| Author | Message | ||
| hankster
Advanced Member Username: hankster Post Number: 240 Registered: 6-2004 |
Saw the great Lee Sklar with James Taylor and Carole King in Toronto last night. What a fine, tasteful player he is. A great reminder of how important good time and discretion are in playing bass. | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 1547 Registered: 11-2003 |
I bet that was a great show! Lee Sklar is a master. Sam | ||
| chuckc
Member Username: chuckc Post Number: 69 Registered: 7-2004 |
I caught him on a Toto Live 2007 concert on TV the other day. He was so right on with his licks. I think they mentioned he had 5 days to practice to replace Mike Poccaro who had a hand injury. Amazing job. Talking about discretion, he mentioned in an interview on FBPO that he is not a "slap" player and any sessions he is offered that involves slapping he kindly refers them to any number of his associates that do. He certainly knows how to play within himself. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1014 Registered: 5-2009 |
What Bass did he have? Equipment? Yes____ Mr.Sklar in one of the" Cats" that one can learn from . I am "All Ears" when he plays. | ||
| hankster
Advanced Member Username: hankster Post Number: 241 Registered: 6-2004 |
He was playing a fanned-fret 5, a Dingwall I presume. His backline amp was small, looked like a combo with a single 15 but I couldn't see from my seat. As always, his slap playing was confined to the riff in the middle of "your smiling face". R. | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1421 Registered: 6-2002 |
I bought the Carol King/James Taylor Troubadour Reunion DVD/CD combo (with Russ Kunkle and Danny Kortchmar) and Lee was playing what looked like a jazz with natural finish (no paint) and a hundred autographs on it. That DVD/CD is superb. Carol and James were on The Ellen Degeneres show about 10 days ago also, played "You've Got A Friend" with Russ on congas and Lee playing a different bass (light blue?) and James / Carol got about a 1 minute interview with Ellen. Lord I hate talk show TV! Mike | ||
| rjmsteel
Member Username: rjmsteel Post Number: 61 Registered: 7-2008 |
Yes: that light blue bass, he likes hot rod cars, IS the Lee Sklar Signature fanned-fret 5 Dingwall they make for him. He was playing that bass through a EA cabinet and what looked like a Avalon preamp?, set up behind the cabinet, when my wife and I saw the James Taylor and Carole King show in Chicago on Monday May 24th in the round.... very smooth playing and boy can he play those licks FAST when he needs to. -Rich | ||
| hankster
Advanced Member Username: hankster Post Number: 242 Registered: 6-2004 |
Rich, It was that blue Dingwall, and it probably was the EA cab and the preamp tucked in behind it as you describe. And you are right - he can really fly. The in-the-round setup was the same. Would have loved to have the seats in the round seating area surrounding the stage! Rick | ||
| rjmsteel
Member Username: rjmsteel Post Number: 62 Registered: 7-2008 |
Those were definitely some cool seats... we brought a pair of Nikon binoculars used for birdwatching, and clearly could see Lee, James, Carole and the rest of the band and their equipment. -Rich | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 717 Registered: 10-2006 |
Thanks for the reviews; we have tickets for the July 9 show in Chicago. Peter | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9350 Registered: 5-2002 |
Like Peter, thanks for the reviews! | ||
| rjmsteel
Member Username: rjmsteel Post Number: 63 Registered: 7-2008 |
We considered getting tickets for the July 9th show, (additionally), but have tix to see Santana`s band that day in Tinley Park... Dennis Chambers I understand will be on the drums! -Rich | ||
| tubeperson
Member Username: tubeperson Post Number: 99 Registered: 5-2005 |
James Taylor sure picks great bassists to work with, Jimmy, J. and Mr. Sklar. Just awesome! Let this be a valuable lesson for all of us as to how one can earn a living without pyrotechnic techniques being flashed for the fans. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1210 Registered: 11-2004 |
Less is more..I guess we all went through the '10 zillion notes per bar slap solo' at one time in our bass playing lives..it's called experience. Last time I saw Lee Sklar was when he toured with Phil Collins way way back in the late 80's/early 90's. My first outing of his playing was on Billy Conham's 'Spectrum' album with Tommy Bolan in 1973..now that is scary..1973!! | ||
| essenceman
Member Username: essenceman Post Number: 68 Registered: 10-2002 |
I remember reading an interview with Lee Sklar some time ago, in which he mentioned a bass clinic he held in LA (I think). Some of the younger members of the audience were asking him about being known as "Mr Whole Note" and how boring it was playing just one note in a bar. His response was wonderful and went along these lines: You can play 16 or 32 notes in a bar, but how much thought can you put into those notes? On the other hand, if you only play one, where do you play it, how do you play it, how long do you let it sustain? With one note you have time to think about what you're playing. Food for thought. (Message edited by essenceman on June 03, 2010) | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1028 Registered: 5-2009 |
Like your finger vibrato on your legato notes it can be sweet. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1219 Registered: 11-2004 |
Like I said sometimes less is more | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9365 Registered: 5-2002 |
When I lived in the Charlotte area I played a lot of gigs, and saw a lot of Blues circuit shows, at the Double Door. The sound guy, who was really good and a great guy and musician, was named Les Moore. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 745 Registered: 10-2006 |
Well, went last night; the sound could have been better - harsh, with muddy vocals - but the band cooked. And I have to say, it's good every now & then to be reminded just how freakin' good Danny Kortchmar is; his break on "It's Too Late, Baby" was just about worth the price by itself. Peter | ||
| rjmsteel
Member Username: rjmsteel Post Number: 75 Registered: 7-2008 |
Peter, I`m surprised what your thoughts on the quality of the sound was like. When we went IMHO thought it sounded realy clear and Lee`s bass punchy with lots of low end. Was the show at the Allstate Arena?, thats where we saw the last show. On the other hand, sorry about the hijack, but saw Santana last night at First Midwest Bank Amplitheatre in Tinley and the bass sounded good but often lacked Deep Low End, on the main floor & up pretty close, (27th row). -Rich | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 746 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hey Rich, the show was at the United Center. First time I've been there, so it might have been the room. A few years ago we saw James w/his band at Allstate, and the sound was perfect (though I saw the Dead there when it was still the Horizon, and it sounded like crap.) Peter | ||
| rjmsteel
Member Username: rjmsteel Post Number: 76 Registered: 7-2008 |
Peter, That makes sense. I saw Genesis when it was the Horizon and it also sounded muddy back then., and recently Fleetwood Mac; both stages setup to one end of the main floor. However JT/Carole King had the (sound) system flown encircling the stage in the round, (center of the main floor), and sounded real hi-fi this past May (2010). |
