Guitar and Bass Conversations

Henry Johnson quite simply is a guitarist's, guitarist.  I can amplify that by saying that he is the guitarist that I have had the most requests to interview - “Hey, have you ever thought about Henry Johnson, he’s amazing”! I heard it a hundred times...  I have known of Henry for a long time and admired his playing and wanted to get him in Jazz Guitar Today - but our roads kept missing each other.  I was so happy that we finally put it together.  Henry has a fantastic resume playing with the likes of Freddie Hubbard, Ramsey Lewis, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Stitt, Stanley Turrentine, and Joe Williams, WOW! He is an educator, an artist, and a gentleman! He is from my era and influenced by lots of the same people and likes a lot of the same music.  It is with great pride that we bring to you this conversation with the great Henry Johnson.Go to jazzguitartoday.com and bassmusicianmagazine.com more interviews and lessons.

I always enjoy the opportunity to talk to very seasoned career bass players.Hank Horton is a heavy-hitter vocalist, producer, and bassist who fits into that category. Hank has a diverse skillset where he can play electric for Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (and a ton of other renowned musicians), play upright in the Detroit Symphony, or be excellent in a Broadway pit. I also understand that Hank has been using the Katana-210 Bass Amplifier, typically designed for electric bass, for his upright bass—a unique technique that he says has helped him to elevate his sound in recent years.Join me as we get the low down from Hank Horton himself!This interview first appeared in Bass Musician Magazine in September 2024Go to jazzguitartoday.com and bassmusicianmagazine.com more interviews and lessons.

Blues Traveler has always been one of my favorite bands.Whenever “Run Around” would pop up on MTV, I would always drop whatever I was doing to watch. Now, The band is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Grammy award-winning album “Four” (I still have my copy from back in the day) with a very cool limited edition purple vinyl record set.Since that early hit record, the band has been going strong and kept very busy touring and releasing albums; it is great to see a band with such continuity and staying power.Tad Kinchla has been playing the bass for Blues Traveler since 1999 and I am thrilled to have a chance to bring you this interview. Join me as we learn about Tad’s musical journey, his experiences with Blues Traveler, how he gets his sound, and his plans for the future.Here is New Jersey’s own, Tad Kinchla!This interview first appeared in Bass Musician Magazine in Oct 2024Go to jazzguitartoday.com and bassmusicianmagazine.com more interviews and lessons.

Do you remember back in the day when a certain song came on the radio that just made you feel happy but you didn’t know who was playing?This was the case with “Heaven” by Los Lonely Boys. I was glad when I finally found out who the band was as I could look for more of their music. BTW, this tune still makes me smile from the opening few bars.After more than a decade, the news of a new album titled, “Resurrection” came across my desk and the expertly crafted tracks I heard were full of messages of hope and healing, fitting for our times.I was very excited to have the opportunity to chat with the band’s bassist, Jojo Garza and to be able to share this conversation. His story is inspiring and his musical journey is quite remarkable. Join me as we hear about how Jojo gets his iconic sound, details about “Resurrection” and the band’s plans for the future.Les presento Jojo Garza!This interview first appeared in Bass Musician Magazine in September 2024Face Your EarsExplore home recording and music creation with Rich and Justin on 'Face Your Ears'!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyGo to jazzguitartoday.com and bassmusicianmagazine.com more interviews and lessons.