Bass Musician Magazine - SPECIAL February 2014 NAMM Issue | Page 34

essential source of music experience
available. There is nothing better than
having a single macchiato with Stewart
and Bernie Grundman, the best mastering
engineer ever and another fantastic
human being. I should mention the magic
Rod Temperton. He wrote everything…
from “Thrille r” to “Rock with You” by
Michael Jackson, “Give Me The Night” for
George Benson. Lovely and absolutely
wonderful in everything.
Lastly, the most valuable advice I ever
got was from Lalo Schifrin. We worked
together (just some wild bass!!!) on a
“007” Techno Remix (produced by my
dear composer-friend Gigi Meroni).
During a dinner, I asked the same
question/advice to him and he told me
“Before you answer to anything always
count two bars”. I translated this advice
into “We have the ability to choose/
control our reactions”. Our reactions
can really change the course of things;
therefore we should always take our time
and think things through.
Anyway I need to tell you a little
story. When I was a kid I used to often
walk by the seaside, feeling the breeze,
watching funny people and pretty girls.
A few guys were talking about the
weather…Apparently the TV news said
that tomorrow would be sunny but an
old, little, funky man was saying the it
would rain. Sure enough the next day it
was raining. Connecting with nature…you
know. I miss that.
No matter what you think you know, no
matter if you are a musician, a producer,
a filmmaker or a writer who travels all
over the world…beside the few people in
the music business I mentioned, I learned
the most important and essential things
from fishermen and pastry-chefs from my
FEB 2014 / BASSMUSICIANMAGAZINE.COM

hometown, simple people that never took
a plane to go anywhere.
I love it. That’s very valuable advice.
Let’s change the subject. I know that you
recorded a lot. What would you consider
your top recordings?
Of course…any Sunny Levine
recordings I worked on! Most of my best
work is simply because of him. There is
nothing ordinary and predictable beside
creamy espressos. I always like Sunny’s
records. He is the freshest and the most
creative producer you can find now.
He customizes every second of music,
dancing with it. From the self-titled
Mickey Avalon album to Pete Yorn “BreakUp” album with Scarlett Johansson, a
fantastic project with the incredible
Bruno Guez, Holly Palmer, and a bunch of
other totally different things with always
amazing situations! Be ready for his latest
“Collection” album we just finished…
featuring GREAT guests. I put some bass
on Hugh Masakela, Pete Yorn, James
Gadson and Aska Matsumiya tracks.
I really love the work I did with the
Imagine Orkestra. A “Bitches Brew”
style modern idea by Warren Cuccurullo
(Zappa, Missing Persons, Duran Duran).
We recorded at the legendary Village
Recorder and at Paul Allen’s Studio
with Terri Bozzio (Jeff Beck, Zappa),
Simone Sello (great friend, producer and
unbelievable guitarist) and my favorite
keys player…the super groovy and soulful
Alex Alessandroni (C. Aguilera, Natalie
Cole, Pink), Doug Lunn, Manuel Stagars…
It was Surreal and GREAT! I’m credited as
BiZarroPatane, bass from space…
Secondly I would like to mention the
“We Are The Future” project, which I cowrote and co-produced the self-titled