“Solo bass has been gaining a greater level of acceptance over the recent past. Pathfinders like Michael Manring, Darren Michaels, Victor Wooten, and many more, have helped to grow an audience for solo bass. You can now add Jared Lees to this illustrious list of solo bass contributors”– Bass Musician Magazine.
Jared Lees of Akron, Ohio is a soloist and bandleader with a distinctive approach to the bass guitar. His music comes from a love of jazz blended with soulful cinematic elements. Jared’s latest release, Landscapes, features his signature solo sound paired with a string section and full band. “Jared lays out the soundscapes, which create a strong emotional connection for the listener… His use of tone is a compositional tool that is used with sensitivity and creativity… His fretless playing is superb!” says Bass Musician Magazine. The Devil Strip Magazine calls Jared’s album After Thought a “blend of jazz, R&B, funk and soul elements, fused with astral melodies.” Bass Players United writer Stanton Lawrence states “he pushes the limits of what it means to be a bassist in the modern world of music.” In addition to Landscapes, Jared has also released three other solo albums. He has been featured or written about in Bass Musician Magazine,Bass Players United, No Treble, Bass Guitar, The Devil Strip, and The Akron Beacon Journal.
Describe your rig or instrument of choice: My main bass is a 33" scale Prat 6 string with a Dual Coil 6 Pickup and Custom 3b preamp by Nordstrand. Various effects, Schroeder Speaker Cabs, Kalium Strings, Guardian Pro Cables, and Eich Amplifiers.
What Nordstrand products do you use: Dual coil 6, NJS4E, and 3b preamps. I use Nordstrand pickups because they provide clean, full range tone; but with a unique agressive quality I haven't found anywhere else. Combined with the 3b preamp they custom tailored to meet my needs I can cover any tone I need for any gig.
How long have you been using Nordstrand? 5 or 6 years
Artists whom with you are currently working: Solo, Justin Tibbs, And Diana Chittester, Branches Of The Same Tree
Other artists of note whom with you have worked: Ryan Humbert, Winslow, Via Lotus
I discovered Nordstrand by testing different products and trying different solutions on my basses. I literally fell in love with the definition of tone, the prominence of the harmonics and the neutrality of the pickups
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