Photo by Scott Preston
With organic, bass-centric sounds mixing with forward-looking soundscapes, Everbody’s Feelin’ Real finds Freekbass bridging the gap between classic funk and the future of the groove. Aided by the vision of producer and engineer Duane Lundy (My Morning Jacket, Ben Sollee), this album lives in the rawness of the earth while traveling to the future of worlds yet to be discovered.
Inspired by the inventiveness and massive sonics of David Bowie, Sly Stone & Dr. Dre the ten-songs on Everbody’s Feelin’ Real celebrate a sound while simultaneously pushing the envelope of what it is and what it can be. Funk is only a part of it.
Accompanying him on the new release are Les Claypool collaborator Skerik, Jennifer Hartswick from Trey Anastasio Band, Joel “Razor Sharp” Johnson from Bootsy’s Rubberband, Kim Manning, Chip Wilson and Big Bamn from George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic and percussionist David Farris.
A Midwestern tour immediately follows the April 8 disc release where Freekbass will be touring as a duo with his longtime drummer Bamn. “We’ll be doing bass and live drums with tracks and loops. Think of a funk version of a Pretty Lights meets White Stripes. I think it will both sound a look powerful. Bamn and I have a strong rhythmic flow together and think the sound will be big, wide, and dirty. Very rhythmic and danceable.”
In addition to his recorded works, Freekbass has released three instructional DVDs Learn Funk Bass with Freekbass, Level 1 & Level 2 and 50 Freekbass Licks You Must Know. He also gave a master class at this year’s London Bass Guitar Show while appearing on the cover of Bass Guitar Magazine with a number of great bassists.
“I feel with music it is your duty to release not just albums, but to let other people gain any insight into what got you where you are,” Freekbass says. “Plus I have personally become such a better player since I have started instruction.”
Knowing he has as much to learn as he has to teach, Freekbass has played in a number of different projects with the likes of Bootsy Collins, Phish’s Mike Gordon, DJ Spooky, Buckethead, Bernie Worrell, Kelly Richey, Adam Deitch, Steve Molitz and many more.
With a solid crew in place, more tour dates are expected to be announced after the album release shows this Spring.
Freekbass CD Release Spring Tour:
4.10 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck
4.11 – St. Louis, MO – 2720 Cherokee
4.12 – Newport, KY – Southgate House Sanctuary
4.13 – Columbus, OH – Woodlands Tavern
4.15 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
4.16 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Brewery
4.17 – LaCrosse, WI – Cavalier Theater
4.18 – Minneapolis, MN – The Cabooze
4.19 – Madison, WI – Majestic Madison
4.20 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
4.22 – Milwaukee , WI – The Miramar Theatre
4.23 – Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s
