IT’S BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE ADAM Nitti blew away the bass world with his debut CD Liquid Blue at age 24. Now recognized as a leading next-generation jazz fusion bassist/composer, Nitti took his time on his third release Liminal—seven years, in fact—resulting in his most mature, satisfying, and deeply grooving album yet. “The three years after I put out Evidence [2001, Renaissance Man] were a huge period of challenge and growth for me,” says Adam. Major events included leading the Atlanta Institute of Music’s bass department, touring with the Dave Weckl Band and Steven Curtis Chapman, and moving to Nashville. Once Nitti broke from touring continuously, he found a transformed purpose for his artistry. Liminal brims with the confidence of a bassist finding his voice all over again. His spellbinding playing is still part of the package; now it’s just seasoned with a modern R&B production, a greater emphasis on song and groove, and a higher calling. “For me, it’s all about sharing my life through my music in a very honest and almost tangible way.”
What distinguishes Liminal from your past CDs?
For me it was more of a true “production effort.” I tried to approach this CD with a unique vision for each song, almost as if I wasn’t the composer—to try and hear each tune from the outside in. Although I get so much joy and fulfillment from playing the bass, I’ve come to appreciate composition and production roles as art forms of their own. Liminal does have a couple of “barn-burner” tunes on it, but there is a much deeper emphasis on the groove and the emotion that it can evoke.
Is there ever a time when you feel limited by technique?I worked on the technical component extensively when I was coming up as a player, and it later afforded me some extra “headroom” when performing very challenging passages. But everything comes at a price. When I started playing I didn’t have a real instructor or mentor to help guide me, so I pursued only what I thought were the most important components of bass playing: speed, speed, and more speed. I wasn’t putting any effort into my reading, groove playing, applied theory, etc. When I enrolled in music school, I realized that in spite of my technical facility, I still could not say much on my bass. It’s vitally important for newer players to have a wellrounded practice routine if they want to become well-rounded bassists.
CAN BE HEARD ON
Adam Nitti, Liminal [2009, Renaissance Man]; Heather Headley, Audience of One [2009, EMI]; Casting Crowns, The Altar and the Door [2007, Reunion]
GEAR
Basses Warrior Custom 6-string, Curbow prototype Retro II 5-string, ’64 Fender Jazz Bass, ’78 Fender Jazz Bass (16 total instruments)
Live rig Aguilar DB 750 head, two Aguilar DB 750 4x10 cabs
Effects Visual Sound Route 66 (modified for bass), Visual Sound H20, Aphex Punch Factory, Boss OC-2 Octave, EBS Bass IQ, EBS Dynaverb, Aguilar Tone Hammer