Photos by Scott Preston
Freekbass CD Release Show
6/13/2014
Southgate House Revival, 111 E 6th St, Newport, KY
9pm
http://www.southgatehouse.com
With organic, bass-centric sounds mixing with forward-looking soundscapes, Everybody’s Feelin’ Real finds Freekbass bridging the gap between classic funk and the future of the groove. Aided by the vision of producer and engineer Duane Lundy (My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Ben Sollee), this album lives in the rawness of the earth while traveling to the future of worlds yet to be discovered.
Inspired by the inventiveness and massive sonics of David Bowie, the ten-songs on Everybody’s Feelin’ Real celebrate a sound while simultaneously pushing the envelope of what it is and what it can be. Funk is only a part of it.
Accompanying him on the album are Joel “Razor Sharp” Johnson from Bootsy’s Rubberband, Big Bamn from Bootsy Collin’s Funk Unity Band, Chip Wilson from George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic, Les Claypool collaborator Skerik, Jennifer Hartswick from Trey Anastasio Band, Kim Manning and percussionist David Farris.
In addition to albums, Freekbass has released three instructional DVDs Learn Funk Bass with Freekbass, Level 1 & Level 2 and 50 Freekbass Licks You Must Know. He also gave a master class at this year’s London Bass Guitar Show (and appeared with a number of great bassists on the cover of Bass Guitar Magazine).
“I feel with music it is your duty to release not just albums, but to let other people gain any insight into what got you where you are,” Freekbass says. “Plus I have personally become such a better player since I have started instruction.”
Knowing he has as much to learn as he has to teach, Freekbass has played in a number of different projects with the likes of Bootsy Collins, Phish’s Mike Gordon, DJ Spooky, Buckethead, Bernie Worrell, Kelly Richey, Adam Deitch, Steve Molitz and many more.
With a solid crew in place, more tour dates are expected to be announced after the album release shows this Spring.
