Meet Tim Fenton | Bassist and Composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tim Fenton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tim, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
When I think about why I pursued an artistic and creative career, I am taken back to when I was a kid. My mom used to tell me, “Children have great imaginations. Adults tend to lose their imaginations. Try to never lose your Imagination.” I heard this and felt scared. I loved creating scenes in my head and I didn’t want to lose this. At the time, I loved legos. I would get a set and build what the instructions indicated. I would quickly disassemble it and, with my imagination, would create and bring to life whatever scene I was seeing in my head. I also think about why I pursued a performance based artistic career. Around 10, I joined a ballet class after a friend had invited me. I enjoyed the class and, when the final performance came, I didn’t think much about it. I had never performed before but I was captivated by it. As soon I walked out on stage, I felt like that moment was all that existed and it was a rush. Even though I fell in love with the feeling of performing, I ended up quitting ballet. A few years later, I found music and I rediscovered the thrill of performing. Playing music mixes imagination with the exhilaration of performing. Each band member’s creativity works together to build something greater than anyone of us could have created alone. This along with each performers energy comes together to create an equally great thrill.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am excited about a big band I recently started with my good friend Paul Nelson. We call it the FN Big band and at the moment it is virtual. We hope to play in person whenever that becomes possible again. We will be releasing a number of videos soon so stay tuned for that! What sets me apart from others is my diverse skill set. I am an electric/upright bassist, producer, composer and arranger. Each of these skills supports each other and come together to give me a unique creative voice. The way I play bass, for instance, is informed by how I compose and vice versa. The path so far has not always been easy. Some of the biggest challenges have been comparison and self doubt. I find myself comparing myself to others. Sometimes at first, it makes me feel better but I will inevitably feel worse and have more self doubt. The artists I respect, look up to, and enjoy listening to the most are the most unabashedly themselves. My self doubt clouds the path and hinders my ability to be myself as an artist. Recently, I have been trying to find what being myself means and how to express that creatively .

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I were to show someone around LA, we would start our day at Grand Central Market. I love all the different options. I almost always try a new stand when I go. I think I’ve tried about half of the food vendors. We would then walk around the Los Angeles State Historic Park near the arts district. This is a really nice large park with nice walkways that some refer to as the Central Park of LA. After, we would drive to Griffith Park. Many people know about the Observatory but some lesser known places I really enjoy are Fern Dell Nature Trail and the Abandoned Old LA Zoo. We would finish off the day by getting Ramen in Little Tokyo. My favorite place is Orochon Ramen but there are many great places. Finally, we’d finish the night off with a drink at the nearby Wolf and Crane.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this shout out to my partner, Jasmine. They have supported me through the good times and the setbacks. They have inspired me to believe in myself and take more risks. I am grateful for their love and support.

Website: timfentonbass.com

Instagram: @timfentonbass

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL38sXrWR3V3c7_gkzwo9OA