Home > Blogs > Battle of the Band > Archives > 2006 > October > 31 > Entry
Cinci’s Freekbass bringing the funk
“Freekbass is the new spiritual warrior for Funk,” quote funk legend, Bootsy Collins.
His mom gave him the name Chris Sherman, but after hearing him play bass in the mid-90’s, Bootsy Collins gave him the name Freekbass. He says the name is for his off the wall wild style of playing funk bass that reminds Bootsy of only one other person, “Bootsy.”
But, Freekbass has made quite a name for himself on his own. After doing some successful collaborations with Bootsy on several projects, including his newest release, entitled The Air is Fresher Underground, Freekbass was recently featured in bass player magazine and is in line to release two bass playing instructional DVD’s for Rockhouse Method.
Currently he is in the studio working on his third studio album due out in Spring ‘07. Again he and Bootsy are working together, but this time he plans on many more guest appearances.
I had a chance to talk with Chris “Freekbass” Sherman and ask him what it is like to play Funk music in Cincinnati.
KN – How did your name, Freekbass, come about?
FB - I was working in the studio with Bootsy and I had just met him fairly recently. I was playing some crazy stuff on my bass, thru a bunch of effects, and Boot said, “You got that Freek-bass thing happening”. Him and some of the other cats around the studio then started calling me Freekbass, and it just kind of stuck. It’s wild because now when people call me Chris, that feels strange.
KN – Did growing up in Cinci help or hurt your musical development?
FB - I know I would always be playing bass and music even if I grew up in a different part of the country, but not sure if I would be playing funk. Growing up in Cincinnati is a huge part of why I play the way I do. This city, which still not sure why, has always had a strong and rich funk culture going all the way back to the days of James Brown’s label King Records, which was out of Cincy.
KN – What makes a good Funk song?
FB - Probably the same thing that makes a good country, rock, or classical song. As long as you are feeling it when you are playing it, writing it, or listening to it, the song has done its job.
Visit www.Freekbass.com for more info on the him and his music.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
