L.A. session bassist Reggie Hamilton gave a clinic/performance in the large conference room, while (2) former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, Taking Back Sunday’s Matt Rubano, and (3) BP Contributing Editor Ed Friedland held court in the other clinic rooms. Following a lunch break, in which demonstrations and gear-trying could be heard emanating throughout the exhibitor’s floor, the 2 pm sessions featured Will Lee’s onstage interview with BP Senior Contributing Editor Chris Jisi, and clinics with (4) Gail Ann Dorsey, Oskar Cartaya, and Mike Pope, and a State-of-the-Record-Industry panel moderated by the publicist Laurie Jakobson. Phish’s Mike Gordon also attended and made the clinic rounds. The final sessions of the day, at 3 pm, boasted clinics by Matt Garrison, Wayman Tisdale, (5) Armand Sabal-Lecco (with guest bassist Michael Olatuja), Ed Friedland, BP Technical Editor Jonathan Herrera, and a Grammy Bass Beat Roundtable that included Rhonda Smith, Christian McBride, and James Genus. Back on the exhibitor’s floor at 4 pm, jams continued to break out all over, featuring folks like Garrison, Pope, Tisdale, Janek Gwizdala, Lincoln Goines, Jonathan Maron, and Late Night With Conan O’Brien bassist Mike Merritt.

At the 5 pm close of day one, the throng of thumpers made its way nine blocks downtown to the China Club, where the evening’s Bass Player Live! concert (sponsored by Fender) kicked off at 7 pm. (6) Reggie Hamilton’s trio, with guitarist Carl Burnett and drummer Rocky Bryant, opened with a brooding blend of funk-rock. (7) Oskar Cartaya & Enclave took the stage next, seven pieces strong, and wowed the capacity crowd with their Afro-Cuban jazz-funk machinations. (8) Once the stage was cleared, BP Editor-in-Chief Bill Leigh introduced Vinnie Fodera, who presented Anthony Jackson with his Lifetime Achievement Award. Jackson gave a gracious acceptance speech and then turned in a ferocious performance with guitarist Wayne Krantz and drummer Cliff Almond, proving why the trio—which plays the 55 Bar in Greenwich Village on most Thursdays—is one of the most fearsome improvisation-based units on the scene. (9) Whipped into a low-frequency frenzy, the audience welcomed CBS Orchestra bandleader Paul Shaffer to the stage to present Will Lee with his Lifetime Achievement Award. (10) Will’s enthusiastic acceptance speech gave way to a killer show-closing set by Beatles tribute band the Fab Faux, featuring songs specially selected by Will for the occasion (including his fave McCartney bass tune, “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey”).

On Sunday morning, back at the Park Central, an exhausted Saturday crowd nonetheless made it in time for the noon clinics. (11) These featured an interview/performance with Bakithi Kumalo, who was accompanied by Late Show drummer Anton Fig, Oskar Cartaya with guest bassist Rubén Rodriguez, Mike Pope, Ed Friedland, and Jonathan Herrera. (12) For the 1:30 slot, Victor Bailey, Gail Ann Dorsey, Bob Cranshaw, and Mike Visceglia put on their best clinic hats. The final sessions of the day, at 3 pm, included Anthony Jackson and Fodera’s Joe Lauricella on bass setup, Freekbass on funk, and John Miller on Broadway bass playing.

At 4:30 pm came the answer to the question, What’s a bass event without a closing jam? Matt Garrison started things off in the large conference room with a rousing chordal piece, backed by drummer Beno Sattler. Mike Pope then teamed with Garrison for a duo throwdown. (13) Janek Gwizdala (far left) and Spyro Gyra’s Scott Ambush (right, as well as Spyro drummer Ludwig Afonso) joined Garrison and Pope for a knockout, new millennium version of “For the Love of Money.” The piece was dedicated to an appreciative Anthony Jackson, who was sitting in the back of the room with Victor Bailey and previous Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jerry Jemmott. Following giveaways by Fender, Peavey, Audio-Technica, and two scholarships to SAE, the subterranean titans kept on coming. Freakbass funked out with Ambush, Gwizdala, and Kumalo, who was then joined by Armand Sabal-Lecco and Michael Olatuja for an African tilt. John Benitez and Jerry Brooks contributed their 6-string prowess as well. Winding down the high-energy jam, Garrison, Pope, Gwizdala, and Benitez closed with the Miles ballad “Blue in Green.” BP’s Bill Leigh then took the mic for closing comments and thanks, as everyone reflected on their personal weekend highlights and potential dream lineups for next year’s event.

Bass Player Live! sponsors included Aguilar, Ampeg, Ashdown, Berklee, Black Diamond Strings, Chock Full o’ Nuts, D’Addario, Dean Markley, DR Strings, Fender, Fodera, Gallien-Krueger, GC Pro, Godlyke, Grammys, Ibanez, Krispy Kreme, Kustom, Lakland, Lectrosonic, Line 6, Peavey, M Basses, NY Bass Loft, Rockstar, Roland, SAE, Samson, Sobe, SWR, The Collective, and Zimmerley Bass Guitar.