Today, Bass Extremes—acclaimed bassists Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey—debut their new song, “Just-in Time. ”It’s the second single/video revealed ahead of their upcoming album, S’Low Down, set for release on August 26 via Vix Records.
Replicating Tool-in-a-stadium-type sonics, “Just-in Time” is a massive, gnarly groove that’s a study in tone, attitude and note durations and features Tool’s Justin Chancellor. Of the track, Wooten, and Bailey offer: “Collaborating with Justin took us to new places, sonically, melodically, and texturally, combining oceans, rivers, boulders, building things and smashing things…a sonic/epic and fast-moving adventure. If you’re a Tool fan and like that style of music, you will love this song. Justin’s bass is the driving force.”
The band previously released the album’s first single/video, “Home Bass,” featuring Ron Carter, Marcus Miller, and John Patitucci. Watch/share: link here.
The 10-track album features a variety of legendary musicians, including Ron Carter, Bootsy Collins, Marcus Miller, Oteil Burbridge, Justin Chancellor, Linda Oh, Edgar Meyer, John Patitucci, Billy Sheehan, Joe Dart, and more. It also includes some unexpected collaborations, including banjoist Béla Fleck on bass banjo, jazz guitarist Mike Stern on 6-string bass, Howard Levy on bass harmonica, and Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band) on both bass clarinet and bass flute.
Recorded over 18 months between their Myrtle Beach, Nashville, and Boston studios, in typical Bass Extremes fashion, the music was composed with Bailey and Wooten each functioning as bassist, composer, sound engineer, and producer. The duo utilized conventional and unorthodox approaches, which included spontaneous improvisations as well as melodies and harmonies inspired from Gregg Bissonette’s solo rhythm tracks, conjured by the confidence garnered from his 30-year partnership with the duo.
A key to the record’s concept lies in the album’s title. The first of dual meanings is clear, this album is about the ‘Low Down of the bass, while the “S’Low Down” offers deeper implications. “As you get older and wiser you learn how to say more with less,” explains Wooten. “We tell our students that a lot, ‘slow down.’” Bailey concurs adding, “For most musicians, myself included, you spend the first part of your career proving what you can play and trying to innovate and get it out there. What this album typifies for me is, been there, done that. Now it’s about what’s the least amount we can bring to the music and still make it work. How we can move slower and actually go faster.”
In support of the album, Bass Extremes will embark on a 37-date U.S. tour beginning August 19, at QC Jam Session Festival in Charlotte, NC. With longtime touring mate Derico Watson locking down the trio, the national tour continues through November 20. A complete list of dates is below, and tickets are on sale here.
Formed in 1992, Bass Extremes was an unprecedented morph of a musical album, instructional method, and concert video, all rolled into one. Pushing the “extremes” of what can be done on a 4-string fretted, and 6-string fretless bass, this cutting-edge project changed the trajectory of bass and its community with the idea that two bass players and a drummer IS the band.
With two ground-breaking albums—CookBook (1998) and Just Add Water (2001) – to their credit, their original Bass Extremes became one of the best-selling bass instructional products of all time that launched a cottage industry allowing the two to double as performers and educators at shows, industry events, clinics, universities, concerts worldwide, and the creation of their popular and perpetual ‘Bass Camps”, along with the innovative learning web experience, thebassvault.com. As Chair of the Bass Department (Bailey) and Performance Scholar in Residence (Wooten, they helped take Berklee College of Music to new Highs, and unprecedented Lows.
BASS EXTREMES: ON TOUR
August 19 – QC Jam Session Festival – Charlotte, NC
August 20 – Plaza Theatre – Glasgow, KY
August 21 – SPACE – Evanston, IL
August 22 – Door Community Auditorium – Fish Creek, WI
August 24 – Buskirk Chumley Theater – Bloomington, IN
August 25 – Music Box Supper Club – Cleveland, OH
August 26 – The Warehouse – Fairfield, CT
August 27 – Sony Hall – New York, NY
August 28 – The Egg – Lewis A. Sawyer Theatre – Albany, NY
August 30 – State Theatre of State College – State College, PA
August 31 – Center for the Arts of Homer – Homer, NY
September 1 – Sherman Theater – Stroudsburg, PA
September 2 – Flying Monkey – Plymouth, NH
September 3 – Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club – Portsmouth, NH
September 4 – Higher Ground Ballroom – South Burlington, VT
September 6 – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH
September 30 – Hillberry Music Festival – Eureka Springs, AR
October 1 – The Grandel – St. Louis, MO
October 3 – Mars Music Hall – Huntsville, AL
October 4 – Miller Theater – Augusta, GA
October 5 – Ponte Verda Concert Hall – Ponte Vedra, FL
October 6 – The Key West Theater – Key West, FL
October 7 – Culture Room – Fort Lauderdale, FL
October 8 – Circle Theater – Sebring, FL
October 9 – Capitol Theatre – Clearwater, FL
October 11 – Hargray Capitol Theatre – Macon, GA
October 13 – Last Concert Café – Houston, TX
October 14 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
October 15 – UTOPIAfest 2022 – Burnet, TX
October 16 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
November 9 – City Winery – Boston, MA
November 11 – Waldo Theatre – Waldoboro, ME
November 12 – BOMBYX Center for Arts & Equity – Northampton, MA
November 17 – Armory Event Center – Fort Collins, CO
November 18 –Lulu’s Downstairs – Manitou Springs, CO
November 19 – Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom – Denver, CO
November 20 – Boulder Theater – Boulder, CO
