Michael J Bolton returns with a new album of bass wizardry, Earthrise

I‘ve been a musician all my adult life and have gigged and worked across many genres and situations over the years. I particularly relate to funk, jazz, prog and blues, and I really enjoy playing in big bands and musical theatre. I used to teach a lot too, but I made the decision to wind that down in the last year or so in order to concentrate on the Earthrise album and develop my career as a composer, producer and session bass musician.

I started playing bass in 1979, aged 16. Like many others I played guitar from the age of 13 or so. I really liked the bass-lines in disco music, particularly those by Bernard Edwards with Chic. I also loved Chris Squire with Yes and was a massive fan as a teen. I was at a jam in Plymouth, England when I asked my mate if I could play his bass on the next tune. That was it! I immediately connected and felt at home with it, as if subliminally the bass part of the music had been in my heart and soul all along. I’ve been a bass player ever since.

My first bass was a Shaftesbury Rickenbacker 4001 copy, made in Japan. It was pretty good as I recall, with a through-neck construction: it sounded pretty close to the real thing. I’ve played six-string bass quite a lot in the past, but haven’t for some years now. | find the neck a bit too wide, especially in the lower positions. Right hand muting has always caused me problems, as I don’t like how the floating thumb technique restricts the movement of my right hand. I find the C string has a more guitar-like timbre, separate from the other strings. I also think it encourages the urge to play solos and melodies, while I’d rather focus on.
the bass part and playing with the drummer – that’s where it’s at for me!

I play five-string bass on casual gigs and shows most of the time, as it covers the range in all situations, including reading gigs. I still play a four-string a lot: I used one almost exclusively on the Earthrise album to help place the music in the 70s and early 80s vibe I was going for. I love playing fretless too, so all basses are good irrespective of string count, frets or not, active or passive. Earthrise celebrates Apollo 50 this year. It’s a motion picture in sound which takes the listener to the moon and back through the medium of jazz fusion! The music draws on my 40 years as a performer and writer, across genres reflecting my love of all things 70s.

I believe in good time, good sound, and locking in with the drummer, as well as listening to the whole song and figuring out how the bass part fits in and enhances the music. Developing the ear is so important, and learning to read will give you skills you’ll draw on without thinking about it. Be consistent, work out the core of apart – and stick with it.
www.michaeljbolton.co.uk