Eric Revis From The Branford Marsalis Quartet 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…

Eric Revis from the Branford Marsalis Quartet 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 #136 – Eric Revis.

Eric Revis doesn’t just play the bass… he interrogates it. Born in California and now one of the most respected voices in modern jazz, Eric’s journey into the instrument began like many others… through curiosity, records, and a gravitational pull toward the low end, but quickly evolved into something far more intentional. This conversation was recorded during the Montreal International Jazz Festival, where Eric was in town performing with Branford Marsalis… a fitting backdrop for a discussion rooted in tradition, evolution, and what it really means to play this music at the highest level. From early exposure to funk, soul, and The Jackson 5, to a pivotal shift toward upright bass after immersing himself in Miles Davis and Eddie Gomez recordings, Eric’s path reflects a constant search for depth over display. That search took him through New Orleans, where the culture reframed everything… and eventually to New York, where the real proving ground began, surrounded by a generation of serious musicians who forced him to confront every gap in his playing. A major turning point came through Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program, an experience that was as demanding as it was defining, shaping not just his musicianship but his mindset. From there, his long-standing relationship with Branford began, one that has now spanned decades and positioned Eric as the longest-tenured member of Branford’s quartet. But what makes Eric’s story compelling isn’t just the résumé… it’s the philosophy. In our conversation, he reflects on tone as identity, on the idea that bass is often meant to be felt more than heard, and on the discipline required to develop a sound that can be recognized in a single note. He talks candidly about practice as a daily, almost meditative ritual, about rejecting the trap of playing what you “like” in favor of discovering what the music actually needs, and about the tension between tradition and forward motion in jazz… a genre that evolves slowly, deliberately, and always in conversation with its past. There’s also a deeper layer here around authorship… Eric isn’t just a sideman, but a composer and bandleader with a significant body of solo work, constantly exploring how to merge influences into something personal and honest. What emerges is a portrait of a bass player who understands that growth isn’t about speed or complexity, but about clarity, conviction, and listening… really listening. If you care about tone, time, and the deeper purpose of the instrument, this conversation is essential. 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 #136 – Eric Revis.

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).