I’m Zak Colbert — a professional bassist with deep roots in Kingston, Ontario’s music scene and over four decades of experience playing, touring, and teaching. If bass is the bacon of music, I’ve spent my life cooking up groove with heart.

Known to many as “Papa”, I’ve been lucky to play with countless artists across styles and stages, from intimate venues to full-blown festival sets. But more than any stage I’ve stood on, I’m proudest of the community I’ve built around the bass — mentoring younger players, supporting local music, and showing up with soul, every time.

This Substack is where I share that legacy: lessons, grooves, stories, and reflections from a lifetime lived in low end. Whether you’re picking up the bass for the first time or 20 years in, there’s room for you here.

Welcome to the groove,

Zak