Funny Jonas Hellborg video

[Buskman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BRxF...eature=related

The video is obviously Hellborg doing a clinic (of sorts) at a Chinese music store. The first half of the clip is him basically noodling around on his signature Warwick. The fact alone that he's sitting on the floor, looking like he's in danger of falling asleep made me chuckle a bit. He looks similar to how I play when I'm sitting on the couch in my living room!

Around 3:00 in is where it gets amusing. A drummer (store customer? staff member?) starts playing a "groove" (I'm using that term very lightly here ). The look of disgust that comes across Jonas' face is priceless! He tries to jam along (typical "Funk Jam in E, 101"), but the drummer keeps flubbing the groove. You can practically hear Hellborg thinking "What am I DOING here?". Great stuff, IMO. He does seem to be a good sport about all of it, though.

Actually, I've had similar reactions when playing with a less than stellar drummer myself. Not that I'm of Hellborg's caliber, but still...

Anyhow - enjoy!

[TheDarkReaver]

that drummer was terrible lol

[Captain_Arrrg]

I closed it about 15 seconds into that part. It's amazing how adding a novice drummer can make someone with skill sound like a high school garage band.

I would have kept rhythm and busted it out, to hell with that guy. I guess that why I'm not doing clinics. Well that and my lack of notoriety. And jaw dropping skill. And... you know what? I'm just going to quit while I'm behind.

[sotjian]

Jonas is the reason I started playing bass. His work with Mahavishnu got me listening to Jazz when, at the time, I though the world revolved around Steve Harris.. which it partly does ;-) That said. That was painful. Really. Would Ron Carter have stood for this? Jonas is obviously a good sport or getting paid stupid money to do that clinic. Whoever said the music business was easy.

[basswave]

I have seen Jonas get viable bothered before live.

You can see His facial expression and I think I could not listen to more than 10 seconds of it.

I think Jonas is the most underrated musician of our time.

[out of tune]

Jonas is an incredible player!

That drummer had no right playing behind him the longer you listen the worse it gets!

[Wilbyman]

Originally Posted by basswave

I think Jonas is the most underrated musician of our time.

Whoah whoah whoah.

Jonas has been involved in some pretty cool projects. I found "The Word" to be a stunning record and it's almost hard for me to believe it was his brainchild because he hasn't really done anything nearly as heavy IMO. It was a really cool concept and really well done, just fantastic.

The Hellborg/Lane stuff was at times phenomenal (I saw them live) and I give Jonas alot of credit for putting it together. But put Shawn Lane in a room with a good drummer...that would have been hard to screw up, even for me...

Jonas can play but, as you see in this video, he mostly slaps in E. It was pretty hip in the early 80's but now... When he starts playing fingerstyle in the video it sounds like 95% of guys noodling in Guitar Center...not much going on...

At any rate, Jonas has been involved in some very good music (and the Word was phenomenal, I give him credit) but to say he is the most underrated musician of our time is kind of extreme.