Bill Laswell

I first heard of Bill Laswell through my friend Chris. I had just met him and we were exchanging our respective "histories". I mentioned that I had studied music in college. Then he mentioned Laswell and I said I had never heard of him. Chris' eyes went wide: "You studied music and they never mentioned Bill Laswell to you?!?" I smiled and said no. But I definitely wanted to know more!
Since then, I have slowly accumulated a collection of many CDs featuring Bill Laswell. I also came to realize that he had been involved in music that I had been aware of before. He is a brilliant bass player and a producer full of imagination and daring. His deep love of music and life comes through on every recording that he is a part of.
	From the extended improvisation sessions of Last Exit or Massacre, to the deep funk of Material to the world fusion of Nagual or Sacred System to the mysterious, psychedelic ambience of Pyschonavigation to the reimagined Jazz of Panthalassa to the pure experimental spaces of Invisible Design... a raw, pure and unedited love of creation comes through from everything that Laswell touches.
Laswell was born February 12, 1955. He started playing guitar and then switched to bass later on. Through an amazing career he has worked with some of the most legendary musicians of the 20th Century: Brian Eno, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Sharrock, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Fred Frith, Pete Namlook... the list is endless. He has been a part of many configurations and has created bands and labels so fast that it is hard to stay up to date on his many projects.The best one can do is to always keep your eyes open for that lost project, that magickal Laswell CD that may be waiting just around the corner.