Product Details

Curtis Ohlson is widely regarded as a world class musician, producer, and composer who continues to amaze within the Jazz, R n B and funk genre although not bound by a specific genre. The age of contemporary and fusion jazz has spawned a new breed of bass soloists/band leaders who are worthy heirs to the tradition of Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clark and others. Curtis Ohlson stands tall among this heady company, and so does his sophomore release Better Than Ever.

Curtis first came to prominence by touring for years as the bass player for music legends Ray Charles and Buddy Rich. Curtis then went on to work with numerous successful Artists including: Branford Marsalis, Sheila E., George Duke, Bob Weir (Grateful Dead), Pebo Bryson, Pee Wee Ellis & Fred Wesley (James Brown Horns), Pete Escovedo, and many others.

In 1987 Curtis recorded his debut album So Fast which included performances from the hugely successful and three time Grammy award winner sax player Branford Marsalis and vocalist Rosie Gaines (Prince/New Power Generation).

Better Than Ever was the second album to come from Curtis Ohlson and was originally released in 1989. The album features Curtis along with performances from sax player Marc Russo and vocalist Rosie Gaines on the track A Thousand Years.  Alongside  the self written material there is also cover of George Michael's One More Try which is given a refreshing arrangement that sits alongside the self written material from Curtis Ohlson. In addition to the tracks found on the original album this reissued version of Better Than Ever also includes  the bonus tracks Every Day's Friday and Enough Is Enough and has been re mastered for this release.

Avoiding the typical excesses of many bassists' solo albums, Better Than Ever stresses Ohlson's compositions, production, arrangements and distinctive soloing voice.  A former understudy of the late Jaco Pastorius, Ohlson has demonstrated his virtuosity on both fretless and piccolo voicings, in addition to stellar work on the standard fretted electric bass.