Bryan Beller

by Sean WestergaardAfter graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1993, Bryan Beller's first big gig was with Ahmet and Dweezil Zappa's band Z, which is where he first met Mike Keneally. In 1996, after two albums and a tour, Keneally decided to leave Z for a solo career and Beller decided to stick with Keneally, beginning a musical partnership that's now lasted more than ten years over the course of seven albums and countless tours. During his time in Los Angeles, Beller also played and/or recorded with Wayne Kramer (MC5), Dream Theater's James LaBrie, singer/songwriter Janet Robin (Lindsey Buckingham), and Steve Vai. Beller appears on several Vai albums, and was asked to be bassist for Vai's 2004 shows with the prestigious Metropole Orchestra (their performance of "Lotus Feet" was nominated for a 2005 Grammy). In 2002, Beller began work on View, his debut as a leader. Financed, composed, and produced by Beller, the critically praised View was released on his own Onion Boy label in the fall of 2003.Beller is also a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including a long-running column in Bass Player magazine (1999-2003). He's interviewed several heavyweight bass players like Lee Sklar, Neil Stubenhaus, and Billy Sheehan, and currently has a column called Masterclass in Bass Player. Beller moved from Los Angeles to Nashville in early 2006, but continues to work as both a freelance bassist and writer while working on material for his second album. Despite the location change, he is also still recording and touring with Mike Keneally both in the Mike Keneally Band and as a clinician for Taylor Guitars.