Aces of Basses: a Deep Dive into Low Frequencies with Matt Smiley and Mike Taylor

In episode 42 of the Right Brain Music Podcast we take a deep dive into the bass. Our guests are two of best bassists we know: Matt Smiley of Denver and Mike Taylor of Philadelphia. We find out what they're really thinking as they lead from behind in their essential but unsung role... We also hear plenty of music from their exotic repertoires.

Listen to the episode here:

Who are these guys? They play critical roles in the music scenes of Philadelphia (Mike) and Denver (Matt).

Matt is part of Right Brain Records artist RACCA Trio. He joins the quartet SeFa LoCo, in two upcoming albums with saxophonist Sam Newsome and pianist Walter Thompson. Matt’s bio is vast, He’s on the faculty of University of Colorado, and also leads bands and solo projects.

Mike is known to RBR afficionados as half of the duo recording project Kryptischgasse, with saxophonist Jack Wright. That record won an honorable mention for best free jazz albums of 2021. He was a key part of Edge City Collective, which made several classic free improv records between 2000 and 2007, and Channel Collective (a.k.a. Dichotomous), which has been active more recently.

Here’s a playlist of music heard in the podcast ep, all of which includes either Matt or Mike:

1. Matt Smiley - “Exit Filter” from Solo

2. Edge City Collective - “Pordego” from Cosmosongs

3. Channel Collective - “Necco Drone” from Tales in Real Time

4. SeFa LoCo + Thompson - “The Great Contemplation”
   (to be released Oct. 2023 on What Can We Say?)

5. Edge City Collective - “Plenarondo” from Cosmosongs

6. RACCA Trio + Ragin - “Resistance” from The Great Expanse

7. Edge City Collective - “Schiefegeist” from Kosmischstrasse

8. Jack Wight-Michael Taylor - “Libera” from Kryptischgasse

9. Jack Wight-Michael Taylor - “Foriro” from Kryptischgasse

10. Matt Smiley - “Bark Letter” from Solo

11. Dichotomous - “Space Traffic” from Xtempore 3 (long songs)

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