Bass Musician Magazine - 8th Anniversary Issue with Stu Hamm | Page 12

I took the recording home, popped it in, and was greeted with a ridiculous two-handed tapping, slap
filled bass-fest that covered Beethoven to Earl Scruggs. “The Moonlight Sonata” was played in full
polyphonic, piano-like form; another two-handed piece raced into a tapping frenzy; then the final
crescendo: a banjo inspired slap and tap hoedown.

Immediate re-evaluation of my instrument choice was inevitable. This “Stu Hamm” had singlehandedly destroyed my concept of what was capable of being created on the bass. I slowly recovered
from the ear-thrashing and used the incident as a right angle turn in my young bass career.

bassmusicianmagazine.com | 08.15

A Bass Monster, indeed.

Flash-forward to modern day and Mr. Hamm continues to have the “monster” moniker reverently
attached to him. Stu has blazed a trail through uncharted bass territory over the course of seven
solo albums, which have showcased his lead and solo playing over rock, jazz, fusion, and classical
compositions. Innovative solo arrangements of “Linus and Lucy”, “The Star Spangled Banner”,
and “Going Back To California”, to name only a few of Stu’s solo highlights, have amazed and