Played music for 22 years. Started playing at age 10, learned to play by ear soon after. Although my first instrument was a guitar, I always wanted to play bass. This was influenced by Gene Simmons of KISS since I loved Rock music since age 4. Finally got my first bass at age 13, just what the doctor ordered. One month after that, I joined my first band "Stonehenge". I was still influenced by Rock music and the technical aspect of playing. I wanted to be able to play with the technical prowess of all of my influences at the time. It was this hunger for technique which led me to Jazz music. Jazz opened up my ears and mind/soul to a new way of feeling music. Jazz showed me how to feel Romance, Sadness, Happiness, and all of the emotions any person would feel in life. It was then clear to me that I was meant to play how I felt, and those who heard my music would not only hear the music, but feel it as well.
So with time, I honed my skills further and was able to apply this theory to all styles of music.
In Taniq, the current group I play with, my approach is the same, but when I play this group's style, I want the listener to feel the funk, to feel the soul, to feel the emotion we are feeling. I connect my soul, mind and instrument as one entity to let my soul talk through my bass.
My custom made Conklin 7-String Sidewinder Bass plays an important role in this connectivity. It allows me to stay in "The Zone". With it's Zebra top, Maple body, 7-Piece Neck-Thru construction, and Bartolini pickups, this bass gives me that "Holy Grail" tone I was looking for. It also can produce a wide spectrum of other tones I can use for different projects. One bass by Conklin, does it all.
For more info:
Taniq
