Testimonials
"Craig is my first call session bass player. He is supremely musical and can effortlessly blend into many different styles of music. Craig instinctively knows what to play and when to play it, and I consider him as much a collaborator on a project as a hired gun." Garry Boyle - Producer/Engineer @ Castlesound Studios, The Depot, and Director of CP Productions |
"Craig is one of the best bass players I've ever worked with. His tone and musicianship are incredible and he's a great guy to hang out with. I love Craig's feel, dynamics and stylistic versatility. He can sit in on so many different musical situations and completely nail it. His reading is superb, and he always answers his phone, which makes hiring him a breeze!
He really is a true professional." Christian Nativo - Drummer Vanishing Point/Director Christian Nativo Music |
"Craig is a great session bass player. He takes direction easily and is very intuitive. A pleasure to work with!" Tyler Johnson - Producer/Mixer/Engineer Greenhouse Studios |
"Craig Strain has an ear for tone and pocket that sets him apart from the rest. A studious musician, Craig meticulously prepares for every musical situation and brings clarity and drive to every performance. I am blessed to count Craig as a dear friend and fortunate to have him as a guiding influence in my own pursuit of great tone. In addition Craig is an upbeat, calming presence ideal for touring and contract settings"
PW Farrell - Bassist, Composer, Producer, Teacher |
"Craig is an awesome bass player for recording and live situations. He produced my bands EP exceptionally well and also played bass on it as a bonus after we heard how good he was!
I have used Craig on my album and other recordings - he is the only person to deliver exactly what I asked for. Although I have only played with Craig on a few gigs, he quickly became someone I would call a good friend and I hope to play with him more throughout the rest of my career. If you need a bass player who has great chops and groove, reads and has brilliant tone and ears - Craig is the pro you want." Lewis Cannon - Guitar Player/Teacher |
"I recently invited Craig Strain to guest at my bass masterclass at Vancouver Community College.
He was an engaging and well-prepared lecturer, and shared his experiences working on cruise ships with my students. He walked them through the audition process, as well as explaining the day-to-day requirements for playing in a cruise ship show band. My students asked questions about reading charts, stylistic factors, and how to get and keep a job aboard ship, and Craig had great answers that illustrated his range of skills and experience. We also had a short playing session, where he demonstrated his ability to groove and solo, coming up with some solid foundational work and interesting melodic ideas. The students were impressed, and I still hear comments about how useful the workshop was for considering any kind of musical employment and being prepared for the audition. I heartily recommend Craig as a great player and teacher." Laurence Mollerup, B. Mus (UBC) Instructor, Jazz Improvisation, Ensembles, Sight-reading, Double bass/ electric bass Vancouver Community College, Guitar Workshop Plus and Capilano University Freelance Jazz and classical musician, Vancouver Opera, Arts Club Theatre, Vancouver Men's chorus, Good Noise Gospel Choir, international touring, recording. |
"I commissioned Craig to record some bass parts for an upcoming instrumental track I was writing. I really wanted a bass player that could nail some of the more technical riffs that had to be played note for note, as well as adding their own personality and musicality to some parts that were improvised. Craig turned out to be the perfect man for the job! He arrived on time with pro gear, and well prepared for the recording session. He definitely had all the funk and rock chops I was looking for, and had a great attitude and approach to recording. We put down a few different takes and Craig was able to bring musical elements and ideas to the track that really impressed me. It was the kind of bass track that I'd been dreaming of recording for the last ten years!
I would definitely recommend Craig to anyone looking for a professional, talented and friendly bass player for their next session" Jesse Teague - Guitarist/Owner Ivanhoe School of Music |
"Having worked with Craig a number of times (and sometimes on short notice), I can attest he is a consummate professional in every aspect. He has a great working knowledge across all contemporary styles, and is as at home laying down a funky motown groove, to swinging with the best of them. I'd like to thank Craig for being an easy going and organised musician, I'd have no reservations in hiring him again for any type of gig. Also, he has a sweet sounding rig - I dig! Thanks Craig, till we jam again mate."
Jack Bennett - Managing Director Rockyhouse Media PTY LTD www.icanplaydrums.com www.mercurycity.com.au |
"I have had the opportunity to play with Craig on a number of gigs in very different venues. Craig has a great sense of groove and improvisation that is second to none, and a joy to be with on and off the stage."
Chad Bjorgan - Heartbeat Percussion Drumeo Independent drummer/clinician |
"Craig is an extremely accomplished musician. Even more, his curriculum in pedagogy is as good or even better. There are many people who claim they can teach, but don't provide clear instruction. When I worked with Craig, he assessed my ability and immediately had pieces to focus on both creative and technically. Not only this, the examples were modern and relevant. This is one of the reasons most people stop practicing because they focus on the goal, but Craig makes the journey to the goal enjoyable through songs we know, as opposed to tunes no one has really heard of. Craig, is professional and has a fantastic lesson plan with progressive steps that move slow enough to encourage growth, but fast enough to keep it challenging. Also, his ability to play many styles is staggering. I highly recommend him as a bass teacher."
Terence Mazon, A Thinking Ape Entertainment - Music/Audio Director. |
