Monterey Rocks

A blog about Monterey Live Music

MUSIC & LIFESTYLE

Up From the BASSment

The BASSment, founded by Hanif Panni who goes by the DJ moniker Hanif Wondir, is one of the most prolific bands in Monterey, with members from several genres (including Hip-Hop, soul and funk) who are active in their own projects. The band has changed membership over the years and is constantly pushing the envelope of creativity. The talent level is astounding not just for the sheer artistry but for the way they make such varied styles blend together. That can only come from a deep respect for each others’ work.

the BASSment

Photograph by Kaitlin Emmons

Calling themselves  a soul-hip-hop-funk collective, there is an unmistakable element of jazz. Originally started as an “all-inclusive” jam experience, the band has evolved over the years and before the pandemic and the resulting SIP, they had built up a loyal following playing at venues such as their residency at Pearl Hour

However, live music came to a halt at the start of the SIP in March 2020, with Monterey County being more strict than surrounding areas. The BASSment members did not rest on their laurels. They intentionally kept the lines of communication going and became even more creative. 

the BASSment band members

Photograph by Kaitlin Emmons

In April,  2020 the Bassment released a video that has the feel of a Zoom meeting, with seven musician’s all playing a song called “Phaze 2”, which they submitted for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. Hanif Panni raps over Eric “Wobbles” Rowe’s jazzy keyboard notes while Schuyler Horn’s trumpet vibrato takes over the voice of the song. It’s a song that describes the mood of the hour during the pandemic and hearing it soothes the stress as you marvel at the level of talent that is matched by  crisp sound and professional-quality video editing (done by “Wobbles”). 

All seven artists recorded themselves playing the same song at their own location then they put it together and somehow edited it to sound and look like a live performance. 

We caught up with vocalist Chelsea Riddle to ask her a few questions before their live music gig at Captain + Stoker on July 18. 
How are things going for the band now that live music is finally back in Monterey County? 
Things are going great for the band now that things are picking back up. We have our monthly residency back at Pearl Hour and are playing around the peninsula again. During the shut down we were creative and collaborated remotely over zoom. We shot our own videos and recorded our own parts for our video ‘Phaze2’ , which we launched during shelter-in-place. We also did that for the Nakamarra video which we launched much later. Our hope is that live music is fully embraced now that things are more open. Live music was basically illegal for more than a year so it’s really exciting to see the joy on people’s faces and share that energy again. 
Can you name one positive outcome from past 16 months? 
One positive I can name is that I think we all got closer as a band. Being forced to stay apart and to get creative with rehearsing or collaboration was a challenge and it made us more intentional with how we conduct our in-person practices now that we’re back. We’ve pivoted in a cool way and it feels like we’re folding a newer side of The BASSment into our already existing repertoire. We’re stoked to be back and more than ready to get to it!
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Tonia Eaton

Tonia Eaton

Author

Tonia Eaton once daydreamed of becoming the next Stevie Nix but couldn’t stay in key so instead, she appreciates others performances and hopes to generate support for local musicians in Monterey County. Her approach is not as a critic, but to report on the experience of a live performance.  Read about bands, artists, community events and the venues that feature and support live music on Monterey Rocks!

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 Monterey Rocks

A blog about music in Monterey County to encourage support and inspire community

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