EP 118 - Russell Thompson (Principal Bassist Arkansas Symphony)

Bryan Beller has maintained a multi-faceted career as a bassist, composer, solo artist and clinician for over 25 years, earning his reputation as a uniquely talented yet supremely tasteful team player for instrumentally-minded artists. 

He is a founding member of The Aristocrats which is one of the hottest acts in rock/fusion today; their 2019 release You Know What…? debuted at #2 on the Billboard Jazz Chart. The Aristocrats also just released a new album titled “Duck” that Brian will speak about.

Brian Beller has been Joe Satriani’s touring bassist since 2013, and also tracked Satriani’s complete 2022 album The Elephants Of Mars. He was Steve Vai’s choice for the 2009 live CD/DVD Where The Wild Things Are, and he also toured and recorded in the “band” Dethklok, a tongue-in-cheek extreme metal band borne of the hit Cartoon Network “Adult Swim” show Metalocalypse. 

He’s been a musical partner of freak/genius guitarist Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa) for over 20 years and 10 albums.

In addition, Beller’s solo album catalog includes a 2003 release View, 2008 release Thanks In Advance, and the 2011 release Wednesday Night Live, as well as an Alfred instructional DVD. all of which have received widespread acclaim. 

Brian has also been Contributing Editor for Bass Player Magazine, and a former VP of SWR bass amps.

 On The Bass Shed Podcast Brian discusses his latest release with The Aristocrats, his early days in music, bass gear and a lot of other fascinating topics. 

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 Russell was lucky to grow up in a musical family in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. His mother played the bassoon, his father played the french horn, and his step-father taught saxophone and played jazz. He began playing the bass in 4’th grade, but his interest in classical music began to spark when he began studying with Tracy Rowell and  joined the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) his sophomore year. It wasn’t until attending the inaugural summer of the National Music Festival in Floyd, Virginia that he considered pursuing music as a career. 

     He earned a bachelors degree in Music Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2015 before going on to earn a Master’s degree at Boston University and a Master of Musical Arts at Yale. He was also a founding member of the disciplinary performance group Artists By Any Other Name based in New York City. During this time, he also found a love of teaching and of encouraging students to reach their fullest potential. 

Thompson is currently pursuing his doctorate at the University of North Texas with Jeff Bradetich. His previous teachers have included Tracy Rowell, Max Dimoff, Edwin Barker, and Don Palma. He plays on a bass made by Oregon luthier Seth Kimmel and a bow by Louis Morizot. 

On The Bass Shed Podcast, Russell candidly discusses his work as a freelance bassist as well his position as Principal Bassist of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, challenges and perspectives of the occupation and his practice routines. 

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Born March 25, 1975 in Newcastle, England. Tony is a multi-instrumentalist, master bassist, composer, producer, published author and award-winning music educator; he studied at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music and graduated in 2001, receiving the prestigious 'Outstanding Performer' award. Tony is known for his 6-string electric bass technique, his blend of jazz/world-fusion compositions, and his groundbreaking music education curriculum and teaching Philosophy.

 Tony has gone on to collaborate and perform with some of the world’s greatest musicians, such as: John McLaughlin, Hiromi, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter,  Gavin DeGraw, Hotei Tomoyasu, Dennis Chambers, Bill Evans, Mino Cinelu, Brian Blade, Mike Stern and countless others.

 On The Bass Shed Podcast, Tony discusses formative years and experiences, what has fueled/inspired him to stay focused, the foundational approach to his teaching method and more

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 Bassist David Rodriguez has worked with groups ranging from Isaac Hayes to Tito Puente to the Rochester Philharmonic. He studied at Juilliard, the Eastman School of Music, and Mansfield University. David is currently the Executive Producer and Executive Vice President of The New Jersey Performing Arts Center where the Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass is held. 

The Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass is an immersive week of master classes, performances, small ensemble work, studio sessions, lectures and workshops on the campus of Montclair State University. 

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John Peña is an in demand touring and session bassist, writer, arranger, producer, and engineer. John has performed and/or recorded with a wide variety of artitists , including: Celia Cruz, Carlos Santana, Julio Iglesias, Tania Maria, Natalie Cole, The Crusaders, Herb Alpert, Chaka Khan, Jerry Garcia, Chick Corea, Steve Vai, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Ricky Martin, Barry Manilow, Larry Carlton, Michael McDonald, Joe Sample, Dave Koz, Arturo Sandoval, Dionne Warwick, Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Patti LaBelle, Patti Austin, Kenny G, Oleta Adams, Thelma Houston and countless others.  

On The Bass Shed Podcast, John speaks about his 3 album recording project LIFE, LEGACY & MUSIC and how the recording embodies the diverse aspects of his career. John also speaks about the the process of assembling the project and more.

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Jerry Jemmott is a highly respected American bass guitarist and session musician, best known for his work in the realms of blues, jazz, and R&B. He was born on May 22, 1946, in New York City.

Throughout his extensive career, Jemmott has played with numerous iconic artists, leaving a significant impact on the music industry. He is particularly known for his bass playing with B.B. King, with whom he collaborated for many years. Jemmott's distinctive bass lines contributed to the sound of numerous B.B. King recordings, and he played a crucial role in defining the blues bass style.

Aside from B.B. King, Jerry Jemmott has worked with a wide range of artists, including Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Freddie King, King Curtis, Wilson Pickett, and many others. His skillful and innovative bass playing has made him a sought-after session musician in the music industry.

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Playing bass was love at first pluck for Marty Isenberg. His career as a jazz musician began at the age of 12, after losing his father to cancer the year prior. A skilled amateur musician, Marty’s father kept many instruments around the house that he would play for the family. After his death, Marty would pull one of these instruments off the wall and begin teaching himself how to play by reading tablature in Bass Player Magazine. The first song he ever learned was My Own Summer by The Deftones. Playing bass was love at first pluck for Mr. Isenberg. It was a cathartic healing experience, a way to stay connected to his father, and a way to creatively express himself. He went on to study at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music where he majored in Jazz Performance and minored in Jazz Composition, and received his Master of Music degree from New York University. He is now a doctoral candidate at Stony Brook University where he is the teaching assistant to the jazz department chair Ray Anderson.

For almost 20 years, Mr. Isenberg has been part of the rich New York City music scene. His performing career weaves though many styles of music, from jazz, to classical music, to theater and contemporary music. Mr. Isenberg pulls from all of these experiences to arrange the music of his debut album The Way I Feel Inside: Inspired by the Films of Wes Anderson, adding his own voice and reimagining the music that helped to shape his own musical identity.

Marty Isenberg Links
The Way I Feel Inside (Album)
Marty Isenberg Website
Youtube
Marty Isenberg Twitter
Marty Isenberg Instagram

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Roberto Vally’s accomplishments within music date back to his formidable years in New York where he was awarded his Junior High School’s Music Honor Award. It was clear that Roberto was destined to pursue an education in music. From 1974-1978 he attended New York City’s legendary High School of Music and Art-depicted in Fame (1980 film). Continuing his education in music theory and classical bass he attended the highly acclaimed Julliard School from 1976-1978. There, most notably, he was mentored by the prominent professor and classical bassist, Homer Mensch.

 Roberto loved every minute of his bass education, but the “itch” to perform and take his bass skills on the road eventually took hold of him. In 1979 he auditioned for a show band that toured in the US and Canada, and off he went! His ferocious playing and charismatic stage presence were extraordinary. There was no stopping him. His skills and thirst for fun and adventure brought him overseas to France, where he not only gigged, but mastered surfing and skiing. Perhaps unbeknownst to him at the time, in the midst of his playing on stage, on slopes and on surf boards, Roberto was building a remarkable set of diverse “chops” that come only with countless live stage experiences. 

 Years of honing live performance skills really paid off when he auditioned with Spyro Gyra. Thru 1987 and 1988 Roberto toured and recorded with Spyro Gyra, performing in over 150 concerts in the US and around the world. With Spyro Gyra he recorded “Stories Without Words”, which is to date, one of the group’s most popular albums. Touring continued for Roberto in 1990 when he joined Michael Franks on his Blue Pacific Tour-once again taking him on tour worldwide.

Westward bound. While Roberto was on tour with Michael Franks he took a leap of faith and invited Bobby Caldwell to one of the California shows with Michael, and as fate would have it, Bobby showed up and immediately asked Roberto to join his band. So in 1991, he moved to Los Angeles and started rehearsing with Bobby, To date, Roberto is playing with Bobby for an astonishing 29 year tenure!

In 1993 he took stage with Randy Crawford as her bassist, but his adept demeanor and impressive musicality led Randy to appoint him as Musical Director where he headed tours encompassing the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia for over 15+ years.

Since moving to Los Angeles, Roberto has performed and/or recorded with the following artists: George Benson, Christopher Cross, Jeffrey Osborne, Bob James, Al Jareau, Hillary Duff, Diane Schuur, David Benoit, Boz Scaggs, Kirk Whalum, Bobby Caldwell, Patti Austin, Arturo Sandoval, Larry Carlton, Marion Meadows, Jeff Golub, Peter White, Norman Brown, Paul Brown, Boney James, Ric Braun, Michael Lington, Richard Elliot, Joan Sebastian, Johnny Rivers, Euge Groove, Eric Darius, Anna Barbara, Alvaro Torres, Los Trio, Ricardo Arjona, Nils, Banda Blanca and more.

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Lemur Music
SMILE - Ryan Roberts Street-Artsemble 

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Double bassist P.J. Cinque joined the San Diego Symphony in 2015, having previously been a member of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, P.J. serves as Assistant Principal Bass of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Utah Symphony, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. As an educator, P.J. served as the double bass professor at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and has given masterclasses at Northern Arizona University and SooChow University in Taiwan.

A native of Long Island, he received his bachelor and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School with further study at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. His principal teachers include Homer Mensch, Timothy Cobb, Albert Laszlo, and Owen Lee. During his studies, P.J. participated in the Pacific Music Festival and spent three summers at the Aspen Music Festival and School as an orchestral fellowship recipient. P.J. is proud to be a part of the robust bass community in San Diego and enjoys coaching at local high schools, maintaining a private teaching studio, and connecting with fellow bassists at San Diego Bass Fest.

San Diego Bass Fest Website
San Diego Bass Fest Facebook Page

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Kenny Lee Lewis has been a member of The Steve Miller Band for over 41 years and is now their current touring bass player. The Steve Miller Band was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2016. Kenny speaks about how he landed the gig with Miller and attributes of his artistry that have sustained him in the music industry. 

Kenny, also an amateur luthier, took it upon himself to create his first custom signature series model bass while integrating the historic content and integrity of one of our most beloved founding fathers. Kenny speaks about his signature bass ..the Franklin Founding Father Five. Kenny's signature bass is formed with a piece of 200 year old Spruce which was once a used in Benjamin Franklin's House in Boston, MA.

 Borrowing from the iconic designs of Leo Fender, Kenny Lee built and finished this bass with TruOil gunstock linseed oil. He left all the knotholes and imperfections visible for an antique, transparent representation- not unlike our great nation, a work still in progress. Kenny Lee also inset a silver 1954 Franklin 50 cent piece, the year that Kenny was born, and the Franklin logo is taken from the 100 dollar bill.

Kenny Lee Lewis talks about his Franklin Founding Father Five on YouTube

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