2012 is going to be the BEST!

First off I'd like to say sorry for slacking on this blog, I've just been kinda lazy when it comes to this but that will change! I just got a ton of CD's so I'll be posting more blogs my favorite musicians over the next few months.

The reason why I say 2012 is going to be the best is because I'll be setting off for my first tour in June with Autonomy! The tour will be 15 days long, and we'll also be playing the Las Vegas Death Fest this year (8th day of the tour). Autonomy also just recently confirmed for the Building Temples of Death Fest in Texas with the legendary DISGORGE!

Naegleria is working on a few songs and we'll be recording and releasing a new record this summer, date TBA (hopefully July), and we'll have new merch available. We are also trying to fund a possible tour in the fall (which would be killer!).

Another thing that is going to happen is that I'll be recording my first solo bass record! Still working on songs and it'll hopefully be released in October or November, and I am truly excited about this. I'm going to try to put it out on CD, so major funding is definitely going into this project.

So that's it for my Musical Adventures, lol (for now!)

Other greats dates this year, July 24th I'll be 21, and August 4th will be Megan and I's one year anniversary being together!

I'll keep you posted on more exciting things happening in my life later on.

Have a great one!

Jake Ryan.

Kaki King

I've been a fan of Kaki King for a few years now. The first album I ever bought of hers was called "Dreaming of Revenge", and to this day I listen to that album in it's entirety a few times a week. The Album is just a piece of art in the sense that you can to one song and capture one thing, listen to another and it gives you a totally different feeling/image. After I bought that back in 2008, I needed to hear more.

I've listened to everything by Kaki King. Everything from "Everybody Loves You" to her 2010 release "Junior" and I love it all. All of her pieces, whether it's from an album of hers or a soundtrack she's worked on (Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" for example) it's all beautiful.

Kaki is known for her percussive playing, jazzy melodies, intense live shows, interesting tunings on her guitars and lap steel, and her diverse range in different genres.

Kaki King is definitely an artist that must be listened to.

http://www.kakiking.com/
http://www.facebook.com/kakiking

Have a good one!

Jake Ryan

Esperanza Spaulding

It's the end of the month, and I'd like to end this month with an artist I'm really crazy about. She's a very talented singer and bassist by the name of Esperanza Spaulding. Some of you may know her by her Grammy win for Best New Artist (beating out Justin Bieber, Drake, and Florence and the Machine), but I remember the first time I heard of her was seeing her perform her version of "Overjoyed" by Stevie Wonder for the president (on youtube of course). Her voice is incredible, and she is a fantastic bass player. Her Albums "Esperanza" and "Chamber Music Society" are both amazing, and I believe her next CD, "Radio Music Society" comes out in the first quarter of 2012. It's really hard to say what "genre" of music she plays, because her music has such a wide variety of different music styles. Some songs have more of a jazzy feel, or maybe r&b, funk, lounge, brazilian... it goes on!

Some fun facts about Esperanza: When she won her Grammy for Best New Artist she was the first Jazz Artist to ever win that. Almost immediately after graduation from college later the same year, Spalding was hired by Berklee College of Music, becoming one of the youngest professors in the institution's history, at age 20. She has also played for president Barack Obama four times!

If you've never heard of Esperanza Spaulding then look her up, listen to a couple songs, and then buy her CD's. She is a brilliant musician, and I believe everyone should listen to her.

Have a good one!
Jake Ryan.

Jaco Pastorius

A couple weeks ago I took the bus to the mall, and I had quite a bit of extra money with me that day so with extra cash equals new CDs. Like I stated in my last blog I've been on the hunt for other music besides Death Metal, and as soon as I walk into the Jazz section I see Jaco Pastorius's self titled CD (re-issue). If someone you know who plays bass and doesn't know who Jaco Pastorius is... Slap him in the Head! Jaco is considered to be acknowledged to be a virtuoso, doing many things your normal bass player wouldn't. His solos were intricate and he was the first to make his bass "sing", which was achieved from his fretless bass. Seriously, if you've never heard of him, look him up.

So getting back to the CD. The CD is magnificent. The bass line on "Come on, Come Over" gets me into a deep groove, and the song "Portrait of Tracy" is probably the most beautiful piece of music ever written on the bass (tied with "The Enormous Room" by Michael Manring, imo). But this CD needs to be purchased by not only bass players, but all musicians. I bought for $6 at FYE so it's very affordable. Don't download it, BUT IT.

RANDOM FACT: Pastorius was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1988, one of only four bassists to be so honored (and the only electric bass guitarist)

Have a good one!
Jake.

The Stanley Clarke Band

I have been playing this CD non stop since I got this. I purchased this CD about a year ago from FYE at the Auburn Mall. For a few years I've been in search for some different kinds of music, especially looking records including very talented bass players. So one day I go to the Mall and head to FYE, and I'm just looking through all of the Jazz CD's and I found some Monk, Mingus, Coltrane, etc etc, but then I stumbled upon "The Stanley Clarke Band". Ever since I've started playing bass names like Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, and Stanley Clarke have been running through my mind, so I was very interested in picking this CD up. The CD was about $17, and it was way worth it.

The CD is made up of 11 tracks, genre's ranging from rock, funk, and jazz fusion. Two of the tracks happen to be solo pieces (beautifully written, obviously). The CD features another fantastic musician by the name of Hiromi. Hiromi is classically trained pianist, and I must say, I was incredibly amazed. On track 6, "No Mystery" (originally written by Chick Corea, and it's my favorite song on the CD) was first of all Incredible, Hiromi's piano work was so tight, and if shred was a term applied to pianists... she shreds.

Lastly, I just want to say that Stanley Clark is a genius. The way he uses Emotion, with everything he does is just incredible. I wish I saw him back in March with The Victor Wooten Band.

So get up, go to FYE, or some online store, and buy the CD. Don't download it, But it. haha.

Have a great day.
Jake Ryan.

Jean Baudin, Musical Genius

I've had Solace by Jean Baudin for awhile now but for the past 2 weeks it's all I've been listening too. Simply one of the best records I own, and in my top 5 solo bass records. It's just one of those records where all the songs are just incredible, and the best part is that all the songs have their own different feeling to them.

Please check out this amazing musician, buy the CD, he also has a tapping book out (which is incredibly helpful!).

Jean Baudin

Thanks!
Jake Ryan

Writing some solo pieces.

Recently I've been working on ideas that have been flowing around in my head for awhile. I really want to release a few songs by the fall or maybe even an EP of some sorts. It would just be cool to release something that isn't death metal for once, haha, just something totally different. I hope people react well to it too. I don't think their are any solo bassists from where I'm from so getting my music out to the public will be pretty interesting. Thats all the news I have for now about my personal music, more news to come though!

Stay Tuned,
Jake Ryan.