There are some rock ’n’ roll stories you just couldn’t make up. One is how Spanish bassist Vincen García went from messaging Cory Wong on Instagram to standing with him onstage in front of thousands with a bass in his hand.
When it was announced that Sonny T would be missing from the European leg of Wong’s 2023 tour due to undisclosed circumstances, García was quickly named as his last minute stand-in. “I’d messaged Cory to see if he needed a bassist,” García told Bass Player. “He sent me a playlist, his tour manager's phone number and said, ‘See you two days!’”
Initially, picking up the gig at the drop of a hat was difficult, as you might expect. “I had 48 hours to learn the set. There was no rehearsal, so I was a little nervous about the whole scenario, but Cory's band has been playing for a long time, so they were all relaxed. They helped me on the first night with cues onstage.”
Remarkably, García was also fairly calm about learning the songs. “The great thing about Cory’s music is that it can be interpreted in your own way. I had to pick up the chords and really make each bassline my own. It was an experience I’ll never forget.”
If you’ve heard the earth-shattering bass playing of Vincen García – a searing mixture of incredible chops and mind-boggling groove – you’ll appreciate that his enormous energy was the perfect fit for Cory Wong’s funk formula.
García checked in with Bass Player ahead of his own upcoming European tour.
When did you start playing bass?
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“When I was a kid, my classmates and I wanted to start a band, but nobody else wanted to play the bass! So I decided to start with the instrument myself.”
Do you remember your first bass guitar?
“Yes. It was an Academy Precision. I remember it had a high action, and it was very hard to play. Now I play a Yamaha BB.”
Do you play with fingers or a pick?
“Fingerstyle! It’s just better for me. I might use a pick for playing louder styles of music, but I have finally nailed the tone I like when I play with my fingers. I can get a much warmer sound.”
What would you play if you wanted to impress someone?
“It depends on the person and what they’re impressed by! Maybe some slap basslines? Or some ghost notes? I like to bring out the artillery!”
How often do you experiment with effects?
“I keep varying what’s on my pedalboard. What I like the most is the natural sound of the instrument, but I do use some reverb, wah, and octave effects.”
You used a wah with Funky Times. What are those guys like to work with?
“We met at the Guitar Summit in Germany. They’re great guys and I’m sure we’ll do more in the future.”
Who are your bass heroes?
“There are the obvious names like Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Jaco Pastorius and Richard Bona, but I also like players like Junior Braguinha, Michael Pipoquinha, Kinga Glyk, Guille Vadala, and guitarists like Cory Wong, Mark Lietteri, and Eli Soares.”
What bassline do you wish you had written?
“Teen Town by Jaco. It’s such a great bassline. I also listened to Marcus Miller's slapped version, which I also love.”
What’s your favorite bassline to play?
“Os Anjos Te Louvam by Eli Soares. Eli is a musician, singer and producer. He is a true artist. You can tell he writes with a guitar, but he also does all of the arrangements. He is always doing covers of his own songs – and I love that. This particular bassline is great to play. It has so much groove.”
Do you have any advice for bass players who are just starting?
“Always enjoy making music with the bass guitar, and whatever you do, do it with desire and love. Whenever I play live, I want to engage with the audience. I love when people enjoy watching me play.”
- For tour dates, stop by vincengarcia.com.
