with your own eyes as he unleashes the sounds he gets out of his bass, you wouldn’t ever guess that’s what you
were listening to. Running his sound through a pretty dense array of effects pedals, Mosley manipulates his bass
sound in so many ways, enabling him to cover any range of sound he wants. A distracted listener might look up
to check out a screaming, grungy guitar solo -- only to realize that it’s somehow being emitted from that bass.
And when other upright bass players pull out a bow, you usually can anticipate a slow, open, quiet turn in the
music. But when Mosley reaches for his bow, that’s when the music starts to get the most intense. Together
with his effects pedals and his bow work, he often drives a solo that sounds like it could be HENDRIX. But his
playing isn’t just about effects, he also moves around the bass so swiftly your eyes can’t keep up meanwhile,
laying down a groove that is as funky as anyone’s heard.
There are many times in the performance where Mosley can play things that leave a listener perplexed. But
when he sings, it’s approachable, and ultimately what he sings about is pretty straight-forward. He has messages,
many of them about perseverance and empowerment that he passionately belts out as he drives his upright
bass forward. With a charming personality that engages the audience between songs and gets them
participating within them, he clearly loves performing, and shows his appreciation for the listeners. He
amusingly disclaims that he needs to get the money’s-worth out of all those bass lessons when he was young,
as a justification to open up an extended solo.
As the set carried on, the music reached to higher levels, building in spirit and layering textures and surreal
sounds out of his bass that pushed towards musical climax. As the notes settled and the songs concluded, it
didn’t seem out of step for one to wonder what it was they just listened to. An un-categorical mesh of styles
and sounds that undoubtedly was a highlight of anyone’s recent seeking of music. Miles Mosley’s abilities and
the songs he wraps around them ensure you won’t believe your ears.