Bio
DaLawn Simpson recalls practicing guitar to records played on stereos with
varying speeds. He says practicing to vinyl made him listen – and sensitized
him to a variety of sounds and tempos – some generated by the actual vinyl
itself. “Experiencing music on vinyl definitely influenced the way I play.
Sometimes the record would be warped – or I’d spin it backwards – or play it
at 16 speed,” says Simpson. While scratchy overtones and warped records
likely annoyed most, it ignited Simpson’s passion for experimentation with
tone and melody.
Simpson started playing guitar in the early 1980s because he’d heard that
girls were attracted to boys who played in bands. “I may have started
playing for that reason, but I very quickly became almost more interested in
playing the guitar than I was in getting girls!” Almost more interested, he
emphasizes.
Influenced heavily by 70s R&B radio and artist’s Chic, Funkadelic, and Rick
James and 80s artists The Police, Prince, The Time, Patrice Rushen, Chaka
Khan, Minnie Ripperton, Slave, and Chicago house music. Then rock started to
catch his ear; Living Colour, Heart, Billy Idol, Jimi Hendrix, Pat Benatar,
Motley Crue and David Lee Roth. The 90s introduced him to Seal, Slayer,
Sade, Cannibal Corpse and Wes Montgomery. But it was Swedish Death Metal
band Entombed and a chance meeting with guitarist Alex Hellid that helped
define his current sound philosophy.
“Alex introduced me to the concept and possibilities of lower guitar
tunings, and that did it. I dropped my tuning from standard Eb to C natural,
and that was it. That conversation opened my eyes to new options for the
voicing of the guitar,” explains Simpson.
By this time, Simpson owned all the equipment necessary for a full band to
rehearse without having to bring anything – but no one to play with. “The
people I wanted to work with were already in bands, so this left me with
time to experiment. I began to experiment with bass cabinets, which allowed
me to create a deeper sound – and leave the traditional ear splitting guitar
range behind. Simpson typically plays through a Madison Divinity into a 2X10
and 1X18 cab.
Today Simpson uses a nine-string guitar (C#F#BEADGBE) to create
trance-inducing ambience in one phrase, and destroy it in the next. He finds
the radio program Starstreams and college stations with abstract play lists
broaden his palette even further. Currently listening to: Afropop, Putamyo,
World Music and Dub. For the past 12 years, he’s played in various projects
led by noted avant funk fusion and multi-string bassist, JAUQO III-X, and on
several recordings, including III-X’s controversial debut CD, The Low C#
Theory.
“DaLawn is very creative and inventive and not afraid to be himself in any
musical setting.”
– JAUQO III-X, leader of The JAUQO III-X Reality
BANDS
MYSTICAL ENTITY 1994-1996
An eclectic eight-piece free funk jazz fusion band consisting of two
drummers, two bassists, two guitarists, and two vocalists (male and female).
JAUQO III-X UNIT 1996-1999
An instrumental quartet created to showcase the voice of the very first
fifteen-string bass in existence, played by JAUQO III-X.
THE JAUQO III-X REALITY 1999-present
An inventive, intense avant funk fusion trio featuring DaLawn Simpson, Jauqo
III-X, and drummer Lou Cicotelli.
RECORDINGS
The Low C# Theory, The JAUQO III-X Reality
An improvised recording showcasing the groove power of a fretless 4-string
“Sub-contra” bass (C#,F#,B,E) played by JAUQO III-X and the spontaneous
combustibility of Ernie Adams (Al di Meola) on drums, Kudzai Kasambira on
guitar, and me on nine-string guitar. CD released as recorded, no splices
or edits.
For more information, please go to www.jauqoiii-x.com
Madison Gear:
MAB-210 Bass Cabinet
MAB-18 Bass Cabinet
Website:
jauqoiii-x.com
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