A few months back, we ran our annual Bassist Of The Year competition, in which bass players from all over the world uploaded video clips of their skills. Our celebrity judges this time were Tracy Wormworth of the B52s, Living Colour’s Doug Wimbish, and former Kyuss bassist Scott Reeder. After they picked their favorite entries and the public placed their votes, our winner was the mighty Danny Sapko, whose entry impressed all of us with his excellent funk playing and intuitive feel for the groove.
The slick fingerstyle that Danny showcased in his video clip encompassed all the tricks of the modern bass arsenal—strummed chords, the floating thumb technique, tapping and the expected slap and pop—while the line itself was catchy as hell. Although he made a point of showing us his ferocious picking speed with a flurry of 32nd notes right at the end, his playing remained tasteful throughout.
Congratulations to Danny from all of us, and make sure you enter this year’s competition—your face could be on our cover this time next year!
Congratulations on being voted Bassist Of 2020, Danny. What does this award mean to you?
Thank you! It was fantastic to get some good news at the end of a truly dreadful year to be a musician. Getting this award has opened many opportunities for me already, with newspaper and radio interviews, a big boost in online followers, and requests for session work. It’s been the greatest achievement of my career so far!
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