Interview with Bass Master Jeff Berlin
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| Photo by John McCracken |
By Mick Michaels
Cosmick View:
Hello, Jeff! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for
taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly
appreciated.
Jeff Berlin:
It is a pleasure to chat with you. I enjoy these opportunities to talk about
music, so thank you for inviting me to do so.
CV:
Why do you think bass has always been looked at as being far less superior to
guitar in Rock by many? Is it a matter of misunderstanding the instrument or
does such a belief have its roots in the development of the "guitar
hero" persona?
JB: I have a
theory about this, and it might be an unpopular one. We seem to be in a time
where some bass players have chosen to embrace lower standards in being taught
as well as in playing. I admit being a bit confused why people who sought out
an instrument to express their musical feeling through have consciously decided
to avoid becoming capable on the instrument that many love. This might explain
in part why some rock musicians at this particular time might not see bass players
as qualified to play to where some groups have eliminated bass playing from
their groups completely. In my view, bass education has some involvement in
this.
CV:
If you had to describe Jack Bruce in one word, what would that
word be?
JB: Original!
CV:
How do you feel Jack personified that "word" above
both as an artist and as a person in your opinion and do you feel Jack would
have agreed with your choice of word to describe him?
JB:
Somewhere inside of him he would have agreed with me. Jack was aware of his
talent and at the same time, he was grateful to the fans who supported his
career. All musicians are grateful for this! But, at the same time, Jack knew
that he was a special musician.
JB: The songs were chosen based entirely on love. Except for excerpts from other records, most of the songs on Jack Songs were from Jack’s solo records that I grew up listening to such as “Songs For a Tailor”, “Harmony Row” and “Out of the Storm.” I devoured those records and knew every note by heart! Interestingly, I still listen to music the same way. I climb straight inside of whatever I am listening to. I can listen to a classical work a hundred times. And each time that I listen, I feel as if I’m inside of the music. It’s kind of hard to describe my experience any other way.
CV:
Everyone hopes to experience that once in a lifetime relationship that alters
everything that follows. Was your friendship with Jack Bruce that
once in a lifetime relationship?
JB: Oh, for
me, it was! You see, Jack wasn’t merely an influence on me; he was the singular
musical influence that got me to pursue the kind of bass playing that I chose
for myself. I can’t recall a time when we met and hung out where a part of me
wasn’t in awe of who I was spending time with.
CV:
"Jack Songs" also includes a host of guest performers;
from The Red Rocker Sammy Hagar and Billy Sheenan to Gregg Bissonette to Bumblefoot.
Did each person who appeared on the album also share a special bond with Jack?
JB: I’m sure
that the other bassists who played on Jack Songs were fans of Jack. But, I know
for a fact that when we were young men, Sammy and Geddy were as uber-fanatical
about Jack’s bass playing as I was.
CV:
Music has a way of expressing things that words sometimes seem to fail at. What
do you feel "Jack Songs" is saying to the world about Jack
Bruce?
JB: Great
question! For me, Jack Songs represents my pursuit of musical excellence, the
same musical excellence that Jack sought for himself whenever he was recording
his music. It was so easy for me to emulate his passion when I recorded JS. The
very spirit of the music comes from another time, a time when a piece of one’s
soul might be transferred onto a vinyl disc or digital recording. Listen to Ray
Charles to get an inkling of what I’m referring to. For me, the greatest
players in music are those who walk out onto a musical plank to expose their
deepest musical spirit while at the same time trying not to fall off the plank.
Just, WOW! So, while this was a record that I plan to never attempt again due
to the exhausting amount work that went into each song, at the same time,
people will hear a bit of me in each piece.
CV: What more can fans expect to see coming from you as the 2023 begins to get closer?
JB: I’m touring in March and in the summer in Europe. I have plans to get on the road for the rest of my life. I’m also planning a traveling teaching course for bassists with problems that they might find difficult to solve. I found that I am very good at improving almost anyone’s bass playing if this is something that people want. It isn’t as hard as some might think that it is. Also, I’m writing music for a new CD. It will be focused on my bass playing and compositions as I sometimes end up as a bass sideman on my own records, sort of what Jaco Pastorius did on his Word of Mouth record. On this next record, I plan to present my bass playing in some of the new ways that I’ve been discovering as I’ve been really deep into practicing these days. I found some different music on the bass and hope to record it.
CV: Thanks again Jeff taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.
Check out Jeff at:
Official website: www.jeffberlinmusicgroup.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JBerlinMusicGroup
Instagram: @lumpyjazz
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