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Craig Akin

Warm and familiar, you know this tune by heart. Yet with twists in tempo, his story marches to its own beat. Meet Craig Akin, a versatile bassist whose 25 years of experience have afforded him the skills to play myriad styles of music with ease. Born into a musical family in the buckle of the Bible Belt and now attuned to the rhythms of the New York skyline, he’s a quick study whose talents have taken him across the globe.

Whether he’s playing his upright or electric bass, on stage or in the studio… jazz, pop, folk or rock, Craig Akin is comfortable and creative, and he consistently delivers the goods. With a degree in music education and formative years spent cutting his teeth in Kansas City’s jazz & blues scene, he can now be found playing and recording with many notable East Coast artists. Craig Akin has performed over 5,000 shows, contributed to more than 100 albums and recently added a home recording studio to his artistic arsenal. He welcomes collaboration and new music ventures, be they shows, tours or recording.

Gear

1890 Tyrolean flatback, 1960 German Juzek, 2004 Shen SB-100, Eastman carved, 1942 Kay S-9 w/ removable neck, Lemur Flyaway travel case, Spirocore and Velvet strings, full circle pickup, Lifeline pickup. Acoustic Image, GK amps, Schroeder cab, and Hartke 210 cabs. Fender fretless P bass, '73 P bass, '67 Harmony H-22 hollowbody electric, '10 Jazz active deluxe 5 string.

Take Five With Craig Akin

by Craig Akin
September 29, 2011

Meet Craig Akin: Craig Akin is an in-demand upright and electric bassist living in New York City. Between 1997 and 2007, he averaged 270 gigs a year in his musical hometown of Kansas City. There he developed his rhythm and tone while playing or recording with nearly everyone on the jazz and blues scene. Craig has also performed with emerging pop and indie songwriters as well as legendary jazz artists including Tim Hagans, Pete Christlieb, Frank Mantooth, John ...

"Craig's time is so solid, I have relied on him in the studio and live shows for years. His ideas are always inspiring me and the rest of the band through his patience and refreshing playfulness." Brandon Draper, drummer, composer, producer, educator Kansas City, MO

“Craig is a true professional, always prepared, always engaged, a stellar musician, and genuinely great guy.” Little Embers New York, NY

"I'm very happy to have gigged and recorded with Craig Akin. His sound is fat and warm, and it's a pleasure to play a solo when you have him in the rhythm section. He made my compositions sound great. My next project in New York will have him on bass again, that's for sure." Martin Schulte, guitarist, composer Cologne, Germany

“Craig is a true professional, always prepared, always engaged, a stellar musician, and genuinely great guy.” Little Embers New York, NY

"Akin is equally impressive on electric bass or upright. He's got enormous technique, great imagination, and an approach to his instrument that is unusual and fresh." Rich Hill, Jazz Ambassador Magazine Kansas City, MO

"Craig is an incredibly musical and accomplished bassist. He has huge ears, beautiful tone, and complements any style of music with intelligent, relevant ideas. He nailed an entire record's worth of my tunes in one session. You won't find any musician more committed to the soul of the music than Craig. And he's a seriously fun guy to hang with." Rick Bruner, Singer/Songwriter Lawrence, KS

"Craig is a great bass player. He's easy to work with on gigs or in the studio and plays several styles with ease." Pete McCann, Guitarist/Composer/Educator New York, NY

"I'm new to playing bass, so I asked Craig if he would come up with bass parts for the new tunes Red Molly was working up. When I heard what he came up with, I was amazed by the parts; they sounded SO good! Not too simple, not too complex, really interesting, and just perfect for the song. I wasn't sure I could learn them, but Craig wrote out bass tablature for me and somehow made it easier than I could have imagined. Now I'm actually playing the parts he wrote, which is thrilling. He's like our behind-the-scenes secret weapon! I can't overstate how talented Craig is and how fun he is to work with. His love of music (and especially his love of the bass) is completely contagious." Laurie MacAllister, Red Molly Jersey City, NJ

"Craig Akin is one of the most versatile bassist I've worked with. He is equally skilled with acoustic or electric bass and can play any style. Regardless of the setting, Craig always plays with commitment and creativity." Kerry Strayer, Artistic Director/Conductor, Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Kansas City

"When Craig comes into the studio I already know the bottom of this mix is going to kill. His feeling and musicianship is [are] unmatched in my book." Jon Castelli, The Hit Lab Los Angeles

"Craig is an inspiration — both on stage and in the classroom. The things that make his playing so great — the organic, soulful funkiness, the depth and intelligence — are the same things that make him a great teacher." Aaron Sizemore, Program Director, Music House School of Music Overland Park, KS

"TONE!...few of us think about our sound as much as Craig does. He can play in any style, in any key, read charts or improvise. Whether it's on stand up or electric bass, Craig is a total pro, a great musician and a great guy." Nathan Bliss, Barnaby Bright Brooklyn, NY

"Craig offers the sensitivity and responsiveness that we all seek. He finds the balance between suggesting new direction and nurturing the space for creating music spontaneously. And the result - playing with him feels like the process of burgeoning musicality that we all live for." Caroline Davis, Saxophone, Composition Chicago, IL

"In addition to his expertly honed chops, Craig brings an innovative creativity and soulful musicality that raises the bar for everyone else" Aimee Allen, Vocalist New York, NY

"Craig is a real natural. He learns material at light speed and immediately sends it through the 'Craig filter' and makes it all better. He's the perfect balance of technique, artistry and attitude." Beau Bledsoe, Alaturka, Tango Lorca, Bach Aria Soloists Kansas City, MO

"A fantastic player. Akin's playing is the convergence of proficiency,sensibility and vibe" Anthony Rizzo, Guitarist New York, NY

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