Dream assistant coach Fred “Bass” Williams got his nickname through music. His new CD of smooth jazz and hip hop, entitled “Game Time,” is scheduled for release March 4, available through www.freddybasswilliams.com.
About 20 years ago, my family gave me a keyboard as a gift. I taught myself how to play music starting with one finger, two fingers and now 10 fingers.
In the '90s, I bought all the recording equipment, built an in-house studio and started writing music. I taught myself to listen to sounds and bring it all together as a producer.
I like a lot of bass in my music. When I first started out, I bought three bass guitars, and two drum machines. People would see me with those and call me “Freddy Bass,” and it stuck.
I describe my music as more of rap/smooth jazz without vocals. I use a lot of rap beats, but I put saxophone on top of it. I don’t sing, but I do a lot of the hook lines, with a Barry White feel.
The hook line might be a coaching quote that rides all the way through a song. For example, “If you don’t do it, no one will.” It’s kind of motivational. I’m like a coach who went into commentating, only with my music.
I’ve implemented music into a lot of my training sessions. Having the boom box booming while playing ball helps teach rhythm. I teach a shake and bake move along a fast or medium beat in the background. Music keeps the players’ attention span and makes things flow faster. I also incorporate into my music a few beats and sounds from the Dream.
A great bass line is like a heartbeat: boom, boom, boom. Jimi Hendrix, Stanley Clarke, Janet Jackson, Ice Cube -- their music has a lot of bass. Younger and older people like bass.
Writing songs, for me, is giving back. It’s a message. A lot of coaches know that I play music and are itching and dying to get my CD. I’m giving them something to listen to when they go recruiting or when they’re in their office, having a glass of wine at a party or in their car, uninterrupted.
I’ve tried in the past to keep basketball and music separate, but now it’s time to bring it all together, so people can get a feel for what Freddy Bass is all about. If I had to rate myself from one to 10 as a musician, I’d say I’m pretty much 8.5 and climbing. I still have a lot to learn in the music world.
-- Reported by Michelle Hiskey
