Derek Frank

Fri, Mar 06

Derek Frank is a bassist whose instrumental solo work puts groove front and center, blending modern funk, deep-pocket R&B, seventies TV soundtrack-style music, and jazz-informed harmony into a sound that feels confident, polished, and playful. His records reveal a composer’s mindset as much as a rhythm section veteran’s instincts: thick, expressive bass lines anchor the music, while synth textures, horn arrangements, and melodic hooks expand the palette. Frank favors clarity and feel over excess flash, letting tone, touch, and rhythmic nuance do the talking. Slap passages surface when they serve the song, balanced by warm, articulate fingerstyle lines that glide and punch in equal measure. That balance is shaped by years of touring with major artists including Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, Melissa Etheridge, Kelly Clarkson, Don Felder of the Eagles, Air Supply, and many others. Drawing on that experience, Derek Frank’s 7-piece band delivers bass-forward instrumental music that’s sophisticated yet accessible—groove-driven, stylish, exciting, and endlessly listenable.