Jauqo III-X and the Elbo Room Present One Night of Bass!

On Monday, September 7 innovative Chicago bassist, Jauqo III –X will present the next offering of his One Night of Bass series. The Elbo Room, located at 2871 N. Lincoln Av. In Chicago will host the event. The One Night of Bass series is a showcase for a number of well-known and up-and-coming electric bass players. The featured players for this event will be Bill Dickens, John Owens, Bill Clements, Vuyani Wakaba, Will Howard, Scott Pazera and Jauqo III-X himself.

Jauqo first conceived of One Night a few years ago as a creative departure for bass players who traditionally play more of a sideman’s or accompanist role. “I just wanted to provide an outlet where bass players could pretty much be themselves,” explained Jauqo, “They could showcase original compositions, feature the players with them, whatever they wanted to do. This would be their moment.”
One Night of Bass

One Night of Bass is sponsored by a unique mixture of new and established music companies which include Lakland basses, MXR pedals, Monster Cables, Ashdown amplifiers, Gig-FX pedals, Radial engineering, Fodera instrument cables and Lightwave instruments.

About The Players:

Bill Dickens is a phenomenal bass talent whose reputation has reached legendary cult status. As one of the top session bassist in the world, Bill can be heard on numerous recordings as well as seen live on tour with many legendary artists. For the past two decades Bill Dickens has been recognized as an extraordinary bassist, producer, and songwriter. His musical contributions can be noted from concert and studio performances to television and the theater. He has played with an endless who’s who of musicians, including Joe Zawinul, Janet Jackson, Grover Washington, Chaka Kahn, George Michael, Mary J. Blige, and Pat Metheny. Bill has also written gold and 1 hits for such greats as Aretha Franklin and Ramsey Lewis. Bill has kept audiences on the edge of their seats since the 80’s with his uncanny technical ability, playing anything from the heaviest funk grooves to unaccompanied melodic ballads on his seven or nine string basses. He is always a main attraction at the NAMM Shows. He is known in the industry for his spectacular bass playing and wows audiences worldwide. Bill is one of the worlds acknowledged masters of the bass, and a pioneer in percussive slapping, popping, tapping, and plucking techniques. The total essence of his playing is a jaw- dropping display of chops and technique that will set a new standard for bass players all over the world over.

Bassist Bill Clements, began playing at the age of 13, inspired by Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, and other prog-rock bass giants. Bill decided early on, one way or another, bass playing would be his path. Forgoing a formal musical education, Bill instead embarked on an intensive program of practice and musical research. Unfortunately, Bill lost his right hand and forearm, December 1989 in an industrial accident. This catastrophic event would seemingly have ended his promising career as a musician. Yet within three months time, Bill was gigging again, and he hasn’t stopped since.

Clements has long received regional acclaim for his prolific style of bass playing, and has been favorably compared to such bass legends as Rocco Prestia and Jaco Pastorius.

Chicago-based but nationally and internationally seasoned, bassist Will Howard’s unique combination of gospel roots, formal study, and wide-ranging musical interests have allowed him to work with a wide variety of artists. for example, he has worked with jazz greats like Bobby broom, Mike Phillips, and Tim Cunningham; to r&b artists like Freddy Jackson, Silk, and Jade; and classic artists like The Drifters, The Platters, and Smokey Robinson in addition to many others. Will has played bass on recording projects with major label and indie artists, as well as on commercial jingles for companies like Ford, Kraft and Gatorade. As a producer and songwriter Will’s jazzy, funky style and use of live instrumentation combined with phat beats makes up his signature sound that, like his bass playing, fits in with a wide variety of settings.

Scott Pazera grew up listening to metal and rock. Pazera loves playing house and dance music, but is equally at home with the styles of James Brown, Brad Mehldau, Jeff Berlin, Kenny Garrett, Alain Caron, Pat Martino, Oteil Burbridge and countelss others. In addition to making a living playing music of all types, Scott recently opened a music store in Lafayette, IN.

South Africa’s Vuyani Wakaba is the bassist for the Chicago jazz group, 5 aftr 5. Vuyani also works with Phil Upchurch Jr., as well as with the world music group, The Dadabeat Other engagements on Vuyani’s calendar often include performances in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, as well as freelance work.

Among Vuyani’s musical achievements are performances at the Fox Television stage of The Taste of Chicago Festival, The Erie Jazz and Blues Festival in Erie, Pennsylvania; An invitation to be a staff member at Victor Wooten’s Bass/Nature Camp; Performances with Chicago Blues legend Eddie C. Campbell; Appearances on WGN Television Morning Show and South Africa’s S.A.B.C. Television network. Vuyani owns and operates PowerNoise, a digital recording studio.

John Owens, composer and bassist started his bass journey with a used Kingston bass his father purchased for him for $20. It turned out to be money well spent. Despite starting his career a little late in life (his mid 20’s), John wasted no time in developing some formidable playing skills. Within a few years, Owens became a sought after, working musician. Beginning with the Gospel Inspirations and then later with Visions: A Choral Ministry. It was with Visions that John first toured Europe and got the opportunity to open for the Jazz Crusaders.

Over the years, John has worked with a number of well-known Jazz, R&B and Gospel artists. In the late nineties, he played a six month string of dates in Shanghai, China and began building a solid career as a studio session musician. Sue Conway, St. Mark’s Choir and both Cliff and Fred DuBois have been happy recipients of John’s talent.

Today, John works regularly with his home church, his own band, Abraham’s Seed and Reggie Helm. The Helm group recently opened for Stanley Clarke, Victor Wooton and Marcus Miller. Owens has just returned from a date with Bishop Larry Trotter and Sweet Holy Spirit who were taping a performance on the Bobby Jones Show.

Jauqo III – X started playing bass at the age of sixteen. He was influenced by the sounds emanating from his father’s jazz albums and his mother’s collection of Motown artists. Over the years, Jauqo’s interest in the bass grew into, for lack of a better word, an obsession. Anything bass related was quickly absorbed and added to his repertoire.

Jauqo’s career has led him through a wide array of musical styles and influences. One of Jauqo’s biggest musical inspirations turned out to be Ornette Coleman. Through Coleman he was introduced to the musical concept of harmolodics. Harmolodics seeks to give melody, harmony, rhythm and speed equal value within the music. Through the use of this concept, Jauqo developed the sound for which he is known today. Jauqo is probably best known as the inventor of the 15 string bass and the sub-contra bass. His current band, The Jauqo III-X Reality, is preparing new music with these concepts in mind.