Mel Bay presents Essential Blues Bass Grooves Book/CD Set An Essential Study of Blues Grooves for the Bass (School of the Blues Lesson)
A fixture in the California Bay Area blues scene, brings 25 years of blues bass playing experience to School of the Blues. During those 25 years Frank has been a band member with many of the area's top blues bandleaders and performers. That list includes: Gary Smith, tommy Castro, Mark Hummel, Kenny Blue Ray, John Garcia, Mike Shermer, Sid Morris and many others. Through those associations Frank was commonly in the position to be asked to provide his bass playing skills to a long list of national touring blues performers. That list includes: Snooky Prior, Otis Rush, Johnny Heartsman, Nick Gravenites, Andy Just, Chris Cain, Rusty Zinn, Jr. Watson, Jackie Payne, Larry Davis, Mississippi Johnny Waters, Johnny Adams, Luther Tucker, Curtis Salgado and many others. Frank's instruction approach focuses on a solid understanding of the bass player's role in the blues and a deep study of the music's tradition. He takes this core of understanding and builds upon it to teach his students the role the modern-day blues bass player is asked to play. His students actively participate in local jam sessions and bands. Through Frank's comprehensive and caring approach, it's obvious when listening to his students that he is teaching the next generation the art of the blues bass.  David Barrett is the world's most published author of the blues harmonica. Having played saxophone and trumpet for many years David already had a solid musical platform when he started to play the harmonica at age fourteen. By age sixteen he was already playing blues jam sessions and harmonica shows in the California bay area. By age eighteen he was studying music theory in college and started teaching harmonica at local music institutes. By age twenty he released his first book, Building Harmonica Technique, with Mel Bay Publications. While finishing his degree in music he had the opportunity to take over a local music store that helped spur the beginning of the Harmonica Masterclass Workshop. David now runs the Harmonica Masterclass Company full time, bringing lesson books, lesson videos, private instruction, and workshops to players all around the world.  David has worked and played with Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Lee Oskar, Rod Piazza, James Harman, Gary Smith, Andy Just, Mark Ford, Billy Boy Arnold, Rick Estrin, Paul deLay, Jerry Portnoy, Gary Primich, Howard Levy, Magic Dick, Tom Ball, Annie Raines, Paul Oscher, Phil Wiggins, and Brendan Power. He now fronts his own band featuring John Garcia on guitar and vocals. David is the owner of the Harmonica Masterclass Company, that specializes in harmonica products and workshops for blues harmonica. His last workshop had twenty-six states and eight countries represented in attendance. Through his numerous instructional books and videos, David is revolutionizing the way the harmonica is taught.