BIO

 Jeff Glasser grew up in Cleveland. His fascination with the electric guitar began in 1960, after hearing The Ventures' hit, "Walk -- Don't Run" on his brother's radio station (and playing the grooves off of it when he bought a copy), then seeing James Burton playing a strange and wondrous instrument behind Ricky Nelson on "Ozzie and Harriet" in 1961. Big brother Ray would bring home records from WMFH and immerse Jeff in music while the other kids were out trading baseball cards. He started playing guitar in 1964, motivated by the throngs of screaming girls chasing after The Beatles. There is no better boot camp for a young musician than the birthplace of Rock 'n Roll and Jeff made it count, playing every venue from Italian weddings to after-game dances to "Black Night" at a local high-school student union (where he got a crash-course in R&B), beginning at age 14. After his teen years he moved up to a solo coffee-house act and the well-traveled bar-band circuit. Add in a formal music education, a few recording sessions, a couple of talent contests and you end up with a seasoned, well-rounded musician. Jeff can play it all because he's lived it all.

Genres

 Late '50s Doo-Wop, rockabilly-pop crossover, album-oriented rock ('60s-'80s), Top 40 ('60s-'80s), R&B ('60s-'70s), folk, country, and gospel.

Bands

 Spider's Web, Stentorian Garde, Mindquake, Mean Machine featuring The Soulful Gents, w/ Millie Small (lead guitar), Al Meyers Quartet, Trix, Taylor Station Band, The Electric Shadows, TurboGlide, and numerous fill-ins & guest appearances.

Influences

 The Ventures (whom he finally was able to meet); The Beatles; James Jamerson, the session bassist behind Motown's classics; and Jim Fielder, original bass player for Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Rig

 Yamaha BB450 bass guitar; Peavey KB-100 amp, Fender Bassman amp.

Why me?

 I have been playing 4-, 6-, and 12-string guitars for more than 40 years. This gives me excellent insight as to how a band should sound and the instruments interact. I chose to concentrate on bass guitar because I like being the foundation that holds up the rest of the band and brings the sound together. My instruments -- even down to the strings I use -- were chosen especially for their vintage sound. I wouldn't play "Surfer Girl" on contemporary hardware because I want you to experience the bass lines with the same voicing as the original...the cord goes straight from the guitar into the amp with no detours. And because of my longevity, you're hearing it played fresh out of a time capsule. Living in Columbus, I can get to any part of Ohio (or surrounding areas) in just a couple of hours.

Samples

 Homebound Flight (original for a TV commercial; I'm playing all 5 parts), Anticipation, Year of the Cat (both from a practice session in the late '70s), Unload (somebody else's original)

Contact

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