WT800 / D610XLT

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Kai Eckhardt, bassist for the widely acclaimed Garaj Mahal, was born on June 15, 1961 in Mainz, Germany. The son of a German mother and a Liberian father, he was raised in Germany and West Africa. He began to study the bass guitar at age 15 and went on to establish himself as a well known and respected musician in his area.

Kai left Germany in 1983 to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, which served as a home base for the launching of various international tours. While still in school, he became a member of the Bob Moses Group and Tiger's Baku. It was during this period that his special talent first received international recognition. Kai was the bassist for Steve Smith's Vital Information, Alphonse Mouzon, Randy Brecker and Stanley Clarke - all while still in school!

In 1987, Kai graduated from Berklee with honors and was offered a teaching position at the college. In the same year, Gary Burton recommended him to guitarist John McLaughlin. Kai joined the John McLaughlin Trio in December, 1988, touring extensively throughout the world and recording two albums. Since then, he has played with a Who's Who list of musical greats, including Bobby McFerrin, Billy Cobham, Patrice Rushen, Larry Williams, Teri Lynne Carrington, and many more. In addition, like all of the Garaj Mahal members, Kai gives back to the musical community by spending hundreds of hours a year teaching the new generation. He has given master classes at numerous notable schools, including his Alma Mater, the Bass Collective, Anton Bruckner Conservatory (Austria) and Musician's Institute.

When you hear your first Garaj Mahal note, leading into an innovative fusion of funky jazz with a tasty world music flare, all other thoughts leave your mind, as the music takes you on an unforgettable voyage. Fans return almost compulsively to hear Garaj Mahal because they know they will always hear something new, progressive and audience-involved from these four first-class musicians. Garaj Mahal combines a century of musical experience to create a sound evolution unclassifiable and always smoking hot.

Touring extensively since their formation in 2000, Garaj Mahal constantly captures the hearts of new fans, while keeping the dedicated on their dancing toes, with their ability to draw out serious "shut-up-and-listen" jazz grooves. Garaj Mahal’s musical experience allows them to constantly push the envelope of composition and improvisation and the music never stops there. Their eclectic sound brings music lovers from various parts of the spectrum together for an experience profoundly different than any currently on the scene.

Kai uses our WT800 and D610XLT to faithfully reproduce his signature sound. Of his Eden rig, he says, "I need a rig that can hold up under the strain of constant touring and can give me unmatched tone night after night. My Eden rig does that effortlessly."