The Art of the Bass Choir

At the top level of New York City's jazz, Latin, and studio scenes for four decades, bassist Lincoln Goines has put together this highly ambitious recording for his debut as a leader. With elegant textures inspired by Bill Lee's New York Bass Violin Choir and Steve Swallow's upper register explorations, Goines created a collage of styles and moods, built on a collection of favorite tunes and textured within the parameters of clearly voiced low end instruments—indeed, an "exquisite jungle of bass!" Pulling in ten world-class bass friends including Ksenia Vasileva, Victor Wooten and John Patitucci, and drummers such as Robby Ameen and Dennis Chambers, Goines has created a one-of-a-kind listening experience, celebrating the musical range of the instrument and the fellowship of those devoted to anchoring ensembles through time.

The spirit of the bass has possessed me from an early age. Of all the myriad influences, I can recall being particularly inspired by the elegant textures of Bill Lee's New York Bass Violin Choir and by the pioneering upper register explorations of Steve Swallow. From that point on it became a goal of mine to perform music in a bass ensemble format and today I stand on the shoulders of the many low-end giants that came before me.

I began actualizing this vision over the past several years as a professor at the Berklee College of Music, putting together arrangements for student ensembles. From what now has become a considerable catalog, it was a labor of love to select the pieces to feature on this project. This was done in collaboration with family and many excellent musical colleagues/former students whom I have the honor to call my friends. I surely drove them all crazy... but I had a ton of fun making this recording.

On these tracks I attempted to create a collage of styles and moods: groove, lyricism, tradition, virtuosity, sonic math, and directed chaos, textured in a context where harmonies could resonate outside the confines of keyboard temperament and within parameters of clearly voiced low end/non-tonal instruments. Indeed, an exquisite jungle of bass!