Los Angeles bass player, Derek Frank, has recently been offered a position in Concord Records recording artist Mindi Abair's band. Frank will tour with Mindi around the USA this spring and summer in support of her new album on Concord Jazz entitled “In Hi-Fi Stereo". He began rehearsals with Mindi on April 12th, the very same day that he returned from a tour of Australia and New Zealand with Hammond B-3 Organ legend Brian Auger. After 3 rehearsals, Frank recorded a live DVD with Mindi and her band, which is slated for an early Summer release. Says Derek about his new gig: “The cool thing about playing with Mindi is that she encourages her musicians to bring their own style to her music. She's not locked into any pre-conceived notions about what her bass player should sound like... I like the fact that I can bring my style and some 'old-school flavor' to a genre that, as far as bass is concerned, is typically dominated by ultra-modern sounds and basses with more than four strings!".
In early 2009, Frank logged miles on the road playing bass on the “Dancing With the Stars" tour, an arena show spun off from the hit ABC TV show. He also spent 6 weeks in the fall touring Europe with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express; a tour he started just after finishing recording his debut solo album, entitled “Let the Games Begin...". In addition to his new gig as Mindi Abair's bass player, he is busy promoting his own record and performing with his own band around Los Angeles, while also lending his talents to various gigs and recording sessions as a sideman.
In early 2009, Frank logged miles on the road playing bass on the “Dancing With the Stars" tour, an arena show spun off from the hit ABC TV show. He also spent 6 weeks in the fall touring Europe with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express; a tour he started just after finishing recording his debut solo album, entitled “Let the Games Begin...". In addition to his new gig as Mindi Abair's bass player, he is busy promoting his own record and performing with his own band around Los Angeles, while also lending his talents to various gigs and recording sessions as a sideman.
