President
Kern Brantley
Video Media Specialist
Ivan Williams
In a professional band, the Musical Director (M.D.) plays a vital role, overseeing everything from assembling the right musicians to shaping rehearsals and producing a polished final performance. Top M.D.s are known for their ability to deliver exceptional live shows and are consistently in high demand by elite artists. Detroit native Kern Brantley exemplifies this level of excellence, bringing years of experience and a stellar reputation to every project he touches.
​
Kern’s impressive career highlights his talents not only as a Musical Director but also as a skilled musician, producer, songwriter, and arranger. Growing up in Detroit—a city known for its musical legacy—he was deeply influenced by the iconic Motown sound of the 60s and 70s. This rich musical environment set a high standard that Kern has embraced throughout his career, and it continues to shape the soulful, high-caliber performances he is known for today.
Ivan BIG IVE Williams is a Freelance Stage and Studio 6, 5, and 4 string Professional electric BASSIST, including Upright BASS who has toured the country as a musician who has performed, recorded, produced with many musicians and Artist since 1972. BIG IVE (his stage and nickname) has also been featured in several music and BASS guitar publications. As a teenager BIG IVE was the BASSIST for celebrated Motown
producer/songwriter Ivy Joe Hunter.
In the 1980's and 90's in Dallas Tx. BIG IVE produced and directed 2 successful cable TV shows featuring celebrity artist and was a Rapper on the MTD record label with spins on the local radio stations. BIG IVE is also a BASS guitar, piano, keyboards, guitar, ear training, and music theory Instructor since 2006, with over 300 students private and online around the country to date.
My motto and mission is 'EACH ONE TEACH ONE'. BIG IVE is also a Producer/Filmmaker/Videographer with a Popular BASS guitar show on YouTube called "DETROIT BASS PLAYERS IN THE BASSMINT"
"Playing BASS and teaching and audio/video production is my passion"
ivanwilliamsbass@hotmail.com (email) www.bigive.com.istemp.com (website) www.youtube.com/ivanwilliams www.facebook.com/ivanbigivewilliams
​
​
Treasurer
Marilee Benore
Marilee is an educator, scientist and amateur bass player. Her musical training began early with Suzuki violin, and she sang and played classical guitar until she found the Bass! Influenced by her violin-teacher mom, her musical-loving dad, and girl-scout hootenannies, she enjoys all music genres.
She studied science, psychology, and art, earned a PhD in chemistry, and conducts research on vitamins, education, and women in STEM. She takes bass lessons from Big Ive and music classes at Schoolcraft College.
Photo from Bass Day 2017 (by Shannon Parsons)
Director and Secretary
Chris Reed, PhD
Chris is a second-generation Detroit Bass Player and founding board member of the Detroit Bass Federation. His passion for the electric bass is an extension of his even deeper love of human communication, culture, and community—all of which are gifts that lift the mind, body, and soul found in music and the musicians who create it.
Chris received his doctorate in human communication processes from the University of Georgia and he is a corporate HR executive at Stryker. Chris is author of two books Future-Ready Leadership; Sacred Conversations. Chris and his wife Robin live, work, and serve in Metro Detroit.
Music Education
Michael Rais
Michael Rais is an award-winning bassist and respected music educator based in Metro Detroit. With over 30 years of experience as both an electric and double bassist, he has performed across a wide spectrum of genres, from classical symphonies to Motown, jazz, rock, and pop.
His career includes collaborations with Motown legends, symphony orchestras, and nationally touring acts. For the past 18 years, Michael has served as a dedicated music educator at Frost Middle School in Livonia, where he teaches band, orchestra, and guitar.
Outside the classroom, he remains an active performer, touring nationally, recording in studios, and mentoring bassists throughout Michigan. He is a proud member of Detroit Federation of Musicians Local 5, the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA), the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), and the International Society of Bassists (ISB).
​
X: @mraisbass
Director and Secretary
Big Asmar
Big Asmar is a dedicated and passionate bass guitarist who has been mastering the instrument since the age of 12. With a deep belief that the bass guitar is the most powerful and soulful instrument in music, he has built his life and career around its unique voice and rhythmic power. For Big Asmar, music—especially through the bass—is a tool for healing, expression, and connection.
He finds joy in sharing his knowledge and love for the bass with both children and adults, watching their confidence grow through music education and performance.
His work extends beyond performance into producing, engineering, composing, and writing, and he proudly manages rising young talent Lil Asmar.
As the founder of Lil Asmar Productions LLC, Big Asmar also explores his creativity through acting, stage writing, and theatrical work. His mission is to inspire others through the transformative power of the bass and to bring communities together through music.
​
Bass Guitar Player
Producer, Engineer, Music Composer
Song Writer,Manager Of Lil Asmar
Actor,Stage Writer, Theatrical, and Owner Of Lil Asmar Productions LLC Record Label
Ralph Armstrong
Ralphe Armstrong is a legendary Detroit-born bassist whose career began at just 17 years old when he joined John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra, edging out none other than Jaco Pastorius in the audition. Classically trained at Michigan’s Interlochen School of Fine Arts, Ralphe mastered the Josef Harvey method before transferring his technique to the electric bass. His work on landmark fusion albums like Apocalypse, Visions of the Emerald Beyond, and Inner Worlds cemented his status as a powerhouse in the jazz fusion world.
Following Mahavishnu, Ralphe joined Jean-Luc Ponty’s fusion band, contributing his signature fretless sound alongside legendary players like Allan Holdsworth and Steve Smith on Enigmatic Ocean and Live—which he calls his finest electric bass work on record. Over the years, he has collaborated with a remarkable roster of artists including Frank Zappa, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, George Martin, Geri Allen, and the London Symphony Orchestra. His influence on electric bass design led to a partnership with Gibson, helping develop iconic models like the Ripper and Victory basses.
Despite his international acclaim, Ralphe chose to step back from the spotlight to raise his children in Detroit. During that time, he remained deeply active in the local scene—performing, teaching, and mentoring the next generation of musicians. Today, he continues to inspire as an educator at Cass Technical High School and the University of Michigan, while touring, producing, and leading bass clinics. His recordings Home Bass (2013) and Detroit Rising (2015) pay tribute to both his legacy and his beloved hometown.