About Me
I've been knocking around as a musician since 1975. I started playing bass because everyone in my neighborhood wanted to be "Jumpin' Jack Flash," playing lead guitar. At that point in music history and owing to the 'Laws of Lynyrd Skynyrd,' I figured you could have three guitarists, but since no one was cutting it on the bass in my region I would have a bit of a monopoly on it. I was largely right. Although I never considered myself a naturally-gifted musician my love of the craft, hard work, due diligence, perseverance, and shameless self-promotion ultimately paid off. When I first took up the bass, I went on the road with a friend's band in the northeast as a roadie to see how the mechanics of performance worked. I was fifteen years old, and what an education I received--I loved it. Returning from the New York City area, I made a lot of connections with some of the 'older cats' in Louisville, Ky.--there are some truly badass pickers in that region!! In the years that followed, I've worked in every style and every format imaginable at one time or another...and played some high dollar large venues with some fairly famous folks as well as some some absolutely horrible dives for peanuts with a ton of nobodies. THAT'S show biz! When I was a young man performing in New York again circa 1980, I received some really good advice from a highly respected recording artist: stick with the bass, she said, because 6-stringers are everywhere--but good, solid bassists are worth their weight in gold. There ain't no saints in the club scene--you take your chances with the people you elect to work with. It can be a vicious cesspool full of dorsal fins out there. Bands are a lot like cheap whores; they come and go. Musicians often have to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and move on to the next adventure. If you recognize these symptoms early in your 'music career', you just may survive. Better yet, you may make a profit! One thing I have learned as a bassist: if you can play the pocket, keep time and groove, you can work forever...the obvious theory behind that is "shut up and play your parts!!" My friend Dana Piper has always been key in trying to propel my 'career' further, including auditions/business meetings with the Pat Travers Band and blues monster guitarist Larry McCray (now of Phil Lesh & Friends). In a lot of ways he's like a personal manager...without a commission! He's certainly one of the most knowledgeable allies I've encountered in the music biz--the man who is largely responsible for taking Savatage to Atlantic Records. I've worked on many side projects with Jon Oliva both live and in the studio, and was extremely honored to be sought for the role of bassist in the Jon Oliva Project when they performed for the Criss Oliva Memorial Benefit in '03. Prior commitments (musically and familial) prevented me from pursuing it further, but that ensemble ultimately became Jon Oliva's Pain and they have rolled on (see pictures section). Another man who has been very generous with career advice is Tim Drummond (see pictures section), whose work you hear every day on a diverse assortment of recordings by Neil Young, Jewel, Dylan, James Brown, Neil Diamond, Bette Midler, Eric Clapton and many more. Taking lessons on six-string from Matt LaPorte made for a critical improvement in my playing, fostering a basic understanding of theory, scales, and modes. Even if your bass line consists of a mere three notes, it's always advantageous to know why those notes apply. Music is, if nothing else, an ongoing journey with many exit ramps, a few rest areas, and some high-priced gas along the way! I used to personally think you were only as good as your last gig...but the fact is, you're only as good as your next one. I've performed contemporary rock, classic rock, straight blues, country, bluegrass and a smattering of jazz; and a lot of stuff that falls somewhere in bewteen. I'm also the proprietor of a graphic art & design business -- Jase the Ace Enterprises. I handle a lot of licensed professional and collegiate sports art, touring rock bands, local event artwork in the Tampa Bay area, and anything else that requires a slick, professional look. Related sites: www.jonoliva.net, www.savatage.com (Criss Oliva section), www.cellfishband.com, and www.artofthetwang.com.
