Guitar and Bass Conversations

Face to Face… Suzi Quatro On Her Album With KT Tunstall. Album releases are always exciting and more so when the final product is simply amazing. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to chat with Suzi Quatro about her album with KT Tunstall “Face To Face”. There is no one more qualified to talk about this beautiful piece of work than the artist herself… here is Suzi Quatro Photos, Andrew Whitton...

Finger Eleven Bassist Sean Anderson Anytime a band releases a “Greatest Hits” album it is often a testament to decades of excellence. I was thrilled to hear that Finger Eleven released their “Greatest Hits” album in CD and digital format, with Vinyl soon to drop in August. It was a perfect time to chat with the band’s bassist, Sean Anderson, and get all the details. Join me as we hear about Bassis...

Interview with bassist Russel Blake… I am always blown away when I meet someone whose activities seem to exceed the number of hours in a day; Russel Blake is such a dynamic individual. Russel has been holding down the low end for over 44 years during which he has played with many of the biggest names in music, many of these in Jazz. He has performed in a wide variety of settings, including both cr...

It is always exciting to have the opportunity to talk to an artist who has been prolific for decades. Suzi Quatro has been rocking our world since the sixties and has been super-creative as a bassist, musician, actress, singer, songwriter, author, radio show host and so much more. Most recently, Suzi released a new album titled “Face to Face” where she joined forces with KT Tunstall and together t...

I have always been a huge STYX fan. Their music kept me awake during countless nights studying and gave my imagination a place to escape when I had a moment to take a break.  I had the immense opportunity to chat with STYX bassist Ricky Phillips for our August Cover in 2017 and follow his projects as time passed. Now, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to catch up with Ricky as he has been supe...

Rock is alive and well and Todd Kerns is proof of that statement. He is a very busy bass player taking the stage with many bands including Slash, featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Toque, Black Bird Angles and many more. Join us as we hear about Todd’s journey and influences, his gear and his plans for the future. This interview with Todd Kerns first appeared in Bass Musician Magazine i...

I am always learning new details about Bass history when I get the opportunity to talk with seasoned players like Tony Newton. Tony, a Detroit native, came up in the golden years of Motown and laid down the low end for countless performers and studio sessions; he has performed on over 25 gold and platinum hit recordings. As time went by, and the whole Detroit scene dwindled, Tony relocated to LA w...

Bluegrass music has had a very solid following over many years and I am always happy to hear from one of the pioneers in that genre. Travis Book plays bass for the Grammy award-winning band “The Infamous Stringdusters” and has recently released his first solo album “Love and Other Strange Emotions”. As if he wasn’t busy enough, Travis also hosts a podcast, Plays a Jerry Garcia music show with Guit...

I am on social media a lot and one bass player who I come across often is Vittorio Longobardi from Italy.  Vittorio has the look of a serious rocker, (and that is his most preferred genre) but he is extremely versatile and is comfortable on both electric and upright bass. In addition to Vittorio’s many performances, he finds time to teach as well. This is one very busy bass player! Join me as we h...

This Will Lee and Binky Griptite interview will be referenced in decades to come. It’s a conversation between two ”low-end” visionaries that have been championed and celebrated in small pockets of praise over the years by those that are hip enough to be “in the know”. Luckily we are sharing the magic with you all today for this special edition of “The Groove Within” we present to you the legendary...

Those of us who were around back in the 70’s remember how certain songs on the radio resonated with us. It turns out that many of these iconic melodies came from Foreigner and they were part of our personal soundtracks!  After all these years, the band is going as strong as ever with Jeff Pilson firing away on bass midstream into a 2-year farewell tour.  I am excited to be able to bring you all th...

Time really flies when you are having fun! Just over a decade ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Michel “Labex” Labaki for our July 2013 cover . At that time, much of our conversation concerned his personal approach to bass playing and his techniques. Fast forward to now and I am pleased to discover Michel’s new endeavor, the Labex Funk Project. Join me as we meet the band: Kynion Lanier on v...

Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Go to jazzguitartoday.com  and bassmusicianmagazine.com  more interviews and lessons.

I am pretty sure that everyone is aware of Malcom-Jamal Warner’s work as an actor. What may be less known is his work as a director, poet, musician, and most importantly for us, a bass player. With four albums of his own, Grammy nominations and wins, as well as a sizable amount of ongoing live gigs, Malcolm is dedicating a serious amount of his attention to his music. Join me as we hear about Malc...

In this January 2024 video podcast, JGT's Bob Bakert talks to guitarist Dave Stryker about his new album, "Groove Street" as well as other new projects. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Go to jazzguitartoday.com  and bassmusicianmagazine.com  more interviews and lessons.

I had the opportunity to listen to a great album titled Basso Profondissimo 2  back in May of 2022 and I am pleased to finally chat with the musician behind this unique body of melodies, Richard Ford. Richard plays bass and composes, produces, and is an Emmy award-winning music editor. You might have heard his work while watching your favorite movies or television series. Join me as we hear about...

In this JGT Podcast, Bob Bakert talks to guitarist David Becker about his many different styles and his unique approach to performance. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Go to jazzguitartoday.com  and bassmusicianmagazine.com  more interviews and lessons.

In this exclusive Jazz Guitar Today video podcast, editor Bob Bakert speaks with master luthier Theo Scharpach and jazz guitarist Ted Ludwig.  Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Go to jazzguitartoday.com  and bassmusicianmagazine.com  more interviews and lessons.

In this exclusive Jazz Guitar Today podcast, editor Bob Bakert speaks with the jazz guitarist Fareed Haque.  Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Go to jazzguitartoday.com  and bassmusicianmagazine.com  more interviews and lessons.

JGT's Bob Bakert talks to veteran music journalist and author Bill Milkowski about all things jazz guitar. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Go to jazzguitartoday.com  and bassmusicianmagazine.com  more interviews and lessons.

It is always fun to learn more about music happening in specific parts of the country. In the Bay Area, Midnight North has been making its sonic footprint in the Alternative Rock / Americana arena since about 2012. Connor O’Sullivan is the bass player who holds down the low end for this very cool band with some very interesting pedigree. Living the life of the musical hustle, Connor is also the ow...

Chet Atkins and Barney Kessel are still inspiring us 100 years after their births.  Chet Atkins's protege Pat Bergeson and Barney Kissel's protege Bruce Forman pay tribute in an unbelievable, unprecedented fashion.   Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Go to jazzguitartoday.com  and bassmus...

Hailing from beautiful Santa Barbara, California, Toad the Wet Sprocket has been a mainstay of American Alternative Rock for over three decades. Dean Dinning, one of the founding members, has been an integral part of this band’s success, contributing both tasty bass licks and vocals. Join me as we hear all about Dean’s rich musical heritage, musical journey, how he gets his sound, and his plans fo...

I am sure many of you will remember our initial interview with Robb Harper back in 2017 and an update in 2019. You will also recall that we recorded some of Robb’s live performances at the NAMM show. Well, it has been a while and Robb has been very busy… so lots get caught up and see what he is up to now. This interview first appeared in Bass Musician Magazine in October 2023 Laugh Love Law Real c...

Many rock fans have enjoyed music by Foghat, who originally formed in London back in 1971. Over the many decades of playing, the band members have changed, leaving behind only Roger Earl as the only original member. Bassist Rodney O’Quinn left the Pat Travers Band and joined the group in 2015 and has been laying down the low end for this iconic quartet keeping the Foghat legacy alive. With a new a...