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Rob Griffith, a native of Gloucester, Massachusetts, began playing electric and
acoustic bass in highschool at the age of fifteen. He went on to major in music, philosophy
and religion at Vassar College in New York, taking active rolls in area Jazz ensembles,
Bluegrass and Roots music, as well as Vassar's own Orchestra. Employing a fresh perspective
on rhythm, and his arsenal of exotic harmonies and playing techniques, Rob's music
often took center stage, landing him in several touring acts.
Towards the end of his stay in New York, he began performing solo on the electric bass.
Beginning in intimate cafés and galaries, then expanding with a growing audience
into larger and larger venues, Rob melded Jazz, classical and funk sounds into an immersive
and emotional experience for audiences large and small. To achieve this, Rob often
plays two and even three parts simultaneously on the four string bass, and with the
aid of looping tracks recorded live on the spot, the sound of whole band ensembles
surrounds him alone on the stage. In the spring of 2000, Rob began his first solo bass
tour, sharing his solo sounds with of over 3,000, on stage with Rhode Island's The
Slipat Vassar College's Founder's Day Festival, and has since become a staple attraction
at the annual event.
In November of 2000, Rob was brought on as bass player and musical director for a new
project by Grammy winner Doodle Bug from the hip-hop jazz fusion group Digable Planets.
He needed a solid foundation and innovative, new lines to form the backbone for his
latest CD and national tour with his new group The Cosmic Funk Orchestra. He called
Rob.
Touring coast to coast five times, the music received amazing reaction and support,
with fans locking into what vocalist Gnomia Gray characterized as "The Cosmic
Funk Experience." This experience included fre- quent guest appearences from noted
hip-hop vocalists, members of avant-guard poineers the Sun Ra Arkestra, Tyrone Hill's
Deep Space Posse, and a twelve minute piece featuring Rob on Didjeridoo and bass at
once.
Since the Cosmic Funk Orchestra's formation, Rob has shared the stage with artists
ranging from The Roots and Erika Badu, from Toots and the Mytals to Hal Crook and the
Slip. Also active in the recording world, his session playing engineering and production
skills have landed his sound on Hip-Hop, Fusion, R&B, Island, Latin and Reggae
recordings for many artists including Philadelphia's Jill Scott.
Rob is currently working on a number of productions, and is recording new material
for a second solo album.
"Rob Griffith, bass player for Cee Knowledge and the Cosmic Funk Orchestra brings
Jazz, Funk and Classical to a new consciousness on solo electric bass. Combining world-class
technique, and an astounding sense of composition and layering, Rob Griffith presents
a truly innovative and moving body of work on his debut solo album Groundation."
-Active Bass 8.2001 "...perception streatching demonstrations of what the instrument
is truly capable of in the right hands." "Four Stars!" -Bassworld Magazine
5.2003
"What calls me to the bass? It's the first sound. It's the low rumbling
sound of wind in the mountains, of earth and water moving. It's the sound that reaches
our ears first, whether through space or time.
Almost as soon as I started playing the bass, I started playing the didjeridoo. This
Australian instrument has its origins in the outback 40,000 years ago. It is the first
wind instrument, and it's all about bass. Traditionally made from a termite-hollowed
branch, and a beeswax mouthpiece, the experience of playing the didjeridoo recalls
ancient origins in us all. Utilizing circular breathing requires the player to unify
what is internal with what is external. Playing the didjeridoo has instilled in me,
the concept of pouring out my voice, bring what's inside outside. It has taught me
to be a better bass player.
In studying both bass and didjeridoo, I'm always striving for a better working sense
of tradition. Music as we hear it is culture. Music as we play it is the on-going evolution
of tradition. The more I studied the culture of this language, the more I was equipped
to communicate it anew.
These are my meditations, my midnight dreamings, the sound of one bass tapping to the
sound of one hand clapping...In whatever work we do, we seek fullness. Every day, we
work to improve how we work with one another. Still, at the end of everyday, we must
return to a solitary meditation. We find a balance attending equally to the going out
and the coming in. The role of the human voice has this same dichotomy. It is turned
outward in address, in conversation and discourse; and it is turned inward in poetry,
meditation and musing. In our lives, we speak with many voices. The bass is mine."
-Rob Griffith
Equipment:
Rob's current solo arsenal includes a heavily modified Fender fretless Jazz Bass and
an old Ibanez ATK four string fretted bass. "It sounds like a Music Man, but has
a triple coil humbucker, and offers wonderful sustain." Since Fender didn't offer
a left-handed fretless until recently, I had my bass guy Dan Becker take the frets
out of one and enamel the neck a la Jaco Pastorius. I replaced the pickups with EMG
jazz bass pickups, and the bridge with a Bad Ass II bridge. Jeff Cook made a custom
AAA flame maple black to cherry sunburst pick guard for it which looked beautiful."
For amplification, Rob uses a Galien Kruger 800rb into a 4 ohm Eden 410xl, and adds
an Eden 115 for out door or very large indoor venues. In addition, Rob uses a Digitech
BP8 preamp and effects pedal to add additional compression, tube preamp, for reverb.
For looping, Rob uses the Line 6 Delay module. Rob plays with DR Low Riders 45-105
on both bases, and Monster Cables through out his whole sys- tem.
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