Hosted by John Patitucci, bass Day ‘98 documents an annual event put on by The bass Collective and bass Player Magazine, dedicated to the bass – acoustic, electric, fretted, fretless, four-string, five-string, six-string whatever the flavour. Which excerpts four outstanding performances and a number of interviews from that day in 1998, will clearly appeal to bassists, there is enough hot concert footage to appeal to anyone interested in the apparently limitless boundaries of the instrument.

Each segment features an excerpt from the bassist’s concert performance, followed by an interview or, in the case of Bla Fleck and the Flecktones bassist Victor Wooten, a short lesson on how to attain remarkable articulation on the instrument.

First up is Michael Manring, a self-professed fan of the late Jaco Pastorius, who opens with a stunning solo rendition of Pastorius’ famous tune, “Teen Town.” In the same way that Jaco used a delay device to set up a loop over which he could play, Manring extends the concept to a number of looping devices, creating a rhythmic, chordal and harmonic backdrop over which he can play the tune and improvise. While the other two pieces are impressive, “Teen Town” is nothing short of remarkable, for Manring’s control of the instrument and the assorted electronics attached to it.

Cuban acoustic bassist Andy Gonzalez is next, with a short set of Afro-Cuban jazz featuring a small ensemble with percussion, piano and horns. His interview section is enlightening, as he discusses the key fundamentals to Cuban music, and he also speaks with the great Bobby Rodriguez, arguably the father of Cuban jazz bass, who receives a lifetime achievement award.

Tower of Power’s bassist, Rocco Prestia, follows with a short but eminently funky set featuring drummer David Garibaldi, guitarist Jeff Tamelier and saxophonist Lenny Pickett. What is remarkable about Prestia, saddled up beside so many overtly virtuoso bassists, is how groove is absolutely paramount. Prestia takes little in the way of solos, but his ability to play both busy and in the pocket with Garibaldi is a lesson all its own. Prestia’s interview segment talks about how his groundbreaking work with Tower of Power seemed to just fall into place; how the combination of Prestia and Garibaldi intuitively built the foundation that is a model for anyone wanting to play funk music.

Victor Wooten, teamed with only a drummer, demonstrates exactly how far the bass has come. With tapping, popping and slapping techniques, he combines the best of virtuoso playing into a completely accessible and engaging experience. His dazzling ability to anchor a groove and play melody at the same time is nothing short of astounding. As much about the instrument’s roots as it is about its potential, bass Day ‘98 is an exciting and educational watch for players and non-musicians alike.

Michael Manring kicks things off with a set of fascinating solo pieces on four different instruments in various tunings, including one piece where he plays all four basses at the same time! Andy Gonzalez leads a group of top Latin musicians in a scorching set of contemporary and traditional Afro Cuban music. Bobby Rodriguez, one of the most influential bassists in the history of Latin music, joins Andy, and is presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Francis Rocco Prestia, accompanied by members of Tower of Power, including David Garibaldi, performs a burning set of their funk classics. He also talks about creating a groove, his early days with TOP and much more. Victor Wooten performs with a trio and presents a set of amazing music that stretches from serious funk to beautiful ballads, with plenty of stops in between.

Featured is a classic solo in which Victor pulls out all the stops. Also includes a lesson on bass technique, an award presentation to bass legend Milt Hinton, and an amazing jam featuring the entire lineup, plus John Patitucci and Oteil Burbridge!