11 of San Diego's Top Bassists

We're shining a spotlight on some of the best bass players in town

Few things tantalize a human body like loud, thick, deep bass notes at a live show. Let's be honest -- take a listen to most of your beloved record collection and imagine how thin, incomplete and basically boring as all-hell they would sound without the talents of legendary bassists. While we're not arguing the merits of who's an all-time bass god and who's not, we are throwing out the names of 11 local maestros of the low end (in alphabetical order). 

  • Jesse Bowen: Bowen provides the alt-country thump for Blackout Party and has recently been lending his talents to the complex indie-pop/rockers Oh, Spirit.
  • Aaron Cheatham: As Vokab Kompany's bassist, Cheatham lends his energetic presence to a group that's consistently got the SDMA hip-hop nominations on speed dial.
  • Mike Eginson: As the bass player in the instrumental psychedelic-rock group Earthless, Eginson lays down some of the heaviest bass riffs around, which you can hear on their just-released album, From the Ages.
  • Jason Littlefield: Littlefield not only adds a solid groove to the soul-rock jam band the Heavy Guilt, he also gets jazzy around town in the Archtones and other outfits.
  • Pete Pisaturo: Counting Iron Maiden's Steve Harris and Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler as his biggest influences, Pisaturo's tasteful playing in Lord Howler is always top-notch. For reference, check out their 2012 album, ...Hath Four Heads!
  • Lorelei Plotczyk: Known for her work in the beloved indie-rock band Film School, Plotczyk now heads up the dynamic chill wave of the new San Diego buzz band Bulletins
  • Pete Reichert: Perhaps better known as Petey X, Reichert's been rocking ear holes for years with Rocket From the Crypt.
  • Chris Stillwell: One of the premiere soul-jazz bassists, Stillwell plays with the Greyboy Allstars and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe.
  • Rob Thorsen: One of the all-time great San Diego jazz bassists, he leads the Rob Thorsen Trio and sits in with Gilbert Castellanos' weekly jazz jam sessions at Seven Grand.
  • Thomas Yearsley: Yearsley is world famous for going absolutely insane on his upright bass with the seminal rockabilly band the Paladins.
  • Victor Navarro: It's hard to deny the reggae-rock groove Navarro brings to Tribal Seeds, the 2013 SD Music Awards winners for Best World Music.
As always, we can't list everybody -- so who did we miss? Did we get anyone right? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook.   
 

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