BASS
Jason Raso is a professional bassist from Guelph, ON. His latest album, Live at the Jazz Room, is available at www.jasonrasomusic.com.
Jason proudly endorses Fodera basses, Aguilar amplification, and D’Addario strings.
By Jason Raso
More About Meshell
CM: One thing that strikes me about your
playing is your phrasing. I can tell right
away when it’s you playing. I was listen-
ing you play on Joshua Redman’s “Greasy
G” and the line is so far behind the beat.
Or is it? I don’t know (laughs)!
MN: (Laughs) It’s something I don’t think
about. I just play it where I feel it. I just play it
where I hear it. Coming from D.C., you gotta
make people dance. It’s gotta feel good. Not
everyone likes the way I play. I could never
play with a bluegrass band; I play too far
behind the beat. I’m too relaxed. It’s not for
everyone. It’s a push and a pull on the groove.
JOHN ENTWISTLE
W W W. C A N A D I A N M U S I C I A N . CO M
O
ver the past five years, I have
been fortunate to interview
many incredible bass players,
including the five women fea-
tured in the 2018 Bass Feature
in this issue. I am nervous before every inter-
view, but I was especially anxious before my
interview with Meshell Ndegeocello. I have
been following her career since 1995, and I
am a big fan. She is one of my musical heroes,
as a bass player and as a composer. My hope
was to keep it together and not come across
as the total bass-nerd fanboy I really am.
After chatting for a few moments, my
nerves were gone. Meshell was easy to talk
with, and I found her to be warm and friendly.
She even asked me where I lived, if I liked
living there, and where my family came from.
Once I had asked my planned questions, I
couldn’t resist asking a couple more bass
related questions that I wanted to share:
CM: Who were some of your early
influences?
MN: My brother was a big Parliament fan, so
I listened to Rodney “Skeet” Curtis and Billy
“Bass” Nelson. I loved the way Stevie Wonder
played bass. In hindsight, especially on the
first record, I think I’m definitely influenced
by Stevie Wonder more than anyone else. I’m
a Jaco fan, not because of his virtuosity; har-
monically, he’s such a beautiful writer and I’m
definitely influenced by his tone. I think I’m
a mosh of all that, and a lot of D.C. There is a
D.C. bass player named Michael Neal. He was
the first person