Alex Frank From Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra On This Month’s Groove – The No Treble Podcast

“Wait… did I miss something? Why is there an article about a bass podcast on Six Pixels of Separation?”

Here’s why:

In the late nineties my first job was as a music journalist (actually, my first interview was with Tommy Lee from Motley Crue right before the band released Dr. Feelgood).
I spent many years interviewing musicians and artists for local weekly alternative newspapers, national and international magazines (and even published three music magazines – before we had the Internet).
I also studied and played the electric bass (in high school and post-secondary) and always felt like bass players never really had a chance to tell their stories.
So, about ten years ago, Seth Godin introduced me to Corey Brown (founder of No Treble – one of the world’s biggest bass platforms – and he also worked on Squidoo with Seth).
From there, Corey and I decided to try this monthly podcast where I would interview bass players and talk about their music, art, creativity and more.
I’m hopeful that these conversations will inspire your work, creativity and innovation as much as they do for me…

Alex Frank From Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra is this month’s conversation on Groove – The No Treble Podcast.

You can listen the new episode right here: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #131 – Alex Frank.

There’s something quietly brilliant about Alex Frank. Maybe it’s his ability to make a bass line feel cinematic without ever getting in the way. Maybe it’s his rare balance of humility and mastery. Or maybe it’s the way he’s managed to build a career that bridges jazz, film and pop… all without losing the soul of the instrument. In this conversation, Alex takes us through that journey, from his early exposure to the sounds of Los Angeles – a city he’s made both muse and stage – to playing alongside icons like Jeff Goldblum, Michael Bublé, and Diana Krall. We sat down with Alex when he was in Montreal this past summer as the bass player and musical director for Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (yes… Jeff Goldblum the famed actor from Jurassic Park, Independence Day, Wicked and countless other Hollywood blockbusters) – one of the many highlight of the legendary Festival International De Jazz De Montreal. What stands out is his sense of reverence: for the bass, for the groove, for the musicians who shaped his ears. He speaks about learning the art of listening… not just to notes, but to the emotional intention behind them, and how that has become his compass as both performer and composer. We talk about his work in film and television, how storytelling informs his playing, and what it means to find honesty in the smallest musical choices. There’s also a thread of mentorship here… his reflections on being part of the next generation of players carrying forward the tradition of upright bass in modern jazz and beyond. For Alex, it’s not about speed or showmanship, but sound – that warm, breathing tone that moves air and hearts in equal measure. Alex is an artist who understands that bass isn’t just rhythm, it’s resonance. It’s the invisible architecture of feeling. And in his bass playing, Alex invites us to sit inside that sound and remember what music can still make us feel. Enjoy the conversation…

What is Groove – The No Treble Podcast?

This is an ambitious effort. This will be a fascinating conversation. Our goal at Groove is to build the largest oral history of bass players. Why Groove? Most of the content about the bass revolves around gear, playing techniques, and more technical chatter. For us, bassists are creative artists with stories to tell. They are a force to be reckon with. These are the stories and conversation that we will capture. To create this oral history of why these artists chose the bass, what their creative lives are like, and where inspiration can be found.

Listen in: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #131 – Alex Frank.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends).