I ran into Bunny Brunel who was signing autographs at the Rock Cellar (magazine) booth. He took a few minutes out to let me interview him about what he’s been working on.
Interview with Bunny Brunel (Grammy-Nominated Bassist)
Sheryl Aronson: Bunny, isn’t it good to be back to NAMM and as a musician playing music live again? What have you been doing?
Bunny Brunel: I enjoy coming to NAMM because there are many musicians and merchandisers that I never see during the year, and [I love] networking with everyone.
Sheryl Aronson: You’ve had a few new projects you’ve been working on. Please talk about them.
Bunny Brunel: I have a single called “Fusion Holidays” that I put out with Russian guitar player Roman Miroshnichenko, featuring drummer Virgil Donati, flute player Kaylene Peoples, and keyboardist Mahesh Balasooriya, and you can download it on my website. I started a new recording with the original guitar player off my Grammy-nominated group CAB. It’s a new album coming out sometime next year probably, and we will have Dennis Chambers on drums, and Tony McAlpine on guitar; a reunion album. We have completed 3-4 songs so far.
I finished the album called Bass Ball 2. Originally, I did the first Bass Ball with Stanley Clark, and he also plays on this [new] album along with many other bass players, including Kyle Eastwood, Italian bassist Federico Malaman, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Josquin Des Pres, French bassist Dominique Di Piazza, and Secou Bunch. We also have keyboardist Larry Dunn (original keyboardist for Earth Wind & Fire) on at least two tracks, pianist Patrice Rushen, and flutist Kaylene Peoples. For drums, we have Steve Ferrone, John Wackerman, Virgil Donati, and De Carlos Hulk Davis. Plus other great French and American musicians, too many to mention, too many names to remember. (He laughs.)
Sheryl Aronson: When is Bass Ball 2 coming out?
Bunny Brunel: We finished the music, but there is still the final mastering and the artwork. So I’m not really sure, maybe by the end of this year. But you never know with these things.
Sheryl Aronson: How long did it take you to record Bass Ball 2?
Bunny Brunel: (Laughs) Too long! Years! I can’t even remember when I started it. But it was time consuming getting all these people together. Some people did it remotely, too.
Sheryl Aronson: How would you describe the music? Is it similar to the first Bass Ball?
Bunny Brunel: It’s very groove-oriented like the first Bass Ball, but we have a vocal tune with an amazing singer named Jerry Lopez and a full horn section. But Kyle plays a reggae and Armand is doing some world songs that he composed. It’s really a big range of styles, but definitely fusion and some killer funk tunes.
Sheryl Aronson: I look forward to hearing it once it’s released.
