[John] I’m going to be 59, can you believe to be a priest - until they told me the rules! [John] Soul of the Bass is a record I have
that? (laughs) waited 40 years to make. I first heard Dave
[WM] No, I can’t! The amazing truth for us But there was one Hymn that they used to Tears in 1979. Since then I have always wanted
both is that God has been faithful to weave us in sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy”, that made me want to to do a solo bass recording, though I was
and out of so many opportunities and changes search. When I was fifteen, I went to the priest intimidated by the idea as well.
throughout all of the years, sometimes even after we moved to California, and I asked him, reaching back into our pasts and redeeming “I need you to tell me how to get close to God, I am glad I waited and had a chance to
things and then using them in the present. He because I know He’s there, but He seems far experience these last 40 years of life to live and
is the ultimate “Aggregator”, and then pours away to me right now.” The priest didn’t know. learn from! I also had a chance to think about
those things though us, His vessels, towards He said, “Well, go out in the pew and say three how I would approach it. I wound up wanting
creativity, influence, and hopefully impact. “Hail Mary’s” and I thought, “Uh, that’s wrong”. to include other colors on some pieces. The
A few years later I was saved because of these only other people on the record (besides the
[John] You know what’s weird about that? guys in a Covenant Church that started hiring solo bass or layered bass tracks) are Nate
Coming out of the Catholic thing, when I was a me to play bass, and I started asking them the Smith on drums for 2 songs, my wife Sachi
kid… this really blew me away recently because questions. on one song where we overdubbed ourselves
Holland’s solo bass recording called Emerald
God kind of pulls a string of your history. I was
into a cello/bass choir, and a tune with my 2
thinking about coming here (to the Getty Sing [WM] Tell us about your new release, Soul of daughters, Greisun and Isabella, who layered
Conference) and what to talk about. Of course, the Bass. The project is stunningly courageous vocal clusters.
I’m going to improvise and probably come up and so very heartfelt. “Mystery of the Soul” is with something different, but one of the things one of the most beautiful compositions that I Many of the pieces were developed from
that was impressed upon me when I was a kid have ever heard. What is the inspiration behind improvisations I did in my hotel rooms around
and an altar boy, was that I thought I was going that piece? the world. I would improvise in a compositional
May 2019
Subscribe for Free...
Photo by Gus Cantavero
135