Teaching & Lessons

As a bassist it's important to develop good fundamental musical skills. I've benefited from some great teachers in my life and I try to give my students the most well rounded perspective they can get. If you know my work you know jazz is my specialty, but I have 13 years of classical training and have played professionally for the last 20 years in all styles of music. I have a vast interest in music and listen to everything: world music (afro-pop, reggae, indian, latin etc), jazz, country, metal, rock, funk, folk and classical.

I teach upright and electric bass out of my home in New Hope, MN. Some of the concepts/techniques I teach include fingerboard knowledge, right/left hand connection, sound production, improvisation, metronome games, composition and creative thinking!

I am willing to take any level or age of student as long as you are willing to put in the effort to get better.

In addition to individual lessons I can offer advice to your band or group as a consultant. I come and listen to your rehearsal and offer critical analysis of what I hear. Do you want to deepen the groove in your rhythm section? Improve your soloing? Get tighter as a band? I can help. For an hourly rate I will come and work with your ensemble.

Contact me for rates and availability.

Chris Bates

[email protected]

Check my youtube channel for many videos of examples of my playing.

photo © Andrea Canter

“Chris Bates ‘Good Vibes Trio’ - Over the past few years, Bates has been on fire, playing in multiple bands, showing up on MPR podcasts, emerging as a leader and making two exceptional albums: 2012's ‘Chris Bates' Red 5: New Hope’ and now this. - Pamela Espeland - MinnPost

“With Red 5, Bates puts the bass in a new light.” – David Cazares, State Of The Arts

“…bassist Chris Bates’ album “New Hope” stands out like the Hope diamond among this year’s local CD gems.” -Tom Surowicz - Star Tribune

“New Hope is a stunning nine-song collection charged with emotion and a heartfelt ambition to let the music be fulfilling in and of itself.” - Natalie Gallagher - City Pages

“Speaking of Bates, he proves his vitality on the murky “Chance, Love, Logic” with his urgent lines pushing the ensemble…” - Jay Collins - Cadence Magazine

“‘Let’ starts with a pseudo-classical melody showcasing Chris Bates’ beautiful arco bow work” - Return of Slide Huxtable

“…on Kelly Rossum’s ‘Line’ bassist Chris Bates plays a critical role in holding together the loose limbed sound of the ensemble; his sound is elastic and spacious, present but not obtrusive. - Jeff Dayton-Johnson - All About Jazz

“The Bates Brothers are endowed not merely with well-honed chops but with an exquisite sensitivity to one another’s labors that could only come from living and playing together for twelve or more years. This is definitely not a recording that could have been made by a quickly assembled cast of all stars.” - Samuel Chell - All About Jazz

“Chris Bates’ ‘Solid Liquid’ is a highlight of the album, combing expressive Ellington voicings in the winds with bass and percussion underpinnings akin to the support the Maestro once received from the likes of Blanton and Greer.” - JazzTimes

“Then the wonderful quartet ‘How Birds Work’… even when Chris is standing still, he’s not standing still, he’s up on the balls of his feet, swaying, smiling, nodding his head, dancing with his bass.” – MPLS/St Paul Magazine

Chris Bates
3054 Boone Ave N
New Hope, MN 55427 USA

612-306-6781
[email protected]