The Lowdown Society Podcast

Episode 14: WHYNOT JANSVELD - Natasha Bedingfield, Richard Marx, Gavin DeGraw, L.A Sessions.

Whynot Jansveld is a great bass player who might have flown slightly under the radar as far as the world of bass goes, but as far as taste, restraint and deep pocket goes Whynot is nothing short of world class. He is currently doing touring work simultaneously for soulful British pop songstress Natasha Bedingfield, Pop legend Richard Marx and Los Angeles based producer-songwriter-to-the-stars Butch Walker. Whynot is also busy in the L.A session scene as a bass player, composer and mastering engineer. In this episode we get to hear about Whynot starting his musical journey back in his native Holland listening to Level 42 and Kiss, his move to the United States as well as his exciting professional beginnings as the house bass player at the Bitter End in New York City. He also tells us about first major artist tour with the at the time breaking Gavin DeGraw. A fellow musician at a recording session recently told Whynot after listening back to a particularly "stanky" bass performance, "I hear a lot of toxic masculinity in your playing". This event deserves an honorable mention in the podcast description. You have to listen now, right? Enjoy!

Episode 13: ROCK ROUNDTABLE no 1, feat BRUNO RAVEL & MARTY O'BRIEN.

This episode was recorded on board the Monsters Of Rock Cruise 2019 with the sound of the waves of the Carribbean coming through the cabin door. You get to hear immense amounts of Spector bass talk and fun stories from these great Rock bass players. Bruno Ravel is the bassist, multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer behind the band Danger Danger. He also did sideman work for artists as diverse as German 80's superstar Nena and legendary Soul crooner Michael Bolton. Marty O'Brien tours regularly with Rock legend Lita Ford and has recorded for Celine Dion and Kelly Clarkson among others. This is a fun, spirited hang with two great Rock'n Roll bass players that hold nothing back when it comes to just how nerdy they will get when talking about basses and the world of Rock in general, exactly the kind of people we love to have on The Lowdown Society Podcast.

Episode 12: ANTON NESBITT - LeAnn Rimes, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Take 6 etc.

Nashville touring & session player Anton Nesbitt is one of my absolute favorites of the world-class players residing in Music City, USA. His subdued funkiness and musical versatility are equally impressive and contributes to a style all his own. In this episode we get to hear how the TV show "Hee-Haw" played a role in him becoming a bass player in the first place. We get the lowdown on his gear out on his most recent tour with LeAnn Rimes and the lowdown on some of his recording gear secrets. This episode also contains a joyful discussion and celebration of inexpensive basses. His resume includes Stacey Orrico, Boys II Men, Chrisette Michelle, Take 6 as well as an incredibly wide variety of other acts. Anton took time out away from his family on a rainy Friday night to meet me in Nashville to record this episode for you guys.

Episode 11: DMITRY GORODETSKY of the Charlie Puth band

Dmitry shares a ton of knowledge in this episode on a wide range of topics from life struggles to arena touring. He started on upright and grew up heavily influenced by Jazz in his native Belarus. We get to hear specific details on how he approaches his gig with one of the biggest stars and best musicians/songwriters in the current Pop scene, Charlie Puth. We also get to hear about him growing up in Belarus and cutting his teeth in the United States in New York City. Dmitry also tells us about his exciting improvisational live album that was just released. With an aggressive, deeply funky approach to bass playing, Dmitry is definitely worth checking out!

Episode 10: TARRON CRAYTON of the Demi Lovato band

This week our guest is Tarron Crayton who hails from Memphis, Tennessee. He has made a big impact on the Los Angeles music scene in his few years in town. Tarron takes us into specifics of some of the bass lines he plays on tour with Demi Lovato. He also shares personal stories of growing up in church and how it gave him the opportunity to have extended time playing instruments in his spare time. As if this isn't enough, Tarron also gives us the lowdown on the synths and basses he uses on tour. Having accomplished a lot as a bassist already at a fairly young age, he also tells us what he has planned for the future. Released almost a year after its recording, please enjoy the sit down with this great bass cat.

Episode 9: JOE CHEMAY - Session Legend (Lionel Richie, Elton John, Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks, etc).

Joe Chemay's tone and intent always cuts through even when he plays a tender ballad. Out of all the great session bassists that have been active in Nashville over the years, Joe is my personal favorite. The modern Country records that rewrote what the genre could sound like in the mid-90's were filled with with Joe's signature driving, melodic pick style playing. Joe is a man of few words, but an astoundingly gracious and kind guy who shares great memories of being in the studio with super producer Mutt Lange and how he ended up of some of Lionel Richie's most influential songs when Lionel first struck out on his own after his stint in The Commodores. Joe's list of credits is astoundingly long and diverse. Spending some time listening to his work in many genres is highly encouraged. As if all this isn't enough, Joe has also been an in-demand session background vocalist which we also get a little sample of in this episode of The Lowdown Society.

Episode 8: DEREK FRANK of Shania Twain, Gwen Stefani, Air Supply and more.

Derek Frank has spent 24 years in Los Angeles as a professional bassist. In the past few years he has landed some big gigs that required him to wear many hats as a bass player as well as retooling his rigs for all the different applications. We get to hear about playing in Gwen Stefani's current Vegas production and we also get to hear a few samples of the bass lines he enjoyed playing the most on his last few tours. It rocked so incredibly hard that our little podcast recording device started distorting. Derek can also be found in the house band for one of L.A's most acclaimed monthly musician jams "Soundcheck Live". If you guys travel through Los Angeles, make sure you check him out there. Spending an hour with a guy like Derek, who succesfully has many exciting irons in the musical fire in the city with the world's most competitive music scene, is the kind of thing that only happens here on The Lowdown Society Podcast. Today's episode is brought to you by the DSM Noisemaker OmniCab Sim Tweakable Cabinet Simulator.

Episode 7: BRANDON BROWN of Fergie, Black Eyed Peas, Boys II Men & more.

In this epiosde of The Lowdown Society we get to hang with one of the great players from Memphis currently doing big things in the L.A Pop/R&B scene, Mr. Brandon Brown. His resume is already a mile long and includes The Jacksons, Fergie, Black Eyed Peas, Boys II Men, TLC and many more. Brandon invited us to his studio in L.A where we recorded this podcast with neighboring studios jamming on the other side of the wall and with our amps turned up with bass and keybass plugged in. Brandon's love for all things bass is on full display when he laughs, pontificates and jams his way through this bass hang. We get to hear about everything from his early days in Memphis playing with Isaac Hayes and Stevie Wonder, to all the latest news about his own Funk project The Brandon Brown Collective. Big thanks to Memphis Bass master Mr. Jackie Clark for making this episode possible.

Episode 6: STEVE MACKEY - Nashville Session/Touring Ace

Steve Mackey is the kind of rock solid, soulful bass player that many of us professional bass colleagues wish we could play like. His funky-yet-subdued feel is highly in demand. In this episode Steve talks about moving to Nashville in the 80's, being in the studio with Garth Brooks & Dolly Parton and about his admiration for Willie Weeks, Duck Dunn and Randy Jackson among other topics. Steve also talks in depth about how he approaches a recording session, step-by-step, invaluable information for anyone looking to be proficient studio bass player. Steve can currently be seen on tour holding down the bottom end for The Wallflowers. In this episode both the guest and the host get riled up a few times about bass talk so nerdy, it can only be found on The Lowdown Society Podcast.  Professor Mackey is in the house, let the lesson commence.

Episode 5: SONNY THOMPSON of Prince & The New Power Generation

In this episode I got to sit down in a Minneapolis bar with one of my bass heroes Mr. Sonny Thompson, aka "Sonny T" from the original and best version of The New Power Generation. His funky and completely original approach to bass can be heard on quite a few amazing Prince songs, some of them hits and some of them undiscovered treasures to many. In this podcast we get down to the nitty gritty and discuss song details with the man himself after listening to excerpts of the songs. Sonny also talks about working with Prince and his approach to using effects among other topics. My guest host in this episode is Mr. Anthony Rankin, a Prince fanatic and super musician in his own right. Anthony helps us dig deep with some of the great bass lines on Prince albums throughout the years featuring other bass players as well as Prince himself. It's about to get fonky and very, very nerdy.