Hard working Detroit bassist. Leave me a message and I'll get back with you. The purpose of this page is to meet other musicians and it is also a place people can find out what I'm doing and also listen to whatever tunes or artist I'm currently working with. The music above is some of my favorite studio performances. Because I've never been smooth with words, I'd prefer my work do the most of the talking. I was raised by musicians that turned me on to jazz & bebop at a young age but I dig playing just about anything. If I had to pick one favorite type of music it would be Afro Pop and any World Music that has innovative fresh grooves. I double on electric and upright bass, so I constantly find myself in different situations. I am currently active with these artists: The Brothers Groove, Thornetta Davis, Johnny Bassett, The Pickups, The Strange and Groupo Escobar. I have received a few Detroit Music Awards including Jazz Instrumentalist and Funk Instrumentalist. I do a fair amount of session work in Detroit and email bass tracks to artists often from my home, the road. This year I have played on the following: a Dead String Bros. record, the latest release from the band Sponge, some electronic music for Ubiquity Records. In past years I've backed Arturo Sanduval, Angela Bofill, Steve Turre, Joe Williams and Robert Gordon. I like to record and jam with my father of funk, Larry Fratangelo and The One Nation Under A Groove band. Right now, I'm on the road playing for The Lion King with some really happening players. Bobby Economou, drummer for Blood Sweat & Tears / Jaco. Also, pianist, Chris Neville of Benny Carter's later years. I've traveled all of Europe, East Asia and the South Pacific by van and boat!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Gear talk for bass players... Ernie Ball/Music Man, Clevinger, Fender, Tech 21 and custom cabinets from Detriot's best -- Lowdown Sound. Above all, the gear has to be reliable and quiet. The goal is to create a modern, hi-fi, version of the classic "Fender Thump". An analog signal path is a must. I'm not into effects right now. I'm almost always playing a Jazz Bass or a Music Man. I'm waiting on a Pavel 5 string at the moment. Pavel makes some of the finest basses I've ever seen. Currently, I use an Ernie Ball Sting Ray 5, an older Thumb unlined fretless 5, with a Clevinger Custom Deluxe 6. My 72' Fender Jazz Bass is always near by. Always Ernie Ball strings. A special thanks goes out to Derek Brooks at Ernie Ball. This is a company that's great to be involved with. I use a heavy gauge made of nickel with a mix of flats and roundwounds. The current gig is a bit different then most theater gigs. It has a variety of styles; A lot of bowing, fretless, and African 6/8. It puts me on all three basses every day. Reading well is a must for this type of job. I can not encourage it enough for the aspiring career bassist. Reading has really saved the day, I've been able to maintain a very heavy gig schedule for more then ten years. It's led to jobs with several shows and events such as a Motown tribute with the Detroit Symphony and a 100+ piece gospel/funk version of Handel's Messiah at the The Detroit Opera House. It was a dream come true to play with a few of the original session players at Motown including my bass professor, Max Janowski who played the bowed bass parts on Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" album. I feel so blessed to work with the best players in many different scenarios. Check out the tracks above. Feel free to drop me a line anytime. Thank You Detroit!!
