It's always a thrill to be a part of this fun quartet on a Friday night. The place fills up with folks young and old looking for a good time. Glen Perdew leads us through a non-stop jam of funk, rock, and R&B. This time out he stumped me when someone asked for Skin Tight by the Ohio Players. I've since worked on it, but it doesn't want to stay in my head. I do remember us getting through the Eagles tune I Can't Tell You Why. Another that I have since come to be ready for is Barry White's It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me. Tunes like that serve to remind me of the classic role that bass holds in pop music. I hear other players interjecting way too much in my opinion. I have been told that other musicians just want to hear the root from the bass. If it's a motif that just repeats over and over, well, that's what we do. That's what all of the band is doing, and Jaco wasn't on the session. Laying it down is what makes the song chug along. Adding fills that most players want to stick in doesn't improve the tune. It can rob the essence of the groove and draw unnecessary attention to the bass, which detracts from the vocals and other rhythm instruments. Something to think about.
Glen, Randy, and Derek just glide through the tunes effortlessly. They are seasoned pros and I struggle to keep up. That said, I managed to hang and not embarrass myself with my R&B shortcomings. Certain tunes I have spent some time with, others I get lucky on. Glen calls them as he sees them. Funny that if I work on a song, it will not get called. Murphy is a strange animal.
Derek had a cool new look. He likes to keep it interesting. I could learn from him.
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| Just a dancer in close proximity |
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