Leland Sklar

[TaySte_2000]

Right now this might be more of a Recordings question than a Bassist one but I want more info on this guy.

I just got for Christmas the Serious Hits Live DVD by Phil Collins and it's great and looking at Leland Sklar's basses it seems he's using two Yamaha TRB's one an amber 5 string and one's a black 4 string, now they both kinda look like lined fretless's but at the same time he only has fretless tone when it's needed are these basses actually using that mandolin wire that he goes on about or are they actually fretless and he's just better than me If it is Mandolin wire I might get my fender jazz refretted this way. (Any one know how long they last?)

Can people recommend some James Taylor Albums with Leland at his best?

And finally people just talk som Leland to me, I've really opened my eyes to him since that Bass Player interview.

Thanks guys

[Eric Grossman]

Leland Sklar is one of my absolute favorite players. He has a unique melodic approach, and he knows exactly when and how to step out, without stepping on the song.

He and Jamerson are the ones that taught me (Indirectly of course) the importance of modes and pentatonic scales, and how to use them musically.

Check out Lames Taylor's greatest hits, especially volume 1. "Carolina on my Mind", and "You've got a Friend" are two of my favorites, but it's all genius stuff.

It's great to hear that you've become interested in one of the truly great players.

[Eric Moesle]

Sklar has a tremendous sense of melody while staying in the pocket. He's always doing his supportive role, never stepping on the artists' toes, but in a manner that's always present, flowing and melodic.

He'll be the first person to admit that he has "limited chops", but the sense of melody in his head, and how he transmits it to his playing, is amazing and second to none.

[JimK]

IMO, Sklar has 'chops'; maybe not NAMM Show chops, still...
Sklar was one of the original '70s Fusioneers...he is on Billy Cobham's seminal Spectrum album (& not Will Lee). Nevertheless, Sklar was typically thought of as a "Folkie' due to his sessions with James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, etc
IIRC, it was in a '70s Guitar Player mag where I read about one of Sklar's early practice routines-
Play an LP at 45rpm & attempt to keep up with the quicker tempo. I think he said he practiced "I Saw Her Standing There" like this...eventually, when you go back to 33 1/3rpm, you'll have all sorta 'extra space' to fit stuff.

I also liked how Sklar has his P-bass pickups reversed.

[Eggman]

I believe on that DVD Leland is using a Dingwall 5 string - and yes they have mandolin fret wire.

[TaySte_2000]

It is definatly a Yamaha TRB I'm watching again as I type, I've read in the interviews that he has a TRB 5 string fretless so that one probably was it on the first couple of songs, but the four string he uses for most of it it sounds like a fretted but every so often it slips into that sort of greasy fretless playing, and that again is a black yamaha TRB.

Thanks guys

[Mojo-Man]

One of my Fav's.
Check out JT's-Flag-CD or Daddy Loves his Work CD.
Also his playing with Lyle Lovett.
The large Band CD.

[Eric Grossman]

I didn't know he was on the Large Band album. Amazing work on an amazing album.

[Thurisarz]

He play's on Vanessa Carlton's album "Be not nobody", no miracolus bass playing, if you want that check out other albums with him, this album is all about genuine masterpiece pop music!