn't catch photographically. among them were Trip Wamsley, Brady Muckelroy, Paul Delano, Andy Cervantes, Jean Baudin, Wade Craver, Fred Bolton of Bee Basses, Jon Meghini of M Basses, Steve Sukop and the lovely Aida from Sukop Basses, Mark Wright of AccuGroove and Jake Kot of Kot Basses. my friend Martin Keith, who builds for himself and for Joe Veillette lost his voice the first day of the show, poor guy!

this year I also had the distinct pleasure of finally meeting in person Mike Dimin and Joe Zon. both very cool cats!

a real highlight for me was meeting Martin Valihora, who drums for the amazing Hiromi. if you are not acquainted with her music and the phenomenal trio (filled out by the ever unique Tony Grey on bass), you really owe it to yourself to listen. eclectic, passionate, beautiful and filled with joy. great stuff!

the host of players who came by the booth this year included Scott Pazera and Todd Johnson...

Steuart Liebig, who's got an incredible custom pickup designed by Mike Cooper in this Fodera...

and the incomparable Baba Elefante...

notice the bass he's playing in this shot. try *NOT* to notice it! this is the new fretless that we built for Scott Pazera. I think this was one of the most incredible instruments at the show. am I biased? yes. of course. but I got to play this bad boy just a bit and I got to hear it in the hands of some incredible talented people.

what's significant about this bass is that it's one of the new exotic top Nordy instruments. Carey's basses always play and sound phenomenal. his attention to detail, fit and finish is among the best I've ever seen. and his set up is spooky, it's so good. now you can get one that's really stunning to look at. I would easily put these on the level of his custom basses.

but wait! there's more!

another serious highlight for me came in the form of happenstance. our booth was right next to Zon Guitars. while Zon makes great stuff and many of my friends play them, I didn't even stop to think that their players would be working their sonic magic mere feet away. yes, I am that clueless sometimes.

why was this significant? because I have been a big fan of Damian Erskine since I first heard him last year. his recordings are great, but in person... WOW! not only did I get to listen to him several times while he was at the show, but I had the great privilege of meeting and hanging with him and his wife Cortney. she's very cool and was the ace behind the camera for the following pics...

yes, they really are that silly. and yes, I really did dress like that for the show.

now I'm going to gush just a bit more because this year I got to hear some of the best playing I've ever heard at a NAMM show. Ray Riendeau stopped by and when he sat opposite Damian, much coolness happened...

this was the sort of playing you wait for. players who not only put aside their egos (regardless of their tremendous ability), but they listen to each other and to the music. it was incredible. when they took on "Footprints" it was like a master class in melodic and dynamic playing. these two should go out in a duet tour. again, great stuff!

for anyone who knows me, I am a huge fan of Jerzy Drozd and his amazing basses. I truly believe that he makes one of the finest fretless basses you will ever hear. while I don't know how it will happen, someday I will get him to build me one! what I've never seen or heard was the man playing...

and he can play! no wonder he makes basses as well as he does; he understands them from the inside out! and who was accompanying him but my favorite hippie, Darren Michaels...

Darren, aside from burning up the NAMM show proper, played a great set after hours on the same bill as Randy Marshall and Andy Cervantes. a lot of people played that night and I wilsh I'd been able to get everyone's name, but I am sure if you look around you'll find a listing. other audience members included bass monsters C3 and Adam Tanner. big fun!

and there were some great non-musical bits, too. meet Fred Bolton's wife Petra and their son Alec...

Petra and Fred met in high school and toured in the same band. a lot of people may not know that Fred is still a gigging player (definitely talk him into playing if you get the chance!) and Petra has a voice that you would not believe comes out of that tiny little frame. Alec, well, he's just about the coolest kid on earth.

I have made a point of really only using the gear of companies that I can built a relationship with. that means I don't really think of the companies but of the people. Bill Conklin, Mark Wright, Dave Koltai of Pigtronix and of course Carey Nordstrand. while I don't generally advertise the fact, Fred and Petra have seen me through some very hard times and are truly deep friends. after I lost everything in the hurricanes of 2005, Fred got together with a bunch of people and built me an unbelievable bass which was delivered to me at the very first Lodo Bass Bash. I will forever be in this family's debt and happily so. if you want to see the bass, swing through my photos and check out the 8 string made of zebra wood and birdseye maple.

and of course, there are these guys...

the Horancinis are amazing. creative, funny, goofy, hillarious, welcoming and socially relentless. how two people this brilliant and sensitive met and ended up together, I have no idea. but the fact that they did gives me tremendous hope for my own misbegotten life, romantic and artistic.

each of them writes a blog that will make you think as much as it makes you laugh. they're insightful, honest and wonderful. so much so that I'm putting in these pics as well...

for anyone who heard either the rumor that I got married at NAMM or that Gina and I got married, neither are true. just wanted to clear that up. for the record.

was that all there was to the show? nope!

I got to play a handful of Fred's new basses this year and they kill. this one os Andy Cervantes' fretless Stinger 6 string...

and it is SWEET! Fred's basses have always been responsive but these are just off the hook!

also got to play an ebony topped M Bass 6 string and a few of the Sukop beauties. I could gush more, but it's just easier to say that it's worth your time to find and play them for yourself. very different instruments and VERY cool!

alright, let's hope the computer plays nice and lets me post this opus.

if I get more pics from the show I'll post another blog or add 'em to my photos, giving credit to the photog.

and for the record, the only music I listened to while in my care during NAMM week was indeed Trouble Funk's live album. and it kept me sane.

p.s. - sorry there are no links in this one but I didn't want to risk it.

p.p.s. - supremely cool NAMM moment of the year? walking away from the show with the coolest thing I've ever gotten at NAMM -- one of Gina's original works of art. if you haven't checked out her stuff, DO SO!!

11:27 AM - 55 Comments - 57 Kudos - Add Comment

Lodo Bass Bash & Duke City Bass Jam (Part 2 - The Photos!!)
Current mood: relaxed
Category: Music

hey all,

as promised here are some of the pics from Lodo and Duke City, which I meant to post a couple of weeks back. my apologies for the lag, but here are some of the things I have to remember from a great trip:

first, the drive had it's moments (my pics)...

second, when I got to Colorado, there was the hang (photos courtesy of Cindy Sheffield Michaels)...

which quickly turned into a good chance to catch up (photos courtesy of Cindy Sheffield Michaels and Adam Tanner)...

and to jam (photos courtesy Cindy Sheffield Michaels)...

some down time (my pics)...

and off to the venue (photo courtesy of Cindy Sheffield Michaels)...

and on to the performances (photos courtesy Derrell, Cindy Sheffield Michaels and Adam Tanner)...

a bit of clinic'ing (photo courtesy of Cindy Sheffield Michaels)...

behind the scenes a bit (photos courtesy Cindy Sheffield Michaels, Derrell, Jeff Martinez and Adam Tanner)...

and on to Duke City (photos courtesy Howard Cloud)...

where I got to see Trip sleep again (my pic)...

I knew I was closer to Southern California when I saw this along the freeway (my pic)...

there will be more pics soon, featuring C3, Jeff Schmidt, Kent Beatty, Skip Fantry, Jeff Martinez, Adam Tanner, Todd Johnson, Brady Muckelroy, Yves Carbonne and the general wonderment of both events.

sorry for the delay and thanks for putting up with blogs. you guys rock!

Currently listening : Debut By Björk Release date: 13 July, 1993

10:13 AM - 41 Comments - 26 Kudos - Add Comment

Lodo Bass Bash & Duke City Bass Jam (Part 1)
Category: Music

hey all,

because of the fact that photos and video are still being edited from the events, this will be nearly entirely "text only". sorry, but there were a lot of cameras of all sorts working during the events and compiling everything which was captured may take a bit. consequently, there will be at least one subsequent blog about the events for you (which will be proportionately "text light") in the coming weeks.

okay, first up... Lodo!

I left Monday and gave myself 2 days to make the 13 hour drive. this may be the first time I've ever done that. wow, it really makes a difference!! I didn't have to drive like a madman (not that I ever would, law-abiding citizen that I am), nor did I have to ply myself with absurd amounts of caffeine. a delight!

I arrived Wednesday in Colorado, where I met Yves and his son at the promoter's house. Brady Muckelroy and his wife had already arrived as well.

I'm going to assume that most people reading this have not met the majority of the performers I'm about to describe, but I'm going to cut out a ton of text here and simply mention that these are some of the finest humans you're going to meet anywhere. the atmosphere was relaxed, supportive and genial throughout my entire trip.

the following day we were joined by Darren Michaels and his wife, Trip Wamsley, and the mighty Adam Tanner. aside from laughing ridiculous amounts, there was a fair amount of jamming. I would not be surprised if some of it popped up on video somewhere.

almost everyone woke early on Friday as it was the first day of Lodo events and our entire crew had to make its way -- with gear -- into Denver and down to the Hyatt Regency. I must say that even groggy, it was as if everything just picked up where it had left off the previous evening. the day started with laughter and comradery.

after the amount of hubbub one would expect in coordinating all these people and their equipment, we were checked in and had a bit of time to relax before the initial "meet and greet". part of that was devoted to sound checking and teching gear, but most everyone chose to relax, eat and practice.

things got rolling in a nice low key manner. the first performance was by Marc Grabowski, known by many Denverites as the bassist for Corruption. for a bunch of the performers, last year's Lodo was the first chance we met him and he was much more relaxed and at home on stage this year. for those who only know Marc's heavy side, he also possesses a great melodic side. Marc followed his set by joining the event's host and organizer, C3, for a free form jam which was full of the humor and joy which would become the hallmark of the event.

next up was newcomer Kent Beatty from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. what few people know is that Kent hardly slept the night before, flew in Friday morning and was almost completely out of sorts when he started his set. it was also his first real solo show. and he killed. definitely keep an eye on this cat. there will be great things from him in the future, if his performance here was any indication... killin'!

returning to the proceedings was the inimtable Darren Michaels. Darren's life, humor and music are indivisible. they are the same thing, in fact. if you don't know his music and if you haven't seen one of his shows you really owe it to yourself to investigate him. there is a reason that he is a staple in the solo bass scene. beautiful set.

Edo Castro hit the stage next and people began to see the real diversity in the scene. aside from having an incredibly sublime touch on the instrument, Edo possesses a lyrical quality in his playing that is just heartbreaking. he really made an impression on the gathering!

the evening concluded with a monster set from one of the biggest monsters on the solo bass and extended range bass arenas: Jean Baudin. like Marc, so many people know Jean as the bassist for bands like Nuclear Rabbit and Element of Surprise. and like Marc, many don't realize that Jean is a multi-faceted musician. I tend to think of Jean, especially when I hear his solo music, as a composer who happens to play the bass. he had built on the repertoire that we heard last year and for those who are considering the purchase of his upcoming album, you are in for a treat. there is going to be some amazing stuff for you!

Saturday was devoted equally to clinics and performances. Darren spoke about marketing oneself as a solo performer and maximizing one's resources, about pursuing avenues he or she might not normally consider. Jean was up next and talk about not just tapping, which many people had assumed would be the case, but about approaching the music from an emotional place, not just writing to show off technique. Todd Johnson took the following clinic and discussed melodic concepts in soloing, and broke down many ways to play over changes. talk about a lyrical cat! his informal approach to teaching engaged the entire group and presented his overwhelming ability in a way that didn't intimidate.

Brady Muckelroy came to the stage and taught by example, analyzing his own tunes after performing them. his gracious and self-effacing presence really encouraged event-goers to ask him questions. Carey Nordstrand was up next and spoke about pickups and tone. it was great to start hitting things from the technical end of our instrument and the interplay between Carey and the crowd was very animated. Skip Fantry from Knuckle Guitar Works kept the nuts and bolts aspect of it rolling by discussing strings, frequency response, speaker technology and recording. these two seminars covered more in a couple of hours than many musicians will learn in decades!

closing out the morning's educating were Edo Castro and Steve Hahn. Edo spoke to a lot of aspects of what he does from choosing chords to tapping into emotions and even discussing his signal chain. Steve is a Stick player and discussed eveything about his instrument to how he composes and what he does to amplify his gear. incredibly illuminating, but by this time we were definitely ready for a break so our brains could process so much good stuff.

after dinner we returned for a spellbinding set from Yves Carbonne. his new solo album will be -- we hope! -- available by the middle of  October and it will quite literally have something for everyone. his performance showed us why. Yves is truly music. it's that simple. and his music is beautiful.

my set was next and I debuted a couple of pieces from the upcoming album along with a new bass. I also had the incredibly special treat of bringing 2 of my favorite instrumentalists in the world, Yves Carbonne and Edo Castro, to the stage for a bass trio version the Marcus Miller/Miles Davis' tune, "Tutu." what an honor and HUGE fun!!

Jay Terrien really took everything in a whole new direction and just rocked. equal parts theater, performance art, humor and hard hitting chops along with some unexpected arrangements in his backing tracks, Jay completely took the crowd by surprise... and gave my amp a workout! videos are already posted on youtube.

the big surprise for many was up next when Bay Area phenom Jeff Schmidt played. in the words of Edo Castro, Jeff has developed his own vocabulary and is doing something that no one else does. he absolutely slayed. just an amazing set.

Trip Wamsley closed the night as only Trip could. he couched freakish technical ability on his instruments in gorgeous music and wrapped it all in that singular sense of humor. we ate it up like candy! what few of the attendees knew was that the Tripster developed a powerful ear infection and was battling that throughout the entire event. what a pro!

the final day of Lodo was dominated by clinics with some great musical performances. first up was C3 who demonstrated how to apply technology to music without having the gear take away from the music. it was a great way to start the day and the crowd was smiling by the time I got up to talk about how to get and keep a gig. I'm going to extend what I discussed there into a full article which will appear on my website soon.

Jeff Schimidt talked about the importance of individuality what we as musicians do. his discussion of technique versus context/content was one of my favorite parts of the event. Trip put on the clinician's hat and discussed things that people had asked him about off the bandstand. it was candid, honest and human. and of course he used performance to punctuate all his points. great stuff!

Yves broke his clinic up between discussion and performance in a near-perfect balance which was a delight to hear and remarkably enlightening at the same time. when he said, "I do not really do anything special," I think a lot of people realized that his dedication to his art and craft are as great as his humility.

the next individual up was Brady Muckelroy. I've known Brady for a while and we've corresponded a bit. I've heard him practice and watched him play. we've talked and joked. I even own his DVD. but actually seeing one of Brady's shows is a very special thing. I will admit that I got choked up quite a few times. this was a very special part of Lodo for me and I will not forget it!

Todd Johnson got up and this time showed why he gets the work he does. a consummate sideman and a spuremely gifted soloist, Todd played us his interpretations of several standards and made us laugh with his great banter between songs. the man's chordal vocabulary and lethal swing were quite something to behold!

the final performers of the show were two comparative newcomers. Denver local Jeff Martinez played his first ever solo set... and killed it! everyone's dying to hear what he does for his next show. beautiful job, Jeff. beautiful!

I think the big surprise for us all was Adam Tanner, though. his completely original and novel approach to solo bass just knocked us out! his showmanship, humor and kindly nature -- as well as a fiendish choice for a cover tune! -- just blew us all away. this guy needs to have a DVD out!

I feel really fortunate in that I not only got to be a part of the event, but I got to hang with some of the coolest people in the world. as bassists we're collaborators and supportive individuals but this really comes out when you get to participate in the community.

Monday morning I headed with Trip Wamsley down to Albuquerque for the Duke City Bass Jam. at this point I really have to send out a special thanks to the kindness and hospitality of Gerry Larribas and the Winchime Champagne Gallery. aside from being a wonderful place to host the event, we were made to feel so welcome and we got to enjoy some incredible art work!

the show was just one evening, but what an evening! I kicked things off in a quiet, and (mostly) mellow mood then turned things over the Duke City Slammers.

holy schlemoly! these cats are killers!! Howard Cloud, Rodney Bowe along with the amazing and rock solid Kcool just tore it up!! true gentlemen, vicious bass players and groove monsters their versions of "Come Together" and "Teen Town" made the trip to New Mexico worthwhile!

and then trip played one of the best sets I've ever heard him turn in. I cannot even begin to describe what this guy does if you haven't caught him before. Darren Michaels described Trip the best I've heard so far when he said, "Trip is a force of nature." and his latest cover tune is going to get people grinning for years to come. when you combine all that with his wit, graciousness and truly original voice as a player and songwriter... man!

in closing I want to send out a huge thanks to:

 C3 without whom this would not have happened. the man has a heart bigger than the sun and several times more sheltering. thanks, man, for being my friend and such an incredible supporter of our weird little niche community. each bass-centric event brings us closer to the mainstream and you are a big part of that.

and to Eric Owens. even though we have not yet met in person, your presence was very deeply felt in Albuquerque, man. thank you so much for inviting me and for introducing me to so many great people!

Cliff Engel and the International Institute of Bassists -- man, even though we barely got time to hang in Denver, your presence there was crucial! thank you so much for the years of support, encouragement and friendship! that long call is coming sooner than you think!

okay, everyone, the next time I post will be with pics and possible video from this jaunt!

stay well, take care, take it light and keep it deep!

Stew

ps - for Caleb, fretless exercises? try a few of these...

1) practice in the dark! you want to get your intonation happening, that's a tough one to beat.

2) run scales or play your regular melodic exercises, but make sure you're in a key that has as its root one of your open strings (B, E, A, D, G or C). when you start and finish the exercise wait a moment and then hit the appropriate open string. that will help a lot.

3) bring your fretless to rehearsals and gigs. the more you play it, the more likely you are to play in tune.

4) listen to Jaco Pastorius, Percy Jones, Pino Palladino, Richard Bona and Yves Carbonne. these are some of the real fretless cats. you will find more.

5) keep your ears OPEN!! no better way to make it work than to listen!

Currently listening : Double-Up By Bill Connors Release date: 27 January, 1994

3:48 AM - 40 Comments - 26 Kudos - Add Comment

on the road again (sorry, it had to be done)
Category: Music

hey all,

tomorrow I head out to perform and teach at the Lodo Bass Bash and at the Duke City Bass Jam. much fun and much craziness!

before I go I wanted to post some pics of recent developments in my world of gear. all of this has made it into recent bulletins but I figured there's no reason not to post them here, too.

first and foremost, the mighty IT is nearing completion. the body has been rough cut and the top has been glued down. so has the headstock cap. the neck is also through the initial stages of construction.

ta-daa!

YOWZA!!

many people have asked about the basses I started building myself. while the two 4 strings are still in limbo, this weekend saw the completion of my new 5 strings.

the fretted is an ash/maple beast with overwound passive Nordstrand Big Singles that I'm calling Spankerella...

it's a killer! slapped and played fingerstyle it has an authority and fullness that just level most instruments I've owned.

my fretless is another story. I wanted something different, something unlike anything I've ever owned and unlike most of what is seen or heard on stage or on recordings. this one's name is a secret, but here's how she turned out...

to say I'm pleased with how she turned out is falling way short of the mark. the sound and playability are just unbelievable! with the tone wide open the sound is aggressive and wiry, and because the fretless cocobolo fingerboard has been coated with finish, it delivers and evil slap sound. with the tone rolled off she is punchy and rubbery with an infectious presence.

I owe major thanks to Bill Conklin and Conklin Guitars for the soon to be finished 10 string behemoth. the rapid completion and perfect set up of the 5's is due almost entirely to Carey Nordstrand and Nordstrand Guitars. guys, I can't even begin to tell you how deep my gratitude runs!

further, Mike Apperson in Bill Conklin's shop is just amazing, both in terms of his electronics work and because he does a wicked job applying finish. and Chris Bakken -- a wock stoaw if ever there was one -- made it possible for the 5 strings to exist at all. his patience and skill as a woodworker have given me 2 of the finest basses I've ever owned!

as anyone who's read my schedule knows, I'm taking off for Colorado and New Mexico in the morning. I'll be offline for a bit so I apologize for not being able to get back to anyone who tries to communicate before I can get back to the 'net.

as soon as I can, I'll be back to bother you guys with more inconsequential news of my silly existence. thank you all for writing and posting your comments. I seriously doubt I would be here and doing this without your constant support and encouragement. I am truly a fortunate man.

thank you, guys!

stay well and I'll be back as soon as I can.

oh! and for those in Southern California, I'll be playing here a day or so after I get back from the road. it's a fundraiser for leukemia and lymphoma research which means donations are encouraged and there will only be about 50 seats available. but it will be an intimate setting and there will be ample time for Q&A.

I will be unveiling brand new tunes, things which will be featured on my next solo album and on the duet album with the one and only Yves Carbonne!

got to try and get a few hours of sleep before tomorrow, but I hope you're all well.

take it light and keep it deep,

Stew

Currently listening : Word of Mouth By Jaco Pastorius Release date: 25 October, 1990

1:30 AM - 34 Comments - 28 Kudos - Add Comment

It's Taken A While...
Current mood: excited

... but here's the new blog!

first, for anyone who hasn't hit it, please hit my Frequently Asked Questions blog entry. I am still getting gobs of email about stuff that I've answered already in not one but TWO separate blog postings.

okay, on to the new stuff!

I'm really sorry I have been less active over the last months but I have been unbelievably busy. I am not even sure where to begin but let me give it a try.

basses...

I've been building and am having instruments built. everything is very different than the instruments destroyed in New Orleans back in 2005. I think most everyone is acquainted with the basses built for me by Bee and Conklin...

but there are new axes on the horizon for your humble narrator. both builders are crafting new axes for me which will serve very different purposes and -- as I stated moments ago -- they will be seriously different from my old basses.

the new Bee will have (brace yourselves) 4 strings and be used for everything from teaching to session work. so far I have only seen the body, but it's a looker... in the extreme!

yount!

the Conklin? well, to describe this bass as different kind of falls short of the mark. get ready for... IT!!

yes, I'm serious about that being the name for the megaliath. this will be my new 10 string. where the original was a very balanced sounding and sublime instrument (given that it was a 10 string bass), this will be completely over the top, both aesthetically and tonally.

here are the neck blank, the headstock cap and the fingerboard wood...

these are the pickups...

the pickup covers...

and finally the top and the body blank...

BOO-YA!!

while this is a lot of stuff, I have been learning a bit about bass building and have tried to make a few of my own efforts as well. the first of these should be finished this coming week...

I have actually done everything I know how to do on these basses and am just waiting for finish to be sprayed and hardware installed. I was hoping to have that fretted 5 ready for a session this coming week but it looks like I'll be using the first bass I made instead. you can see that one in its very own bass blog.

at the beginning of the month I got to hang with some friends and meet some new ones at the Los Angeles TalkBass get together. there were some great basses there, some great players and it was just a generally excellent hang...

is that all?

hardly!

the Lodo Bass Bash is about a month away and tickets go on sale tomorrow. I apologize for the bulletin I posted stating that they were going on sale a couple of weeks ago. I was misinformed and I hope I didn't cause too many problems for everyone.

immediately after that I will perform at the Duke City Bass Jam in New Mexico alongside my buddy Trip Wamsley and some of the heaviest low end hitters in the Southwest.

there's nothing on the books after that until I share a stage with Bill Burke, Randy Marshall and the mighty Andres Cervantes in Modesto on October 5th, but you can always find out more about my gigs in the calendar on my page.

I'm still picking up some gigs around L.A. and I'm at this point there are lots of openings in the teaching schedule.

on to the personal stuff.

many of you know that my parents' house burned down a few weeks ago and they were incredibly lucky to get out alive. who ever imagined we'd be thankful for my Dad's need to get up and pee in the early hours of the morning!

I can't tell you how incredible it has been to hear from so many of you. my folks are doing as well as can be expected. the good thing is that they have each other for support right now. all the kind words and well wishing have just been a blessing, though. thank you all so much!!

on a different note, as several of you have asked, my divorce was recently finalized. this will be, I think, the last time I discuss this publicly. yes, I'm single again. no, I don't want to go into whether I am or am not dating. it means a great deal to me (more than I can easily express here) that people are as concerned and compassionate as they are, but the vast majority of people who visit this page are much more interested in the musical parts of my life.

rest assured that if anything HUGE comes down the pike for me I'll post it here, but for now let's just avoid all that, okay?

thank you so much to everyone who has written me during my blog absence!!

while I've been overwhelmed by the events and circumstances of these last weeks and months I do read every email I get (even the hate mail) and I answer as much as I can. sometimes there are several hundred emails a day, so as you can imagine it is not always possible to write back, but I do read it all.

thank you guys so much!

you will not have to wait months for more news from me. I will make time for blogging and try to keep it interesting. I will also post bulletins when there is stuff worth sharing... even if it's goofy.

okay, it's getting on in the day and I have stuff to do. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to read these things and to comment. you guys are the coolest!

stay well, take it light and keep it deep,

Stew

Currently watching : Love Actually (Widescreen Edition) Release date: 27 April, 2004

12:15 AM - 91 Comments - 59 Kudos - Add Comment

Sara Benoy, Rock Star!

10:21 PM - 25 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to speak of many things..."
Current mood: exhausted

alright, everybody, these are some of the things I get the most here at myspace...

1) How can I be a great musician? for most of us there is noo easy way. it's time, practice, gigging, recording, taking and giving lessons, finding your inner voice, figuring out what your style is, coming to terms with the sound you want and making a lot of mistakes along the way. there will be moments where you feel great and others where you are deeply humbled. I can recommend some exercises (a few are posted on my website) but there are no short cuts I've found.

2) Can you listen to my music/our band's music and give me/us you opinion? right now I have no sound on my computer so I'm afraid I can't consistently listen to anything online. a couple of times a week I get to a comp with sound and I listen when I can but there just isn't time right now to get to everybody. in the future I'll post the address for my management company so the interested can send in CDs.

3) Wow! That bass is incredible! Can you tell me about it? yep. that is one of two 10 string basses built by Bill Conklin. you can see more pics and read the story behind it here. the tuning was low C sharp (around 17hz, almost an octave lower than a 5 string) up in fourths to a high B flat (well into the range of a guitar). this is the instrument featured on "interlude 1". it was surprisingly light, perfectly balanced and natural to play. your eyes are not deceiving you: there are no controls on the bass. if you look carefully you will see that's the case with most of my axes. check out #18 below to learn more about the why behind that.

4) Would you sell it me? Can I buy any of your basses? most of the instruments you see here were destroyed last year by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, along with most everything in my life. I am incredibly lucky in that I now have instruments again and a new amp. I am even starting to gig again and I will be recording both a solo album and a duet album soon. there is even talk of a bass trio album which I may be a part of.

5) You seem like a cool guy but could you not post bulletins or things on myspace which aren't about your music? in all honesty I will probably have to quit posting a lot of things soon. the schedule is picking up and I barely have time to do a lot of things I would like to do. but... bulletins that are questionnaires, videos and things not about my music are a blast for me! I'm not a corporation or a machine. it feels nice to just throw some stuff out there which has nothing to do with the musical part of my life. if you don't like looking at these things, please don't read bulletins I post.

6) I have written you several times and you have not answered me. That's not cool, man. I get anywhere from 300 to 1300 emails a day. this is not an exaggeration. I really wish I was kidding. I really wish I had time to answer every communication I get, but it's just not possible. I'm sorry. I do what I can but time is the rarest commodity. please know that I read almost everything but to reply, much less to give detailed replies to everything would require more dexterity and endurance than I have, as well as 18 extra hours of consciousness and free time.

7) I read about your divorce. Do you want to talk about it? well, even if I did feel compelled to share any of these things, who really wants to read them? I would much rather focus on the positive in life. besides, that is really not interesting.

8) Can you introduce me to _(insert name of famous musician) ? please don't ask me this. it puts me in an awkward position and I am probably waaaaaaay too annoying for my friends already. the vast majority of these people are incredibly kind and cool but it is not my place to impose upon their privacy. you are better off trying to contact them yourself. again, I'm sorry.

9) When is your album coming out? tough to say. the sessions are very soon but the process of mixing and mastering is not quick. then there's packaging and printing the product. I hope the solo disc will come out in the spring but there are a lot of forces at work beyond my control which will decide that.

10) Where can I buy your music? my last studio album, Welcome to my World, can be purchased on Cafe Press. there is a bunch of other merch available through my original page at CP. this is where you can buy my demo tunes as well as a bunch of really silly stuff. I am setting up a third page soon for a live CD recorded a few years back in New Orleans. you can hear song samples on each page.

11) When will you play in my town? I don't know. honestly. I would love to go back on tour and that is certainly a possibility in the near future but right now there is just an awful lot up in the air. I have been invited to play in many, many places. while this is flattering, very few of these invitations pan out. any dates I get will be announced here on myspace, on my regular website or even on JamBase.

12) Do you give lessons? absolutely. if you're serious about lessons send me a message here or through my regular website with "I am interested in bass lessons" in the subject line. I will not have a great deal of time before the end of January to teach, but it is possible. aside from working in the "Inland Empire" area of southern California, I am in Los Angeles pretty regularly and may be able to schedule something there. unless you are willing to fly me to you or we arrange for me to do something while I am on the road, SoCal is the best place for me to give a lesson.

13) Can you give me pointers on two-handed tapping? not really. it's not something I use very often and for me it is more of a rhythmic tool than anything else. I think it can be a really wonderful technique but it generally doesn't fit with anything else I do. there are a number of cats who use it well and in a very musical way. I am not one of them.

14) Why is there a picture of a dog in your photo gallery? that was Jaxon. he was a casualty of the hurricanes. aside from the fact he saved my life at least twice, that dog had more heart and soul than most two-legged animals I've come across.

15) I notice a lot of hot women post to your page. Do you really know them? Can you introduce me to them? some of them are my friends in real life. some are myspace friends. see my answer to question #8 as far as introductions go.

16) How do you afford your equipment? Are you rich? Can you help me get some endorsements? the answer is that I don't really afford my gear. I am far from rich. in point of fact I lead a very modest life. I have been incredibly fortunate in that I've made great friends over the years as a musician. some of them are in the industry. but -- and this is true for more musicians than you would believe -- I don't get my stuff for free. I have to pay for it, too. the prices I get are really good and I'm grateful for that, but I have been doing this for a long time and there was a point where I was gigging with a short scale Squier Bullet bass and a 20 watt Crate amp. like chops, gear comes with time and work.

17) Why don't you just shred on your songs? Can you do Victor Wooten's double tumping technique? Can you show me how to do sweep arpeggios? Why don't you tap more? my style, inasmuch as it exists, developed over time. I don't shred because I'm not a shredder. if there was a way for me to really rip in a way that's musical to my ear, I'd do it. but I leave that to the players who really do it well. I'm still trying to get a tone that's the same as the one in my imagination. I try not to use techniques and riffs that are really trademarks of other cats. I love fretless but I'm not Jaco or Mick Karn. I love slap but I'm not Larry Graham or Louis Johnson. I love harmonics but... you get the picture. I have actually avoided learning most of the tunes by the players I love because they've already played them. I'd rather try and find my own voice at this point.

18) Why don't you have controls or preamps on your basses? there are long meandering diatribes about this in many bass forums online but the simple truth is that I don't want to be able to sound like anybody. I want to sound like me, even if that is a limited sound. at the same time I really like the clean, simple look of a bass with no knobs or switches on it. and finally, there are few wires and fewer things inside the bass which can crap out. nothing worse than a battery dying or a preamp getting squirrely on a gig or in a session. when people hire me, they know what they're getting.

19) Do you really live in a cabin in a forest? yep. more than a mile up on a mountain. it is one of the most beautiful places in the world and I am grateful for it every day and every night. I don't get to see it as often as I'd like and it's always a work in progress, but I am so lucky to be where I am now. I try never to take that for granted.

20) Were you really in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina? yep. but I lump this in with the business of talking about the divorce. it's something that happened which taught me a lot and in a strange way I'm grateful for it. if you really want to read about it, I wrote a piece which was published here.

for anyone who wants to know if I'll marry again, if I'm getting another dog, if I want to date... I appreciate your interest and concern. truly. but I'll make announcements when and if the time comes to make announcements.

I can't thank you all for your support, kindness, humor and curiosity. I hope that the future allows me to interact more with everyone but the present is just very intense. when I first created this page it was because I wanted to have music and pictures up in case anyone wanted to hire me. I never had any idea that people would actually want to hear my music or find out about me as a player, as a person. thank you!

for now I'm going to have to fade into the background a bit. I am not disappearing but I do not know how much I can respond to everyone. that will be different after the NAMM show and after the tracks for the album are done, but that is the end of January. please bear with me until then.

you guys are the best and I hope that my future endeavors are to your liking. stay well and keep it deep,

Stew

Currently listening : Temptation By Holly Cole Release date: 15 August, 1995

12:20 AM - 48 Comments - 33 Kudos - Add Comment

Bass Blog... Yes! Finally!
Current mood: happy

hey all,

I think I've been pretty clear about how lucky a guy I am to have the friends I do, to live where I do and to have my current job. let me show you why.

as regular blog readers know, I started building a bass some time back from a blank my boss had started. I had no major plans for it, but I wanted to learn something about building and have a bass I could gig with. the project ran into a few snags after the first initial rounds of carving and sanding. I hit a major roadblock after the finish was finally applied.

but that all changed this week!

and I am indebted to Chris Bakken and Carey Nordstrand!

when Chris and I headed into the shop, we pulled the tape off the fretboard, scuff sanded the body, dressed the frets, installed the tuning machines and had this staring back at us...

maybe not much to look at but quite a long way from the rough pieces of alder, maple and rosewood I picked up last year!

next we shielded the control cavity, grounded the pickup cavities, installed the rest of the hardware, oiled the fretboard, cut the nut and installed the pickups. have a look...

now, when I write 'we', I mean that I did all the things that a rank amateur wood worked can handle. I did the early shaping and sanding. I routed the control cavity and shaped the neck.

but everything requiring skill and true craftsmanship were handled by the guys. I made it clear that this is not a refined instruments, so it's nowhere near the quality of work that the shop turns out, but I wanted it to be playable. I also wanted the sound to be a trifle "unleashed" so that it couldn't be easily buried in the mix.

but I digress.

the Mule -- as it's come to be known -- was wired, strung up, set up and the nut was dressed. she may not be the prettiest gal at the prom but she can dance circles around most of 'em!!

I could easily stop there, but that wasn't all that was finished today.

I posted a blog not too long ago about my new fretless, the Trophy Wife. here's what she looked like a month or so ago...

tonight, after nearly 3 hours on the belt sanders, spindle sander and doing a bunch of hand sanding, here is where the Trophy Wife stands...

she's about ready for routing and rounding over!

Chris, if you read this, I can't thank you enough, man!! fwiggin' wock stoaw!!

more soon...

Currently watching : Local Hero Release date: 21 September, 1999

11:20 PM - 117 Comments - 63 Kudos - Add Comment

The Nature of Things (not much about music, sorry)
Current mood: melancholy

so here it is, Saturday night and I'm home alone. no rehearsal. no gig. no date. no party. nothing crazy. just a nice homecooked meal, some great music and maybe a movie or two. later I might go for a walk in the fog.

I've been dealing, as many of us have been, with a lot internally. I won't bore you with most of it but this has been an introspective time.

as many of you know, a year ago there was much on my mind. my life had undergone a series of huge changes. I had no idea who I was or what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go. I didn't know if I was a musician. for the most part I didn't even feel human. I was numbed and overwhelmed by so much.

even before hurricanes Katrina and Rita came along and took my home and everything in it, life had torsed dramatically. existence, if it's meaningful at all, is about a state of flux. status quo may be reassuring on many levels but it is not healthy.

so tonight 2 great things happened. I got a few emails from my friend Neel who has a tremendous gift for making me smile. I was reminded of how much joy there is around me even when I am mired in thoughts that are not the lightest. then, maybe an hour ago, my friend Jane called. usually she calls when she wants advice. lately she has been going through some tough stuff. really tough stuff. but for whatever reason she got me talking about me, got me thinking about things I hadn't considered.

now, you've got to realize that the last year has been more than significant. for the first time in my life I'm an optionist. this is really a big deal. colossal. wonderful! so having some sorrow for the last couple of weeks, being reminded of old doubts, hit me double hard. quite blindsided, in fact.

but as I have learned from the amazing Motoko, as long as I'm alive there is a future. life is hope.

in the past I have dwelled on sadness and loss. but if this last year has taught me anything it's that I am free now. I may be alone -- maybe for a long time -- but that's not bad. I may be a bit isolated from all that cities have to offer but if I want any of it I can make my way to those urban centers.

on a lighter front my friends Seth and Gina wed recently and there are not 2 people better matched in the world. my deepest congratulations to them!

finally, for those who have been asking, I'm debating whether I should head into the studio next month or if maybe I should wait a little longer. I've confirmed 3 guest artists and I'm not sure if I should have more. I don't know how good I feel about myself as a player. I haven't finished either of the basses I started building. I'm waiting to hear about whether or not my new Conklin will be done. but the good news is that Carey Nordstrand has offered to let me borrow anything in his shop to use if I want, including the Spruce Goose! if you don't know what that bass is it was reviewed in the last issue of Bass Guitar Magazine (with John Entwistle on the cover) -- a spectacular and singular fretless bass! here's an unfortunate picture taken about a year ago when the hair was much shorter...

what's the upshot of all this?

not a thing! just musing.

hope you're all enjoying a great weekend.

all my best,

Stew

Currently listening : Blame It on My Youth By Holly Cole Trio Release date: 28 January, 1992

8:48 PM - 30 Comments - 26 Kudos - Add Comment

More Stuff and Other Things
Current mood: melancholy

hey all,

be warned right up front that this is not much about music. in fact if bass is mentioned it will be most likely by accident. actually, this may turn into something between a ramble and a rant...

first, I apologize to everyone who has written, in message or comment form. I wish I could respond to everything but there is just so much. I am deeply honored by those who have been in touch. but also understand that for me it is a bit perplexing and more than a little overwhelming. after all, I'm just a guy who lives in a cabin.

I've had a lot of thoughts lately and generally don't want to mention them as they have no bearing on anything outside of my little bubble, but sometimes it's nice to let them go.

just over a year ago Hurricanes Katrina and Rita came and rewrote the course of thousands of peoples' lives. I was and remain luckier than so many. but that does not mean I'm unscathed. that also does not mean that I want to talk about it. people write and ask me all the time about who I think is to blame or what my thoughts are regarding the events of last August, of the aftermath. I am not trying to shut anyone out, I am simply a private person. I see many people who take the opportunity to speak out and I am glad they do. I do not make the same choice. I hope people can respect that.

by the same token, many people have written and asked after my personal life. all manner of folks want to know about my divorce and my romantic life. believe me, if it was something worth sharing I'd be happy to divulge the details. but my ex- deserves her privacy and respect. we have been friends for a very long time and I wish her every happiness in this life. do I plan to date? am I dating? do I want to remarry? would I like to be a father? in all honesty, I don't know that the answers to these questions will change anyone's life. I certainly hope that the answers to these questions would not change anyone's life!

there continue to be comments and conversations in the bass community about who is doing what or who deserves credit for things and in all honesty, here is where I stand on almost everything: as long as people are making music that they believe in, the world is a good place. I do not think I am a particularly revolutionary musician. if you want my honest opinion, I don't think I'm that good. but if I manage to touch anyone with what I do then I'm happy. I have done what I set out to do. I hope I can grow as a player. I hope that I can keep making music. but music is not a competition nor is it a comparison to me. many of my friends are musicians and I think they are among the most talented in the world. am I right? it's all opinion, so who knows? I wish that was enough for people.

have I really thought of quitting music? yes. absolutely. I think about it all the time. this harkens back to my feelings about myself as a player. there are people far more deserving of the instruments I have. there are far better musicians in the world. I play because it gives me joy, not because I want to be the fastest or the most ground-breaking. I am neither of those things. there are many more things I am not.

but I hope there is a heart in what I do. I hope that someone listens to what I do and smiles or thinks or maybe even cries.

we all want to touch others with what we do. I would like to be a better person, a positive force in the universe. but the likelihood is just as great that I will offend and upset people. I wish this were not the case but if wishes were horses beggars would ride.

here is what I have learned after everything that has happened over the last couple of years: life is truly short. sometimes far shorter than we can imagine. I want to live as honestly as I can in that time. I do not want to waste my opportunities. I do not care about becomeing rich or famous. to me, these are meaningless things. I want the people in my life to know what I feel for them and I want to learn how to communicate better every day I am alive.

I am a lucky, lucky guy. it is that simple. I am grateful that people want to hear my music or hire me to play. if I get the chance to teach, I hope that I can pass on something worthwhile. I wish I had more time, both for myself and for others.

thanks for taking the time to read all that. I promise the next blog will be about bass stuff.

on one last note, a number of my dear friends are going through personal strife and hardship. please, if you can, keep a good thought.

take care and stay well,

Stew

Currently watching : The Girl in the Cafe Release date: 06 September, 2005

11:35 PM - 51 Comments - 32 Kudos - Add Comment