Latest articles by Chris Jisi
As a member of the Saturday Night Live house band, James Genus is the best-kept secret on bass
If you’re only as good as the company you keep, James Genus is bass royalty
Brian Wilson left his mark on the bass world through studio musicians, especially Carol Kaye, who he requested play his basslines note-for-note
In a rare interview, The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson reflected on bass playing, studio craft and his 2004 masterpiece, Smile
He’s one of the most influential bassists of all time, but did Motown’s James Jamerson make a mistake on this 1969 hit record?
How Jamerson’s ‘mistake’ helped set the foundation for The Temptations’ No. 1 hit
How bassist Mike Elizondo brought low-end and soul to Dr. Dre’s superstar productions
At Dr. Dre’s L.A. hit factory, Mike Elizondo carved up bass grooves with 50 Cent, Eminem, and Busta Rhymes
When Duran Duran fused Chic and Sex Pistols for one of bassist John Taylor’s standout performances
Duran Duran may be back in vogue – but for anyone who learned to play bass in the ’80s John Taylor has never been out of fashion
Played by a session great, this Chaka Khan line was hailed by Nathan East as “the perfect bassline”
Antony Jackson tuned his ‘career girl’ – a Fender hybrid consisting of a ’75 Jazz Bass body and ’73 Precision neck – down two whole steps for Move Me No Mountain
How Marcus Miller found his voice – and became one of the most-imitated bassists in the biz
The bass icon breaks down his formative influences, and how he gave everyone from Prince to Beethoven a low-end makeover via his '77 Fender Jazz
B.B. King had his breakthrough blues guitar moment with The Thrill Is Gone – but it was Jerry Jemmott’s bass that made it groove
For The Thrill Is Gone, Jemmott played his 1964 Jazz Bass – which would be stolen soon afterward
Carol Kaye on how she made Pet Sounds with the Beach Boys – and why good basslines don't come from scales
Kaye, the first lady of the electric bass, played her P-Bass through a Fender Super Reverb 4x10 combo on the iconic record
Just when we thought he’d settled into his routine as a bass superhero, Victor Wooten pulls out another surprise: a 25 cent hair tie?
Victor Wooten reveals the “secret” technique that makes his bass solos “pop with screaming harmonics”
How Bakithi Kumalo’s swung, fretless bassline helped create one of Graceland’s defining sounds
Like much of Paul Simon’s Graceland, the 1985 session for The Boy In The Bubble took place at Ovation Studios in downtown Johannesburg
Did Willie Weeks miss a note on this Donny Hathaway classic?
Willie Weeks is best known for his storied bass solo on Hathaway’s 1972 Live album, but the disc also features what may be his baddest bassline
How a young Bootsy Collins took the James Brown bass chair to its busiest level on this Bootsy-fied recut from 1970’s Sex Machine
The first version of the song was recorded in October 1968 with Charles ‘Sweets’ Sherrell on bass
Mike Rutherford’s “lead” bass approach helped demystify the low-end for prog rock cornerstone Genesis
The departure of guitarists Anthony Phillips and Steve Hackett cleared the way for Rutherford's angular bassline on this Genesis classic
Trevor Bolder speaks out on his storied history with David Bowie
How could anyone who played bass on Ziggy Stardust not be a rock legend?
An inside look at James Jamerson’s 10 seminal “B-Sides”
Anthony Jackson and James Jamerson Jr reveal the hidden secrets of Motown’s multi-track recordings
Jerry Barnes and Nile Rodgers give an insiders’ view of this seven-minute bass anthem by Chic
Performing alongside guitarist Nile Rodgers, Jerry Barnes has bestowed his deep-pocketed basslines upon Chic since the untimely death of Bernard Edwards in 1996
Did Nate Watts play on the most under-appreciated bass anthem ever?
The story behind the incredible 10-minute bassline on Stevie Wonder’s 1981 hit Do I Do
John Wetton has been the bass force behind a peak-period King Crimson lineup and two prog rock supergroups
A veteran of one of King Crimson’s classic lineups, John Wetton’s amazing career took him through a host of British prog bands
Darryl Jones on his journey to The Rolling Stones – from Miles Davis to Sting, Herbie Hancock to Peter Gabriel, and Madonna
The Rolling Stones bassist is a force of nature, with a stage and session career second to none
How Ryan Martinie redefined metal bass playing for a new generation with Mudvayne
Ryan Martinie stepped out as a 21st-century bass hero on Mudvayne’s The End of All Things to Come
How Willie Weeks' unbelievable solo on Donny Hathaway's 1972 Live album made him a bass legend
After being introduced as “the baddest bass player in the country,” Willie Weeks kicked off his now iconic solo
Fishbone’s Norwood Fisher names his 10 best basslines
The most iconic bass riffs in Fishbone’s catalog, according to Norwood Fisher himself
