Stew McKinsey

Infobox musical artist
Name = Stew McKinsey


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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = 1967
Died =
Instrument = Bass guitar
Genre = Jazz
Experimental
Funk
Fusion
Occupation = Musician
Years_active = 1980s,1990s,2000s
Label = Multiple
Associated_acts = Many
URL = [http://www.subcontrabassist.com www.subcontrabassist.com]

Stew McKinsey is an American jazz and funk bassist. He usually performs using Extended-range basses, (or "ERBs"), which are to electric bass guitars with more range (usually meaning more strings, but sometimes additional frets are added for more range) than the "standard" 4-string bass guitar. The techniques used to play the extended-range bass are closely related to those used for basses, including finger plucking, slapping, popping, and tapping, though a plectrum is very rarely used. The upper strings of an extended-range bass allow bassists to adopt playing styles of the electric guitar. One such style is the practice of "comping", or playing a rhythmic chordal accompaniment to an improvised solo.

Career

McKinsey studied flute and violin when he was very young. He also sang in choirs until adolescence. When he was in high school, he started playing electric bass and was playing with a band with his first month of practice. He later went to college and studied theory, harmony, and counterpoint. He also discovered more players and expanded his range of styles.

He then had access to Washington D.C.'s Blues Alley, where he saw many performers such as John McLaughlin, Herbie Mann, Tony Williams, Buddy Rich, Les McCann, and Jaco Pastorius. These artists inspired him to continue learning and playing music. He liked the extended range of 6-string basses, and started playing them, then 8-string basses, and eventually 10-string models. McKinsey went on to play, record, or perform live with musicians including Chad Wackerman, Al Caldwell, Jean Baudin, Bill "the Buddha" Dickens, and Yves Carbonne.

McKinsey's style is a blend of jazz, funk, rock, and experimental. His influences include Jaco Pastorius, John Paul Jones, Larry Graham, Percy Jones, Mark King, Louis Johnson, Mick Karn, Roberto Vally, Steuart Liebig, Chuck Rainey,and James Jamerson. McKinsey uses and endorses Conklin Guitars, Accugroove Bass Cabinets, Pigtronix 'Futuristic Analog Technology', and Bee Basses.

Selected discography

No Shock by Darien Brahms, 1986

No Time Like The Present by the Stretch, 1993

Jump in the Van by Urban Legend, 1999

Maximum Slickness & Slick Boots by Slick Willy, 2003

BOG Style by Brotherhood of Groove, 2004

External links

* [http://www.subcontrabassist.com Stew McKinsey's official website]