Jazz
Freddie Washington is proud of the connections he has made in the music world as a bass player and that his passion for music has led to so many opportunities to make music with other passionate musicians! His first professional gig was with Herbie Hancock when Freddie was 19 years old. He later...
Ira Nepus is the type of musician who is always looking to expand his knowledge in order to be as useful a player as possible for each of his gigs. The philosophy has become a trade mark for his TV and film work as well as in the recording studios for products ranging from rock to jazz. At the...
Bob Magnusson played bass for Buddy Rich, which is when he learned firsthand about the role the bass has within a band and how to work with the drummer to create the best section possible. These lessons and many others he picked up during his long career in music were discussed in Bob’s 2014 NAMM...
Takeshi Inomata is the noted jazz drummer who, among other things, helped design the first percussive instruments for Yamaha. His work with Yamaha took place during the early 1960s when the company began providing drum and percussive instruments and accessories. It was a contribution Takeshi was...
Joe Lovano worked with the Borgani Musical Instrument Company in Italy on a series of saxophones that fit his style of playing. The Borgani-Lovano instruments use pearl-silver alloy with the famous gold keys. Joe has been endorsing the company since 1991 and his proud to play a role in...
Bobby Wellins was surprised to learn that Charlie Watts, the drummer for the Rolling Stones, listed Bobby as an influence on his playing. After all, the jazzman played tenor saxophone. However, it was Bobby’s delivery that gained the ear of the young Mr. Watts, who later got to work with his hero...
Chuck Rainey picked up a violin as a boy and knew very early on that he wanted to make music! His legendary career as a studio musician and band leader included some iconic projects such as Aja with Steely Dan and a tour with King Curtis, when he toured with the Beatles. Chuck is best known as a...
Lalo Schifrin composed "Mission Impossible" for television and "Dirty Harry" for the movies (among others) and yet what seems to have brought him the most personal joy was his work and friendship with Dizzy Gillespie! During his childhood and music education in college, Lalo was a big jazz fan so...
Lee Ritenour was exposed to jazz music in Los Angeles as a youth thanks to his parents. He developed a great knowledge of guitar techniques having watched and or worked with many of his guitar heroes. When he was 16 years old he accompanied jazz singer Lena Horne, which opened up many doors for...
Eugene Wright can be heard playing bass on the classic jazz song “Take Five” as a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, but what most people may not know is that Eugene fronted his own band for years before joining Dave. Eugene was the leader of the Dukes of Swing and enjoyed a remarkable career in...