Stu Hamm With Opener Tom Griesgraber at The Kennett Flash

Through his innovative work as a solo artist and his contributions as a sideman to Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, STU HAMM has firmly established himself as one of the most influential electric bassists of the past half-century. Extending the non-traditional function of the electric bass previously revolutionized by Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke in the 1970s, Hamm helped to reshape the contemporary concept of the bass guitar as an unaccompanied instrument with the utilization of polyphonic, two-handed tapping, slapping and popping techniques, chords, and harmonics. Although Hamm certainly wasn’t the first bass player to debut during the 1980s and employ an unorthodox approach to playing the electric bass, he was undoubtedly at the forefront of his generation who effectively fused the application of these unconventional techniques....

read more

Through his innovative work as a solo artist and his contributions as a sideman to Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, STU HAMM has firmly established himself as one of the most influential electric bassists of the past half-century. Extending the non-traditional function of the electric bass previously revolutionized by Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke in the 1970s, Hamm helped to reshape the contemporary concept of the bass guitar as an unaccompanied instrument with the utilization of polyphonic, two-handed tapping, slapping and popping techniques, chords, and harmonics. Although Hamm certainly wasn’t the first bass player to debut during the 1980s and employ an unorthodox approach to playing the electric bass, he was undoubtedly at the forefront of his generation who effectively fused the application of these unconventional techniques.

Until you’ve seen it performed live, the music of Chapman Stick player Tom Griesgraber sounds too big to be real. There are acoustic guitar or piano-like moments, funk rock bass lines, ambient synth and soundscape textures, rock guitar leads, jazz solos and even percussion sometimes all happening simultaneously. To the uninitiated listener it sounds like an ensemble, but to those who have seem him live, it is the magic of a unique virtuoso. His music and skill on this unusual 12-string guitar/bass/synth hybrid mesmerizes audiences and music industry pros alike. Typically performing over 125 shows a year, Tom has toured throughout the United States and Europe with artists like Bert Lams, Agent 22, The California Guitar Trio, Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel band), and the Tony Levin Band and has performed several times for Grammy events. If the unusual sight of the Chapman Stick doesn’t draw you in, the music will.

show less