Sunday, November 13, 2011

Artist Date: Afro Cuban Slap Bass

Being a bass player without a band is a lot like being a samurai without a master. I'm all ronin, and I don't have the time to fix that! Unfortunately its very easy to become stale without constant playing --which I do. I practice rock, blues, reggae, and funk quite a bit. I have been more interested in world music and jazz lately, so when I saw a method book highlighting afro-cuban slap bass I was intrigued.

I shelled out the cash for it, and brought it home immediately to try it out. Luckily it has tabs, since my reading is a bit rusty. Or maybe it would have been better if the tabs weren't there so I would have to get used to reading notation again.

Anyway, I started playing through the first two songs, and I never felt so middle aged when playing. I don't mean old, I just mean the music feels a little more sophisticated and geared towards a cultured and older crowd. It's pretty laid back compared to what I normally practice, and is awfully open  for improv.

I'll keep playing with this sound a little bit, but I think I would like to explore music from, other regions still!

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