Me, My Bass And I
Self-Released, 2023
9/10
A career sideman who has played on over 100 albums and been a part of 5000 gigs, this solo album from the bass wizard Craig Akin was pieced together during the pandemic, when the lack of touring gave him ample time.
The stylish delivery of the carefully manipulated strings of “Do It” opens the listen with plenty of intrigue, and “Poet Gorman” follows with a bit of cautiousness in the indeed poetic delivery.
Halfway through, “Le Bouchon” illustrates skilled bowing with a very reflective tone, while “Jezebel”, the disc highlight, is full of meticulous progressions that few, if any others, could replicate.
At the end, “Chega de Saudade” uses percussive sounds amid the rhythmic playing for plenty of friskiness, and “Bubble Rap” exits with a strategic denseness that makes an indelible impression.
You might think that an entire album of just upright bass would out welcome its stay pretty quick, but Akin’s inestimable abilities keep our attention with ease.
Travels well with: Steve Shapiro- Plan To Be Spontaneous; Jakob Dreyer- Songs, Hymns And Ballads: Volume 1