Aneta George
Rich Brown shows us that the bass can sound like an orchestra. It’s an album full of melodies, rhythms, wordless stories that talk about spirituality. Simply magical.
Greg Horton
This is a wonderful album. Such a versatile and soulful performer. Beautiful fretless playing, great percussive beats, just enough effects. Well done. Thank you!
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Rich Brown - 6-string electric bass, 4-string semi-acoustic fretless bass
ALBUM CREDITS
Recorded at The Escape Corner – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Engineered by Elmer Ferrer
Mixed by Elmer Ferrer
Mastered by Harry Hess – HBOMB Mastering
Producer – Rich Brown & Elmer Ferrer
Executive Producer – Michael Janisch
Photography by Dimitri Lewis
Album Artwork and Graphic Design by Brian Hanlon OGMedia Group
credits
released September 26, 2025
ABOUT THE ALBUM
Rich Brown bought his first six-string bass in 1999. “Everyone made fun of me” he recalls with a characteristically warm smile. Since then he’s established a reputation as first-call player for the leaders of an impressive variety of adventurous projects, from Steve Coleman to Rudresh Mahanthappa to James ‘Blood’ Ulmer. Over the past two years, whenever time allows, he’s been paying regular visits to the studio of his friend, the guitarist and producer Elmer Ferrer. Away from the pressures of the commercial industry, Rich seized the opportunity to explore and expand the vocabulary of his instrument. NYAEBA took shape: written and performed entirely on the bass guitar, it’s the story of an imagined griot who journeys around the world and returns to relate his tales in song. Rich drew inspiration from the many remarkable musicians he’s supported as a bassist, or encountered in the richly multicultural music scene in his adopted hometown of Toronto. Throughout the album, the commitment to melody and story ensures that the technique, though prodigious, never overshadows the tale.
Each tune was built up with multiple tracks in the studio, with no looping or sequencing involved. The sonic versatility on display is astounding, but the album retains the organic, intimate feel of a performance. “In the same way that when we see an impersonator on TV, we see the actor as well as the person they are portraying. The bass is like an actor, taking on different roles, but still always itself.” The Zulu word ‘Ukudlala’ means ‘to play’ – the track begins with the naked sound of the bass guitar performing a percussive, kalimba-like melody before building up into layers of harmony. ‘The Sum of Our Tears’ is a deeply personal statement about being lost in the isolation of depression, that develops into an uplifting melody reassuring us that we are not alone. On ‘Heart of a Lonely Woman’, Rich creates astonishing vocalized tones that recall the duduk of Djivan Gasparian (with a sly quote from Ornette Coleman) while on ‘Nyaeba’ he conjures up an entire bata drum ensemble and even the voice of the mysterious griot himself, entirely from his instrument. ‘Kalagala Ebwembe’ is a balafon piece from the court music tradition of Uganda, traditionally split between three players to create an intricately interlocked unity. An international mix of South Africa and Brazil provided the inspiration for the dense, grooving harmony of ‘Sowetoiera’, while ‘Turiyasangitananda’ is named for Alice Coltrane, whose recorded voice can be heard introducing the piece. “It’s an ode to Alice, named after her – it means ‘The Transcendental Lord’s Highest Song of Bliss,’ so it’s also a personal thank you for the inner peace that meditation has brought to me and my music.” Finally, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is Within’ ends with dense chromaticism to create a lush, chordal send-off and a note of gratitude.
NYAEBA This album will no doubt sit comfortably among the essential solo bass albums of all time, showcasing what’s possible on the instrument. While many solo bass records center the instrument itself, what’s unique about Rich’s approach is that he puts the composition and music first, using the electric bass as the vehicle. With a focus on texture, movement and melody, and a striking range of voices, this is definitely not your average electric bass album.
Absolutely stunning. The whole package is so soothing and cathartic that I play it with rain sounds and fall asleep to it. I feel safe with Rich Brown and his wonderful tunes Bee
Jazz bassist Nim Sadot pays homage to the life of his his late grandfather, a Polish artist who escaped a Soviet labor camp. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 1, 2022
Why I love this album?
Because after more than 50 yrs I'm still addictetd to Zawinul-/WR-Music.
And this is the best and freshest(!) version you can get - without Joe and Wayne playing.
Do I miss both heroes here?
If - at all - a little more Wayne than Joe. ROWIAL
