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Tony Senatore: A 12-String Bass X-Ploration

By Keith Hannaleck

Artist: Tony Senatore
Title: A 12-String Bass X-Ploration
Genre: Instrumental-Rock-Jazz-Fusion
Format: DVD
Label: Independent
Website: www.senny.com/dvd.html

The name Tony Senatore is not a household name when it comes to bass players. Chris Squire, Tony Levin and Jack Bruce are not mentioned in the same breath but I must say after hearing Tony’s music and watching his new DVD A 12-String Bass X-Ploration, that I am convinced; he could play right alongside those legends. Tony is a very humble man and he knows his instrument. He knows it so well that he decided to share his love and respect with his instrument by recording an instructional DVD for those that want to learn more about the bass that was born in 1978. Even if you do not play the bass, there is plenty of enjoyment on this DVD visually and aurally.

Very little information has been available about the 12-String Bass, all of that has changed thanks to Senatore. The instrument is versatile enough to serve as a bass and guitar. The upper strings are your traditional bass strings tuned as such and each string in between are the lower keys, the one’s that sound like a guitar. Tony demonstrated this on his studio recording Holyland (2005) beautifully.

Some of the tracks off that album shows Tony displaying how he played the instrument and then actually takes you through the tracks.

“Holyland,” shows how the bass is used in a supportive chordal role. “Life And Times” expands upon his concept of playing melody while still functioning as a bassist. “Shapla” is a nine-minute Beatles medley, which is the highlight of the DVD (and CD). Tony lays down a bed track of fretted 12 string bass that is the focal point- followed by a track of fretless 12 string bass, which duplicates various string and melody lines, and then comes a track of four string bass that ties together all the loose ends to complete the composition.

Manolo Badrena (percussion), Van Romaine (drums), and Percy Jones (fretless bass) join him for the video shoot. This provides a glimpse into the recording process and all the parts that make up each song in its entirety, with a focus on Tony’s technique and style of handling the 12-String Bass.

Tony hopes that this DVD will shed some light on concepts that are important to him but more importantly set the stage for realizing the full potential of this great instrument. Tony hopes that this DVD will shed some light on concepts that are important to him but more importantly set the stage for realizing the full potential of this great instrument. The DVD accomplishes what it intends to by giving you a better understanding and appreciation for a fascinating and underrated instrument.

Reviewed - October 30, 2007

Tracks:

Life And Times
Holyland
Shapla
Tony Senatore Interview

About the Author:

Keith Hannaleck, known as “MuzikMan” is a Journalist specializing in independent and major music reviews and the promotion of artists via the various media outlets flourishing online. He has worked closely with artists, management, publicity directors, and webmasters to provide some of the best and far-reaching coverage an artist could have. Focusing primarily on the internet as a medium for his work, Keith has been a pioneer in the industry changing the way a reviewer with his various talents are used by many artists, PR folks, and labels. He has provided strong and valuable work to labels, artists, and publicity people, writing reviews, press releases, and biographies and much more over the years, giving the people he works with the maximum amount of exposure through several top-notch websites that post his content on their sites.

Hannaleck built and maintained his own website in 1998 while networking and building his reputation through thousands of reviews and interviews, creating a special niche for himself. Through many years of dedication and hard work, he has reached a respected level of competence and knowledge that is frequently sought by the music industry today. Known for his speaking from the heart interpretations of music and being able to put it in layman’s terms for music fans, his work is found everywhere in cyberspace and in traditional print media, from press kits to quotes from reviews in magazine advertisements.