In an era of bass specialists characterized by genre, instrument, effect pedals, and social media profile, there remain a number of devoted sidemen whose specialty is fitting seamlessly into a wide variety of genres while comfortable with their background role. Meet David Ginyard, the New York-based first-call of everyone from Solange, Blood Orange, and Boyz II Men, to Screaming Headless Torsos, Terence Blanchard, and pianist Aaron Parks. Two new recordings show Ginyard’s versatility and additional skills: Vocalist José James’ acclaimed R&B throwback 1978 [Rainbow Blonde] finds the lefty-playing bassist issuing phat, muted ostinatos with different pocket perspectives that summon ’70s soul grooves with a hip-hop aesthetic. Meanwhile, on jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti’s latest record, Plot Armor [GroundUp], Ginyard arranges a section of the twisting, odd-meter fuzer “Bucket of F’s” — a skill he first developed when Blanchard asked him to arrange an Art Blakey tribute set for his quintet. Born in Winnsboro, South Carolina, on February 24, 1983, David Theodore Ginyard Jr. was raised on the gospel music in his Pentecostal church, where his dad played guitar and his mom directed the choir. He recalls, “My dad started me on guitar when I was five, but I couldn’t play chords because of my small fingers, so I asked if I could play bass, instead. When I was seven, he got me a ’78 Fender Jazz Bass, and when he put it in my hands, it didn’t feel natural — so, being a lefty, I flipped it around and played upside down. As I became aware of slap players like Larry Graham and Louis Johnson, I switched the strings to right side up.” A quick study, he took on the additional influences of local bassists Tyrone Mack and Mark A. Miller, as well as legends James Jamerson, Chuck Rainey, Paul McCartney, Anthony Jackson, Abraham Laboriel, Marcus Miller, Aston “Family Man” Barrett, Joel Smith, Reggie Parker, and Maurice Fitzgerald, and was playing in the Benedict College Gospel Choir when he was only a 10th grader. In high school he made a deep dive into jazz, inspired by Jaco Pastorius and Charlie Parker, also checking out upright giants like Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Scott LaFaro, and Christian McBride, and taking theory lessons with local guitarist Robert Newton. Ginyard hit the Columbia, South Carolina scene with his Spector Euro 4-string, playing venues and restaurants, while also studying architectural engineering at a local college. “My family saw my passion for music and supported me. So when Mr. Newton recommended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, I went up to an audition they had in Charlotte, and I got accepted on the spot.” At Berklee he studied Matthew Garrison and the late Lenny Stallworth, encountered fellow student MonoNeon, and played in bands with his roommate, drummer Justin Tyson, and drummer Louis Cato. Enrolling in guitar expressionist David Fiuczynski’s labs, he learned about od