Ralphe Armstrong by Veronica Johnson

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RALPHE ARMSTRONG

With over four decades as a musician behind him, the affable and outspoken jazz bassist Ralphe Armstrong feels he’s earned the right to speak out publicly or privately on subjects dear to him, and to school young musicians on what’s required to succeed in the music game. His work history is legendary, having performed with a mix of famous musicians such as Carlos Santana, Frank Zappa, Aretha Franklin, JeanLuc Ponty and Herbie Hancock.

No matter how vast and varied his resume is, Armstrong’s natural habitat is jazz, which can be heard in his work with saxophonist James Carter. Whenever Armstrong desires to transform from sideman to the stars he fronts his own ensemble. He built his name on Detroit’s music scene. Because of his devotion to craftsmanship and his deep musical acumen, he is as well-respected the world over as other renowned jazz bassists Ron Carter, Paul Chambers, and James Jamerson. He released numerous solo records including the Grammy-nominated album HomeBass (2013) and is working on a follow-up to his album Detroit Rising (2015).

Musicman Magazine caught up with Armstrong, recently, and picked his brain about a variety of topics, including musicians navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, growing up in a musical family, touring with Motown acts as a pre-teen, his preference for collaborating with female musicians, and other matters he was in the mood to discuss.

Veronica Johnson: Being a musician, you are in one of the many professions impacted by the pandemic. How are you doing and how have things been for you since gigs have slowed down? Ralphe Armstrong: Well, mentally, I’m hanging in there. It is really bad right now because there is nothing going on. In the spring, musicians played outside, under tents. At the Dirty Dog, a jazz club in Detroit, we played under glass. VJ: Yeah, especially with the weather changing, it was easier to perform outside over the summer. Now, it’s impossible to do anything outside. RA: I can practice but there’s nothing like playing. I’m okay financially. I’m old and I invested some money. But a lot of my colleagues are in bad shape. I am on the executive board of the Detroit Federation of Musicians. I do stuff like that and I have been doing sessions. I just did a recording with Carlos Santana. It’s on YouTube, called Quarantine Blues with John McLaughlin, Cindy Blackman, and Narada Michael Walden. VJ: You come from a musical family. When did you first get interested in music? RA: Oh, yeah. I was born into a musical family, that definitely played a part since my whole family, everybody played an instrument. My Aunt Ravi played guitar. My mother’s sister, Aunt Ruth played the piano. On a Saturday night, they would have one hell of a jam session. My uncle L.C., Lee Crockett, was the one that got me to play the bass. The coolest thing I ever saw was that big gold bass he had. My dad kept trying to get me to play the violin, but I hated the violin. When I saw uncle L.C. play that bass with that low sound, I wanted to play the bass! I was seven and my dad made me a bass. That’s what got me into playing the bass. I wanted to be like uncle L.C., who drove a Cadillac. VJ: Did Uncle L.C. play professionally? RA: Oh yes, he played in Paradise Valley, and all over. He was better at the guitar than the bass, but he was a bass player. My dad played bass too. VJ: What part of Detroit did you grow up in? RA: I grew up on Belvidere and Forest near Indian Village. It was a beautiful neighborhood back then. VJ: You come from a legacy of Detroit bassists such as Ron Carter and Paul Chambers. Who were your musical influences? RA: My biggest influence was the man who taught me and mentored me, Ron Carter. Ron Carter taught me at the age of 14. Also, the great James Jamerson was the reason I got my big break out of Detroit. He was a big part of it because he introduced me to the fretless electric bass. Then, I auditioned for John McLaughlin, who was instrumental in getting me a break. John McLaughlin just went crazy and the next thing I knew, I was in London, England, five months later, recording for George Martin and the Beatles. VJ: You had an affiliation with the great James Jamerson of the Funk Brothers. Did he connect you to other musicians? RA: When I met Jamerson, I was already playing with Motown. I played with Smokey Robinson and The Miracles when I was 14. My counselor told my mother I needed a therapist because they didn’t believe me. My mother went to the school with the airplane ticket and the check.