“Lost Bass Friend” is an instrumental tune I wrote in 2010 in memory of my friend and band-mate in The North Berlin Sundays Club (Miamisburg, Ohio) - the incomparable, world-class bassist, the one and only Dave Carpenter. Dave left this world way too soon in 2008 at the age of 47. Dave’s travels and recording work are astonishing in scope and breadth of musical styles:

BUDDY RICH, MAYNARD FERGUSON, WOODY HERMAN, HERBIE HANCOCK, CHICK COREA, LARRY CARLTON, HARVEY MASON, TOOTS THEILMAN, PETER ERSKINE, BILL WATROUS, DAVID FOSTER, FRANK SINATRA, MEL TORME, AL JARREAU, GARY BURTON, JAMES TAYLOR, JONI MITCHELL, BARRY MANILOW, BARBRA STREISAND, ROD STEWART, RANDY TRAVIS, CHAKA KAHN, SHAKIRA, HIRAM BULLOCK, JEFF PORCARO, BILL REICHENBACK, JOE WILLIAMS, BOB SHEPARD, CHAD WACKERMAN, ROB MULLINS, SAL MARQUEZ, THE BARNUM AND BAILEY CIRCUS, WAYNE BRADY, CRYSTAL LEWIS, RINGO STARR AND MORE… AND HIS DREAM GIG, WITH THE LEGENDARY ALLAN HOLDSWORTH WHOM HE CO-CONVINCED TO COME OUT OF BEER-MAKING RETIREMENT TO ONCE AGAIN TOUR THE WORLD! These are just a handful of the HUNDREDS of artists dave recorded/performed with.

Add to that, that he played on on OVER 200 RECORDINGS - 50-plus movie soundtracks - earning a Gold Record for Tom Hanks’s "THAT THING YOU DO" and HUNDREDS MORE TV commercials, TV-show themes and television appearances.

I loved Dave and miss him greatly as do his family members, friends, fellow musicians and fans. As many have said, his unique genius was in being so incredibly adaptable to different musical settings and styles and for being able to help the players he played with realize and execute their best performances by playing EXACTLY what was needed from his bass parts and solos - never too much and never too little. He always brought just exactly what was essentially needed and called for. I can personally vouch for that - having benefitted so greatly from the time we spent playing together at the beginnings of our careers. I learned so much from Dave without even realizing much of it at the time - and so many others have experienced and said the same.

I hope you enjoy listening to this true tribute recording submitted humbly and with the true intention of honoring Dave. The song was recorded at The Golden Mean, Cincinnati Ohio, by Joel Crawford, Randy Villars - composer, piano and synth, Matt Wiles - bass, Jeff Mellott - drums, and special guest Brandon Scott Coleman - guitar. Mixing, mastering and cover art by Brandon Scott Coleman.

In addition to all of Dave’s amazing musical talents, abilities and genius, ask anyone who knew him and they will tell you what a great human being he was and how much they loved him as a person. As you listen to LOST BASS FRIEND, just know that as great as his musical skills were, perhaps this attribute is even more important. I miss you, Dave. The WORLD misses you. God bless you, man. Rv