A FUNKY Bradford musician has claimed one of the top prizes in the world of guitars after providing the best performance of the last 12 months.

Danny Sapko, from Saltaire, wowed judges, the public and staff at top music website Guitar World to take the crown as Bassist of the Year.

The 27-year-old played a funk-filled piece featuring intricate finger work on his classy Chowny NT4 bass guitar through an Aguilar head and cab in his video submission.

Mr Sapko, who runs a successful YouTube channel as well as teaching music and playing in his band Vonderplanetz, said the win was a moment of light amongst the gloom of 2020.

He said: “I was very pleased to find out I’d won, it’s been a tough year musically, so it was a nice way to end the year.

“I wasn’t able to do any gigs and I’d been doing a lot of teaching but I had to cut down on that, everything either slowed down or stopped and I had no rehearsal time.

“I’ve been on YouTube for a number of years and got some recognition through that, and this was the third year of entering the Bassist of the Year competition.

“I’ve been getting closer each year and this was the first time I’d made the final five and ended up winning. It’s part public vote, part judges, and the local community really rallied round me with the public vote.”

Mr Sapko has been playing bass for the past ten years, and said the “understated” nature of bass is what attracted him to the instrument.

“Other instruments like drums and guitar people turn to and master them, whereas bass is a lot more understated, and I wanted to master it,” he added.

Featured in his video submission was a backdrop of musical and sporting icons, including Marvin Gaye Steely Dan, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Anthony Joshua, and Muhammad Ali, as well as a classic Bradford City shirt.

Guitar World said Mr Sapko “blew our minds with his excellent funk playing, intuitive feel for the groove and solid judgement when it comes to playing sophisticated lines that serve the song without descending into pointless showing off”.

They added: “The slick fingerstyle that he showcases in his video clip encompasses all the tricks of the modern bass arsenal – strummed chords, the floating thumb technique, tapping and the expected slap and pop – while the line itself remains catchy and memorable.

“Although Danny makes a point of showing us his ferocious picking speed with a flurry of 32nd notes right at the end, his playing remains tasteful as heck throughout.”

He was selected as the winner following a public vote combined with the choices of Guitar World staff and selections of guest judges, who were Living Colour bassist Doug Wimbish, the B-52s’ Tracy Wormworth, and heavy metal bassist Scott Reeder.

As a reward for his show-stopping performance, Mr Sapko has received a Spector Performer 4 bass, and the chance to record a professionally shot performance video.

Mr Sapko, who describes his music as “sort of old-school funky bass influenced by the 60s and 70s”, and lists Sir Paul McCartney and James Jamerson as his biggest inspirations.

2021 is looking like a good year off the back of his win, with invitations for session work and new opportunities arising, and Mr Sapko plans on launching his solo career, but he’s not in it for the money.

“I just want people all over the world to know my name and my music and I’ll be happy.”