ETHAN “E-Bassman” FARMER
Thanks to acclaimed bass player Ethan Farmer aka E-Bassman, Jazz has taken on a breath of
fresh air. A native of Chicago, Ethan represents the past, present and future of everything that
Jazz is meant to be. He has a natural gift and ability on top of his passion and ear for music, are
what define him as a bass phenom. With a professional career that has afforded him the
opportunity to work with an influential list of musical greats like Janet Jackson and Darius
Rucker, the stage is set for his debut EP release Wine & Strings to change the rhythm of
contemporary music.
Ethan was introduced to music early on, first picking up his father’s bass at the age of five and
receiving his own at six. Two years later, E-Bassman became the youngest member of the
family group, The Amazing Farmer Singers, marking the beginning of a lifelong love and pursuit
of music. Advanced beyond his years, by sixteen Ethan had toured the country with the family
group and established himself in churches around Chicago. As he began to come into his own, he
grew anxious to explore other genres of music and was instantly drawn to R&B, Funk, and Soul,
and idolized artists including Prince and Michael Jackson.
By the age of seventeen he was already an impressive talent and began playing with choir groups
including: Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago, Mark Hubbard & The Voices,
Ricky Dillard, and the Chicago Mass Choir. From there, he travelled to music festivals around
the world including: the North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival,
and the Jakarta Jazz Festival.
In 1998, Ethan relocated to Los Angeles. His talent has garnered him recognition as an
exceptional bass player, but once he met celebrated gospel bass man Andrew Gouché, his career
would take another turn. While Andrew would later become a great friend and mentor, it was
that initial trust in Ethan’s potential that led to his first big break, playing with Jody Watley on
BET’s Planet Groove. From that point forward, Ethan’s career quickly gained momentum and
E-Bassman was in high demand. Throughout his career, Ethan worked with hundreds of artists
including Babyface, Patti LaBelle, and Hootie and the Blowfish.
Funk, Soul, Rock & Roll and all the best feelings found in music is what encompasses the
essence of the music he plays. Ethan’s style speaks to a universal love for diverse music. “It’s
almost like segregation and religion, but we’re all serving that higher power, whatever you may
call it so why can’t it be the same with good music? I want people to walk away from my show
feeling like they did during Woodstock. Just a good feeling that people remember for generations
and it was all about the music.”
The creative process never ends for Ethan, who in addition to his own music is a member of two
bands that he put together with friends. The Core is a Jazz fusion band reminiscent of the Yellow
Jackets meets the Weather Report, with Ethan providing the funk factor alongside Dave Nathan
and Shawn Horton. When Ethan is not touring, his band can be found at the intimate venue
Hotel Café in Los Angeles. E-Bassman also creates music with drummer Gordon Campbell the
E&G Band for another outlet of expression. “I have so much music in me and my style and what
I do with each band is different from what I do myself, but it helps me grow when I collaborate. I
love to surround myself with great musicians.”
11/2012
ETHAN “E-Bassman” FARMER
After ending the Backstreet Boys and New Kids On The Block tour, E-Bassman jumped on
board with Lionel Richie and his Tuskegee Tour spanning across Europe. Ethan will be arriving
back to the United States only to saddle up for more shows. His new set of shows start with the
annual Bass Bash during NAMM in January 2013.
In addition, he has dedicated himself to more personal projects including the long awaited
release of his first full-length album, Wine & Strings 2.0 to be released in February of 2013.
This offering of himself through his music is an odyssey. His music transports the listener to
places in time that evoke feel good emotions that he wants to share with the universe. “People
get caught up in trying to make the perfect record and for me there is no perfect record when
you’re growing because it can be perfect today but then you learn so much more tomorrow
which means yesterday isn’t perfect anymore. So I just record what I feel in that moment and
that is what Wine & Strings is all about, what I was feeling in those moments. I believe if you
feel good and your music is good then it’s going to make the people that support you feel good.”
11/2012