Thundercat
Stephen Bruner grew up in a musical Compton-area family — his father a session drummer, his brother a producer — and cut his teeth as a teenage bassist for the hardcore band Suicidal Tendencies before becoming a first-call session player and catching Flying Lotus's ear for the Brainfeeder label. His solo records thread 1970s jazz-fusion virtuosity through six-string bass runs, anime-referencing lyrics, and a high, unguarded falsetto, turning session-musician chops into genuinely strange, personal songwriting. He also wrote and played bass on several tracks of Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, becoming a connective node between jazz fusion and 2010s hip-hop and R&B.
Thundercat has repeatedly cited Stanley Clarke's 1970s fusion records among his biggest influences; Clarke's pioneering slap-bass-as-lead-voice approach is the direct technical ancestor of Thundercat's own six-string bass soloing.
listen forClarke's percussive, lead-voice bass runs on 'School Days' and Thundercat's woozy 'Oh Sheit It's X' both put the bass guitar front and center as a genuinely virtuosic solo instrument, not just the low end.
Thundercat has named Herbie Hancock among his foundational influences; Hancock's fusion of jazz harmony with electric funk grooves on Head Hunters set the template Thundercat's own keyboard-and-bass-heavy fusion writing works from.
listen forHancock's serpentine, synth-bass-driven 'Chameleon' and Thundercat's spacey 'Friend Zone' both ride a hypnotic, endlessly repeating groove under wandering, exploratory soloing.
Thundercat has cited George Duke, whose 1970s fusion albums married virtuoso keyboard playing to unabashed funk and vocoder pop, as a formative influence.
listen forDuke's synth-funk workout 'Reach for It' and Thundercat's guest-heavy 'Show You the Way' (a spiritual sequel to 'Them Changes') both chase a smooth, slightly campy groove over serious musicianship.