How did you develop into a bass player?
I wanted to play drums like my sister, who hipped me to Dave Weckl. I’d always liked the bass, and I appreciated [gospel players] Andrew Gouché, Fred Hammond, and Joel Smith, but it was Tom Kennedy’s playing on the Dave Weckl Band’s Synergy [Stretch, 1999] that inspired me to start playing bass. John Patitucci became my biggest influence, and listening to his lyrical playing made me understand how to solo. I love all the gospel music Gouché played on, especially the Hawkins Family material. Gouché, Smith, and Jimmy Neuble changed the gospel bass game from lying back in the pocket to being much more noticeable. 

What’s the common denominator among your influences?
All of them inspired me to play my own way and develop my own sound, because that’s what they did. I listen to all genres of music, absorb it, and use it to express myself. A lot of people ask me what bass players I listened to in order to develop my speed, but that actually came from two guitar players, Allan Holdsworth and Frank Gambale. I studied them day in and day out, especially their solos. When I heard Frank’s riffs, it made me want to learn how to play that way to express myself. 

You’re a fingerstyle player, and Gambale’s big thing is sweep picking. Have you developed a way to do that with your fingers?
I do it by using my thumb like a rake. If I want to hit all six strings, I’ll rake straight across. But I might just rake three strings, hit two notes on the next one, and then continue to rake in either direction. I tuck the rest of my fingers up in a fist and use palm-muting to keep it clean—that’s the trick. A lot of people think that sweep picking is just for playing arpeggios, but it’s actually a way to play ridiculously fast melodies to convey certain feelings. 

What does Snoop Dogg inspire you to play? 
Snoop inspires me to lay down the most gritty funk grooves. I’m familiar with that because I’ve got my hip-hop bass idols, too. My good friend Dante Nolan is a hip-hop bass guru, and Jae Deal is my favorite keyboard bass player. When I’m in the studio I pretend that each track is going to be the single of the summer, so I play it as a producer would play a key bass part. Onstage, playing with Snoop is exciting because he’s liable to make up a song on the spot. I feed off his energy, follow his body language, and try to gel with the behind the beat feel of his flow. Working with Snoop is always fun because he’s such a character, and he sincerely treats everybody involved as a member of his family.

CAN BE HEARD ON

Snoop Dogg, Ego Trippin’ [Doggystyle/Geffen, 2008]
the Game, L.A.X. [Geffen, planned for a June 2008 release]
Lewis will appear on several upcoming Snoop Dogg-related recording projects, including Tha Dogg Pound, the Westurn Union, and the Warzone. “I’ve been recording a lot for Snoop, but he’s involved in so many projects that I don’t know exactly what songs will wind up on which records. The Game’s new record is smokin’. We cut it with a full band live, and the Game put on lyrics right while we were playing.”

CURRENTLY SPINNING

John Patitucci, Line by Line [JVC Victor, 2006]
“It’s one of the most well-rounded records I’ve ever heard. I love the fact that he orchestrated electric bass with upright bass, violin, and cello.”

GEAR

Basses Fretted and fretless MTD 635 6-strings, MTD 735 7-string piccolo bass
Rig Aguilar DB 750 heads, Aguilar GS 410 cabinets
Effects Xotic Base RC Booster, Xotic BB Preamp, Xotic Robotalk Bass
Strings La Bella Deep Talkin’ Bass; La Bella Black Nylon Tape Wound
“I’ll play any MTD bass regardless of where it’s manufactured, because they all have killer tone.”