Author Topic: Lee Sklar (Read 220 times)

hankster · « **on:** May 29, 2010, 04:05:54 AM »

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 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 29, 2010, 06:03:20 AM »

I bet that was a great show! Lee Sklar is a master.

Sam

chuckc · « **Reply #2 on:** May 29, 2010, 06:33:26 AM »

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 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2010, 06:50:22 AM »

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 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2010, 08:43:33 AM »

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 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 29, 2010, 08:47:42 AM »

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 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 29, 2010, 09:08:34 AM »

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 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 29, 2010, 09:25:52 AM »

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 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2010, 04:37:18 PM »

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 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 29, 2010, 08:26:08 PM »

Thanks for the reviews; we have tickets for the July 9 show in Chicago.

Peter

David Houck · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2010, 02:56:57 PM »

Like Peter, thanks for the reviews!

rjmsteel · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2010, 07:20:51 AM »

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 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 31, 2010, 01:57:09 PM »

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 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 01, 2010, 07:14:42 AM »

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 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2010, 04:58:34 PM »

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)