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Irvine holds down the bottom

Posted Jul 24, 2009 by Clarisa Gerlach

Updated Jul 24, 2009 at 02:47 PM

Bassist Andy Irvine was a constant presence on Tampa’s music scene in the 1990s, anchoring Clang’s smart-pop and then the deep grooves of Beanstalk.

He returns to town Saturday (July 25, 2009) headlining under his own name to celebrate the release of his first solo CD, “Soul Clap.”

It’s a homecoming for Irvine, who relocated to Colorado in 2001, following the breakup of both Beanstalk and a relationship.

“I was going through some issues and needed to start over,” Irvine says. “I came out here and skied for a year.”

His skiing time has been cut into drastically since then.

Irvine says he’s been playing about 200 shows annually for the last two years, the majority of them with On the One, a funk-groove outfit led by John Staten, drummer for Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe.

His profile definitely is rising. Irvine was featured in a Bass Player Magazine profile. He’s also picked up some valuable equipment endorsements which in turn have gained him entrée to teaching bass clinics.

“The cclinic thing is an amazing departure,” Irvine says. “There are a lot of rewards that come with giving back.

“It’s a whole different challenge from performing,” Irvine continues. “I have to analyze what I do and put it into words, and then convey that to a roomful of people so that they can take something away from it.”

Students will observe some of Irvine’s soloing techniques. “I can and do solo like crazy,” Irvine assures.

But “Soul Clap” is an album of tightly composed and performed instrumentals that straddles rock, fusion and jam band territory. Solos are short and to the point.

“I didn’t want to make a bass feature album,” Irvine says. “I wanted to make a great record to kick back and listen to.”

Irvine’s musical discipline may come from the fact that his primary musical love is the blues, where what a musician doesn’t play can be as important as what he does.

The blues community in his hometown of Rochester, N.Y. “took me under their wing,” Irvine says. “They taught me how to play rhythm and blues, to take that fundamental, rudimentary role. I embraced that discipline and developed my chops and skills.”

“I can play simply when the song calls for it,” Irvine says. “When it comes time for me to take a solo, that’s my time to do as I please.”

Irvine performs Saturday at Skipper’s Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road in Tampa. He’ll be joined by some of Tampa’s finest musicians, including saxophonist Mike MacArthur and guitarist LaRue Nickelson.

The show starts at 8 p.m. with a set by Hammerslug. Admission is $7. Call (813) 971-0666.