Sometimes musicians go to a special place known as “music for musicians.” Jazz, in general, has often been described as such by those who haven’t understood or felt what jazz is all about. But there are sessions, albums, and project dedicated to showcasing insane abilities in playing a particular instrument. Being a bassist, I’ve explored many of the masters of groove and low-end soloists, and these two you’re watching in the background are definitely one of the leading forces in bassing. Andrew Gouché is a superb bassist and a Grammy-winning producer. He is also the groove-deliverer behind music legends such as Prince, Gladys Knight, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Julio Iglesias, Madonna, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Earth, Wind & Fire, Aretha Franklin, Andraé Crouch, The Winans, Chaka Khan, and many more. Gouché is best known for his creative bass lines and a unique sound which he further developed into a signature line of bass guitars. When he was eight, he started playing the trumpet and played the horn until he discovered the bass guitar when he turned fifteen. In his words, it was then that he “truly found what he was meant to do in life.” Being a church musician for almost all of his life, he has made an indelible mark on the history of Gospel music with the addition of bass guitar when there was none in church. Today, the bass guitar is a must-have in churches across America, and it was Gouché who paved the way and inspired today’s generation of Gospel and R&B bassists. Damian Erskine is known for his ability to fit into any musical situation, extraordinary reading and improvising skills as well as being an educator and columnist. He has played in the studio or on the stage with the likes of Peter Erskine (who is his uncle), The Jaco Pastorius Big Band, Les McCann & Javon Jackson, Gino Vannelli, Jeff Lorber, George Colligan, Sveti w/ Marko Djordjevic, Vardan Ovsepian, Charmaine Neville, Tony Furtado and many others.This session emphasizes the masterful grooves of Gouché and the virtuoso soloing of Erskine, although they are both exquisite either way on the bass. Enjoy!
