Adam Kubota of Postmodern Jukebox

May 23, 2024 Geoff Chalmers

Interview with bass star Adam Kubota

In this video, we meet the incredible Adam Kubota from the wildly popular band, Postmodern Jukebox. With PMJ having over 2 billion hits on YouTube, Adam is one of the most widely viewed interview guests we have ever featured. From his jaw-dropping double bass duet on All About That Bass with Casey Abrams, to a cover of Creep by Radiohead, which have both been viewed over 100 million times, it's fair to say if you've ever spent any time on YouTube, you will have seen his band. What makes PMJ special is the insane quality of their musicianship. These guys really deserve all of their success!

It was fascinating hearing about his journey from playing cello, to law school (!), to a bass player in PMJ. We discuss meeting iconic bass players such as Barry Green and Ray Brown, his lifestyle on the road, working as musical director for PMJ and advice for younger students and those struggling with imposter syndrome. There is so much packed into this interview, including a snippet of Adam improvising on some popular melodies at the end, so I hope you enjoy this one.

Meet adam

Adam Kubota is a versatile and in-demand bassist playing regularly with bands Postmodern Jukebox and Hot Sardines. Hailing from the San Fransisco Bay Area, he tours all over the world and has played many notable venues including the Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, the Sydney Opera House, London’s Roundhouse, L’Olympia in Paris, the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, and the Ryman Theater in Nashville. As well as his regular bands, he has played with many renowned artists such as Gunhild Carling, Lake Street Dive’s Rachel Price, Dave Koz, Puddles the Clown, Wayne Brady, Haley Reinhart, Blake Lewis, Shoshana Bean, Casey Abrams, Morgan James, Sara Niemitz and many more.

A huge thank you to Adam for taking time out of his tour schedule to join me and talk bass. I’ve been a fan of his music for over a decade, and it was a real thrill to meet him in person.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction
01:41 The early days of PMJ
03:41 Who lit the bass fire for you?
06:18 Barry Green
07:23 Meeting Ray Brown
09:53 Robert Black
11:54 Touring life
14:13 Practice on the road
16:53 How do you put a PMJ show together?
23:11 Standout gigs?
28:06 Advice for imposter syndrome
32:42 Bass players of PMJ
35:40 Bass gear
41:37 Advice for younger students
43:40 Find Adam online
45:00 Solo Performance