Interviews with Wayne Jones

SMOOTH INDIE STAR / SMOOTH JAZZ

March 2012

How did this new album and overall concept for it come about, and what are your ultimate goals with it?

It’s a natural creative progression. I get Inspired to write new tunes when the previous CD has run its course. I wrote the tunes for Mr. Jones over a year ago. I don’t set out to write in any particular direction or genre, the tunes just come out like that. I did make a conscious decision to add some vocals, whereby I would use them as an Instrument with some simple B.V’S I also wanted to get back a little to what I love, the rhythms of Funk & R&B. That’s where Get Up comes in. Read More

Smooth Indie Star /  Smooth Jazz Global



SMOOTH INDIE STAR / SMOOTH JAZZ
WHERE FORGOTTEN MELODY CHARTED #22

2006

You’re one of Australia’s premier bassists, having played, performed and recorded for several decades… can you give us a little background the road that led you here?  

Sure. Along with R&B, Funk & Soul I’ve always had an empathy for the music of Marcus Miller. Lee Rittenour Larry Carlton. Dave Sanborn etc. It is very difficult here in Australia with our small population to support this style of music. Many musicians find themselves playing many genres of music to survive. As artists before me have found, you reach a certain stage here then have to go overseas to progress.

The USA is the biggest market for what I like to create, I can’t wait to get back there. Not forgetting Canada, Europe & Japan. Read More

Smooth Indie Star /  Smooth Jazz Global




TIDEWATER BASS EXPLOSION

Wayne Jones Going Deeper Down Under

Hello again from Tidewater Bass Explosion, and the TBE Interview Series. We’re going to Australia to speak with bassist/cab designer (and one of my close friends!) Wayne Jones!

Hi Wayne! Congratulations on your premier solo release, "Forgotten Melody"! Some of us have been waiting for the disc’s release for sometime, man! How does it feel?

Hi Brent, thanks. Yeah, I know I’ve been waiting a while for this, too. I couldn’t be happier with it in every aspect.
I feel that all that I have done in the past has culminated in this album!

Wayne, give our readers a bit of your history, and how you wound-up being one of the few premier bassists in Australia.

I actually started out as a drummer and I had a bad industrial accident when I was in my teens that left me with a partial loss of use of my left thumb. I couldn’t stop playing, so took up the bass "“ as I couldn’t play drums anymore. I have been around for a while in Melbourne and I had played in most situations – from original bands with record contracts, to cover bands and freelance session work. The music scene in Melbourne, and for that matter in Australia, is relatively small. You have to play many styles of music here to survive. Once you’ve been around for a while you tend to get to know a lot of people and develop a network. If you provide "the goods" you keep getting called. You know, you do one job and that leads to another and so on. I have always tried to be completely professional in my attitude and work ethic, and I’ve worked hard to progress and develop my playing. I learned a lot from American players – particularly from the era of Crusaders, Grover Washington Jr. and Lee Ritenour, with Marcus Miller being my main Influence. I’m now lucky to communicate with Marcus. He also has a pair of my cabs in his studio! Read More

TIDEWATER BASS EXPLOSION