Fretless electric virtuoso talks his new bass-tabla album Dreaming Spirits
Exclusive video interview with FBPO’s Jon Liebman
March 12, 2018
By David Sands
Mark Egan’s distinctive command of the fretless electric bass has allowed him to rack up three platinum albums and three gold ones and made him a goto bass man for collaborators all over the planet. Originally a trumpet player, he later switched to the bass while studying at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music — and notably counts Jaco Pastorius among his instructors on the instrument. Egan’s breakout moment came during the 1970s playing in the original Pat Metheny group. Since then, he’s gone on to work with an astoundingly diverse roster of artists and musicians that includes jazz and fusion greats like Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin as well as pop stars like Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Sting, Joan Osborne and Duran Duran. Egan’s also been a member of the Gil Evans Orchestra, and, along with PMG drummer Danny Gottlieb, co-founded the jazz fusion group Elements. Beyond that, he also runs his own record label, Wavetone Records.
FBPO’s Jon Liebman recently got a chance to speak with the dynamic Mr. Egan about his new bass-and-tabla album Dreaming Spirits, gear he’s geeked about these days, projects for a Pat Metheny Group reunion and other topics.
Watch Mark’s interview here!
