The feature bass player for this week is Seth Glassman. We interviewed Seth, asked him about his gear and this is what he had to say. (Also, be sure to check out the video at the bottom of this article to hear some of his playing.
Most of his playing has been done with his ’64 Jazz bass on the left:
Tell us a little bit about you…
I’ve been a studio bass player in NY since the late 1970’s.
Who have you played with?
Here’s a partial resume: James Brown, Paul McCartney, Maceo Parker, Diana Ross, Rakim, Aaron Neville, Elvis Costello, Bill Medley, Brian Wilson, Little Steven, Paul Shaffer, Brian McKnight, Jill Sobule, J.D Souther, Bobby Womack, Dr. John, Hall and Oates, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Rogers, Carole King, Robert Waller, Jennifer Warnes, Rupert Holmes, Grace Pool, The Poppies, Little Isidore and The Inquisitors, Jock Rock, Jonathan Edwards, Jennifer Rush, Ronnie Spector, Cher, Bonnie Tyler, Jimmy Barnes, Kurtis Blow, Rodney Dangerfield, Apache, The Manhattans, The Cover Girls, Doonesbury, Bob Halligan, TM Network, Tom Chapin, The Tuesdays, Luba, Bernard Purdy, Judy Collins, Hands Across America, Bob and Bob, Bette Midler, Carly Simon, Dion, Whitney and Cissy Houston, Ben E. King, Joe Walsh, The Sweet Inspirations, Sonny Bono, Dan Rather, Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, South Side Johnny, Darlene Love, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Brother Jack MacDuff, Phil Spector Christmas Show, Orleans, Laura Nyro, Bernadette Peters, Suzette Charles, Ellen Greene, Willie Nelson, Joe Piscopo, Carol Kane, The Jets, Shirley Alston, Martha Reeves, Grace Slick, Mary Wells, Leslie Gore, Brenda Lee, Dionne Warwick, Julie Budd, Lena Horne, Frankie Laine, Diahann Carroll.
What is the model of bass you play?
I’m basically a Jazz Bass guy. My main bass is a ’64 Jazz that has a Badass bridge. I have another ’64 Jazz that’s strung with flatwound strings. I have a ’66 Precision, a fretless Jazz with Seymour Duncan Antiquity II pickups and a Schaller bridge, a Lakland 5-string Skyline jazz bass with an Omega Bridge and custom-wound Seymour Duncan pickups. I have a couple of parts basses, a P and a J, both with Antiquity II pickups and Badass or Omega bridges that I use for touring.
What inspired you to get started?
I loved listening to records from the time I was about 8 years old. I was the stereotypical kid under the covers with a transistor radio when I was supposed to be sleeping. When I got a little bit older I realized being a musician was a way to participate in making records. I played on my first album when I was 17.
Who is your current inspiration?
That’s hard – there is so much great music in the world. I still love making records as much as I ever did, although the musical world is a much different place than when I was kid. I take inspiration from the artists I work with, both as a bass player and as a producer.
Toughest gig you ever played?
Two come to mind – the first time I played Radio City Music Hall was also my first gig with the artist I was playing with, and he was the headliner. Halfway into the first song a huge fan came on from somewhere in the wings or the flies and blew all my music off the stand. I had to decide what would look more stupid, chasing the music across the stage in front of 5,000 people, or trying to play 25 songs without charts after two rehearsals. I chased the charts. The other time was a place that used to be called the Westbury Music Fair, in Westbury NY. The artist called a song we hadn’t rehearsed and I had never heard of, and started counting it off. I looked at the guitar player/band leader, the great Jimmy Vivino, and he yelled, “F!” So with the key and making some thumpy sounds without a pitch I figured it out on the fly.
Who’s your biggest fan?
My wife. Otherwise she never would have put up with me for so long.
Here’s a few videos of Seth doing his thing:
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