JOHN MEYER acoustic and electric bassist

    John Meyer's SoundWorks, "Creates a musical experience of variety and class for the Inland Empire".............

    When Yucaipa Intermediate School’s Musical Director (1977-1980) Margo Tower said, “John, you have been playing Viola for a few months now, why don’t you work up a solo and try out for the All Southern California Honor Orchestra?” I said, “I can hardly play a quarter note, what are you talking about?” She said, “Yeah, what do you have to loose?” A month after the auditions, I reached into the mailbox and pulled out the envelope with my name on it that contained a congratulations and a very thick set of music charts that was sheets of solid black ink in the form of composer Modest Mussorgsky’s ‘Night on Bald Mountain’ and the like. It was then that I traded my center fielder’s long arm, no hop, throw to home plate for the quick wrist action of the bow across the strings.
    After Y.I.S. came the award winning Kim Kruger regime (1980-1985) of Yucaipa High School’s triple A music department and sidelined with Redlands High School’s Patrick Winters and his after hours musical theater and chamber orchestra, where my focus and love of variety musical entertainment became apparent. When no orchestral opportunities existed at Y.H.S, I became hooked on one of Southern California’s finest jazz programs that Y.H.S. offered. It was then, once again, that I was offered a spot to try something new and work up some technique as a bassist. The rest is a history of award winning musical opportunity and a lifelong pursuit of acquiring the talent and artistry of a command performance.
    With my prior classical studies under violin/violist Victoria Shapiro, my foundation entering the jazz world as a bassist was rapidly acquired through the instruction of jazz guitarist, bassist and vocalist, George Stanley. After high school and George Stanley’s foundation studies, the sounds of bass giants John Patitucci, Stanley Clark, Charles Mingus, Jaco Pastorius and Ray Brown caught my interests and led me to inquire within. I decided to call the L.A. Musician's Union and requested John Patitucci’s phone number, gave him a call, he answered and I proceeded to ask him if he was offering bass lessons. He actually was interested but at that time, quite busy working on his first CD, then suggested I give a call to Doc Severinson’s ‘The Tonight Show’ Band’s bassist, Joel Di Bartolo. Connecting here with the great Di Bartolo refined some of the foundation that I had previously developed.
    Showing off some of the acquired talent in the early years came way through performances with the Fullerton Symphony Orchestra, the High Desert Symphony Orchestra, Ken Lesight’s Crafton Hills Jazz Ensemble, Paul Kardos’s ‘Kicks’ Jazz Ensemble, Joe Estrada’s Big Band, Tim LaMarca Big Band and The Armand Blais Orchestra. During that time, performance also came abound working with some of the Inland Empire greats, Matt Zebley, Loren Weisbrod, Jeff Olson, Rob Reynolds, ‘Empire', Todd Humphrey’s trombone, rhythm septet, ‘Slide Area’,  and performing in the I.E.’s various events and coffee house casuals. Some original rock and pop influence came out during this time from the band of ‘Strange Behavior’ with Dave Krug, Mike Hunter, Wendy Dinkle, Cheryl Hunter and Steve Hauser, creating tunes like ‘Frenzy’.  It was then that I met a superstar, Jackie Apmadoc, a prominent social great of the Redlands community, which led to a first for the City, the Redlands Bicycle Classics’s ‘All That Jazz’ working two stages of live music during the Classic, reigning for two consecutive years (1993-1994). With Jackie's promotional insight, Meyer Sound Works’, ‘SoundWorks’ was conceived.

     SoundWorks has led the community with a variety of musical styles stemming from the sounds of many great performers such as trumpeter, vocalist and educator, Alan Remele, drummers, Ricky Brown, Bernie Barbosa, Dave Bown, Jim Brennecke, John Will, saxaphonists, Jim Quam, Rio Fiumara, educators and recording artists, Craig Yancey, Bob Knop, pianists, Bob Meyer, Hank Barto, educator Dan Murphy and jazz vocalists, Dona Mara and Pam Armstrong.
SoundWorks’ recent performances has evolved into the pop and smooth jazz renditions of hits like ‘Imagine’, coming from the masters touch of recording artists, guitarist, Bob Summers, Robert Hess, pianist, Mike Mediano, trumpeters and recording artists, Alan Remele, Larry Meregillano and drummer, Wayne Carroll.

    The sounds over the last few years and which continue to develop, are also through the works of VINTAGE, a Rock & Roll Cover Band featuring the ultimate in rock guitar genius, Monty Martin and drumming, virtuoso, Jim Brennecke. VINTAGE provides the sweet grooves of the 1960's  through modern day Rock & Roll for many of the community's public, private and club events. A live band that guarantees fun for everyone and a smile left on your face when you leave the event!

photos by fximaginginc
           

VINTAGE.....

..........The Band!.....

....Are you ready to ROCK!....

                                                     .....just good old fashioned Rock & Roll!

        While still in pursuit of acquiring that ultimate sound, musical variety and bass technique, recent performance exposure has come from Riverside’s SOZO Jazz Orchestra featuring vocalist, Leslie Ellis, Bill Strout's Big Band 2000 and the Golden West College Monday Night Big Band, under the direction of jazz superstar, Tom Kubis.    Some of today’s great performers that I continue to seek concert after concert are still the great, Stanley Clark, George Benson, Warren Hill and the ultra talented duo of Bart Samolis playing bass with his wife playing Jazharp, Lori Andrews.
   

    With so much of the entertainment industry consumed by technology over the last decade, budget constraints and less emphasis on music as an art form being developed in the younger generation, it seems that the demand for live music is on the rise and I find that more folks are out there searching for that soulful, unique quality of music.
    So in your travels, when you see or hear someone with a smile on their face, sharing something musically and creative with you, stop and listen for a minute and realize that it is a gift to you from that musician’s soul.

John Meyer, Bassist