Bassist

BASS:

Like most guitarists, Eric became a bassist by default. In 8th grade someone in the garage band missed the rehearsal and Eric played a friends bass instead of the guitar that day. It wasnt long after that Eric heard Level 42's Runnin in The Family which lead to an interest in slap bass playing. This interest plus Erics love for jazz fueled his study of players like Jaco, Abe Laboriel, Louis Johnson, Ron Carter and most recently Victor Wooten. Eric then began playing bass for groups in college and eventually played with the Bucknell University Jazz Rock Ensemble, often borrowing his friends coveted 69 Fender Jazz Bass, until purchasing his first Fender P-bass Lyte in 1989.

Upon graduating from college Eric played bass for several rock, jazz, church and gospel groups. Eric has since been given a badly damaged upright bass (which was promptly repaired) and began learning the art of jazz upright(studying with Paul Barrett) while still in Rochester, NY.

After moving to Connecticut Eric began performing with the Tom Parker Trio on upright and studying with Jeff Fuller (check out Jeff's site -- click on the link below). Since then Eric has performed on upright and electric bass with Avalon Express (swing), Vuelo (Latin jazz), Joe Carter (jazz/Brazilian), Kris Allen (jazz), Susana Lopes' (Brazilian/jazz). Eric has recently recorded on upright bass with Susana Lopes' Band for Susannas debut CD and electric bass on his own trios forthcoming release. Eric's bass book Bass Guitar Vol. 1 is available on this site as well (and through guitar college). Eric has also built his own upright bass pickup (mandolin and banjo pick ups too).