In an exclusive interview with Jon Liebman for For Bass Players Only, Bunny Brunel offers an inside look at one of his most ambitious collaborative projects to date: Bass Ball 2. The conversation is more than a promotional spotlight—it is a gathering of perspective around a recording that brings together an extraordinary cross-section of the modern bass world.
The project itself reads like a summit of elite players. Featuring contributions from Stanley Clarke, Kyle Eastwood, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Federico Malaman, Dominique Di Piazza, Sekou Bunch, and Josquin Des Pres, Bass Ball 2 is not simply a continuation of Brunel’s earlier concept—it is an expansion of it.
Rather than positioning the bass as a singular voice, Brunel constructs a dialogue between distinct styles, generations, and musical philosophies. Each player brings a unique identity to the project, yet the album maintains cohesion through Brunel’s compositional direction and overarching vision.
In the interview, Brunel speaks to this balance with characteristic clarity. The goal is not excess, but integration. With a roster of this magnitude, the challenge lies in allowing each voice to be heard without fragmenting the musical narrative. The result is a recording that feels curated rather than crowded—each contribution purposeful, each interaction considered.
The inclusion of masterful keyboardists such as Patrice Rushen and Larry Dunn further expands the harmonic landscape, reinforcing the album’s identity as a fully realized musical work rather than a novelty collaboration. Their presence anchors the project within a broader tradition of jazz and fusion, providing both depth and contrast to the bass-driven framework. Also notable is the virtuosic flute work of Kaylene Peoples, who appears on four tracks. One standout is “MAWU,” composed by Armand Sabal-Lecco, where world music influences converge in striking unity, creating a moment of true musical harmony and awe.
What emerges in both the album and the interview is Brunel’s role as a unifier. Much like the earlier Bass Ball release—which brought together figures such as Victor Wooten and Billy Sheehan—the sequel continues this idea of convergence, assembling players who might not otherwise share the same musical space.
Yet Bass Ball 2 feels more refined, more intentional. It reflects not only Brunel’s experience as a performer, but his evolution as a composer and curator—someone capable of shaping a project at this scale without losing musical focus.
The interview with Liebman captures this perspective in real time. It is not a discussion driven by hype, but by insight—an exploration of how such a project comes together, and what it represents within the larger landscape of bass music. For Brunel, the album is less about showcasing talent and more about creating a space where that talent can interact meaningfully.
In that sense, Bass Ball 2 becomes more than a release. It is a statement about the instrument itself—its versatility, its voice, and its capacity to lead complex, collaborative works at the highest level.