Thundercat is the stage and recording name of esteemed American R&B, jazz fusion, electronic, and psychedelic, bass player Stephen Bruner, hailing from Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Bruner grew up in a creative and musical family, with his father Ronald Bruner Sr., an established drummer known for his work with Diana Ross and the Temptations, and his brother Ronald Jr. known as a Grammy-winning drummer, who has worked with the likes of Kenny Garrett and Stanley Clarke. Bruner’s earliest musical excursion was in the boyband No Curfew before joining his brother as a member of the L.A. metal band Suicidal Tendencies.
It was during this time Bruner found an audience for his acrobatic and elaborate playing style, later becoming the go-to session musician for artists in the black vanguard and subsequently worked on Erykah Badu’s “New Amerykah, Pt. 1”, J*Davey’s “Dirty Love”, Sa-Ra’s “Love Czars” and Snoop Dogg’s “We Rest in Cali” to name a few in a host of collaborations. The talented bass player also worked on Badu’s follow-up album “New Amerykah, Pt. 2” in 2010, and the same year began his fruitful relationship with Flying, Lotus contributing both bass and vocals to his album “Cosmogramma” in 2010.
In 2011 Bruner released his debut solo album “The Golden Age of Apocalypse”. The album was produced with the help of Flying Lotus, can be heard to take inspiration from ’70's fusion artists including Stanley Clarke and George Duke, and earned the musician a series of acclaims. Bruner subsequently contributed on label mate Flying Lotus’ “Until The Quiet Comes” in 2012, and “You’re Dead” in 2014. The bassist’s sophomore album “Apocalypse” arrived in 2013 and received an across the board positive response from fans and the musical press alike.
Will Varley
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