XB26354 Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Hi, nice to meet you all here at Basschat - I actually stumbled across this whilst talking to another bass player at a gig, so networking does have its benefits... My name is Mathew, I am 35, been playing bass for 20 years. I'm originally from Portsmouth. I was lucky (or unlucky!) enough that at 14 and a half my first bass teacher was an old school jazzer that played electric, upright and pretty mean piano. He eat, slept and drank music and instilled in me a passion for bass which I've never lost. He also introduced me to all the great electric bass players I would never have heard of at that age - like James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Joe Osborn and Chuck Rainey. I guess that I have leaned towards jazz ever since, but I have always liked a good song, so my iPod has got every conceivable style/genre. I was lucky enough that Portsmouth had a pretty decent music scene in the late 80's to early 90's - there were a lot of musicians passing through (as it is a port). I was lucky enough to play in a lot of different jazz bands, as well as a stint with a great 15-piece latin band (playing latin percussion certainly helps with your sense of timing!). As for influences, I would say my main sources of inspiration nowadays are Anthony Jackson, for his brilliant all round ensemble playing and note choice, Gary Willis, for his fluidity and deep harmonic sense, and Rocco Prestia, for being a great, funny guy face-to-face as well as an awesome player. Equipment-wise, I have played pretty much everything there is over the last 20 years, and have settled on two recent acquisitions - A Ken Smith Black Tiger BSR6 and an Epifani UL210C. Both were expensive but surpass anything I have owned previously in both performance, sound and build quality. I also have a Yamaha BB615 which for £300 is an unbelieveable 5-string backup - great tone fingerstyle or slap, cool looks in black and solid build quality. I might even get time to whack a couple of photos up as well, if anyone's interested... Well that's enough about me, thanks for reading and good to be a member! Mathew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Welcome to BC ! . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 (edited) Welcome Mathew. I've already read and enjoyed some of your posts, I think you'll like it here. Jake Edited May 6, 2008 by jakesbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XB26354 Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 [quote name='jakesbass' post='193531' date='May 6 2008, 11:40 PM']Welcome Mathew. I've already read and enjoyed some of your posts, I think you'll like it here. Jake[/quote] Cheers! Nice to feel welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 I'm starting to rediscover a love of old jazz standards since discovering our keyboardist and drummer like jamming around with them too. May yet end up with a EUB one day if there's demand for a jazz trio as a support for any of our gigs. Welcome aboard Mathew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 Welcome Matthew, nice intro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XB26354 Posted May 7, 2008 Author Share Posted May 7, 2008 Cheers everyone, very much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 (edited) [quote name='XB26354' post='191118' date='May 3 2008, 10:43 AM']Portsmouth had a pretty decent music scene in the late 80's to early 90's[/quote] Wee, Pompey mush, cushty! Still has! Welcome! Edited May 8, 2008 by johnnylager Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 You spelt your name wrong by the way ! Matthew has 2 t's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XB26354 Posted May 8, 2008 Author Share Posted May 8, 2008 I spelt it with 2 t's until I looked at my Birth Certificate when I was about 20 and realised there was only one t I was named after the maternity nurse (a Mrs Mathews apparently) - good thing she wasn't Mrs Berk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 (edited) [quote name='XB26354' post='194521' date='May 8 2008, 11:28 AM']I spelt it with 2 t's until I looked at my Birth Certificate when I was about 20 and realised there was only one t I was named after the maternity nurse (a Mrs Mathews apparently) - good thing she wasn't Mrs Berk [/quote] Or indeed, Dr. De'Ath. I also suffered the t problem. Now I just use M. With one M. M for middle, easy. Edited May 8, 2008 by johnnylager Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 [quote name='Initiation Hunchback' post='191363' date='May 3 2008, 09:52 PM']OOOooooooh I like boyth called Matthew, ethpecially thothe that live by the thea Are you a thailor?[/quote] Everyone from Portsmouth is a sailor Welcome to BC Mathew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XB26354 Posted May 11, 2008 Author Share Posted May 11, 2008 [quote name='AndyMartin' post='194644' date='May 8 2008, 01:11 PM']Everyone from Portsmouth is a sailor Welcome to BC Mathew[/quote] Damn - Olympic white jazz with torty scratchplate always give me GAS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Welcome, Mathew with one T!. Nice welcome innit when someone tells you your name is spelt wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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