Leland Sklar at NAMM 2010

Dan D · #1 01-19-2010, 05:52 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRDn-Dh8Seo

Jeff K · #2 01-19-2010, 08:38 AM

KJung · #3 01-19-2010, 08:46 AM

Awesome! He's a character!

I remember a while back flipping through the channels, and coming across some sort of 'collectors show' on PBS. There was Leland, talking about his collection of, can't quite remember.... clocks or something... a whole room full of them. When they asked him what is main profession was, he said 'he played bass', which was the understatement of the decade (like a Formula One racecar driver saying 'I drive cars' for a living')

Baird6869 · #4 01-19-2010, 08:52 AM

This is one of the only dudes in the business that can truly say "I have played with EVERYBODY"!

Seems like a great guy too.

KJung · #5 01-19-2010, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baird6869

This is one of the only dudes in the business that can truly say "I have played with EVERYBODY"!

Seems like a great guy too.

I think he's doing the 'Section' reunion tour as the backing band for the James Taylor/Carol King Tour this year. It will be GREAT to hear those guys back with James again, and also (I assume) backing Carol. Awesome!

FromTheBassMent · #6 01-19-2010, 09:01 AM

Sklar & Kunkel... one of the most solid rhythm sections I've ever heard perform live. Right up there with Sly & Robbie.

Man, I was in COLLEGE when I saw The Section open up for JT! That was a LONG freakin time ago!

**Eric Perry** · #7 01-19-2010, 09:02 AM

I thought James had a hissyfit years ago when Lee started playing with Rod Stewart, or something to that effect. True, or weird dream?

Also, I agree with Baird, he does seem like a genuine and great guy!

KJung · #8 01-19-2010, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FromTheBassMent

Sklar & Kunkel... one of the most solid rhythm sections I've ever heard perform live. Right up there with Sly & Robbie.

Man, I was in COLLEGE when I saw The Section open up for JT! That was a LONG freakin time ago!

+1 I saw James with those guys in 72 or so. Wonderful. I love Jimmy J and Carlos Vega (or Gadd) with James, but it will be cool to see the 'old shool' history of that band.

My info is second hand though, so not sure the exact make-up of the band. I have a video with Kunkel and Jimmy with James, and, IMO, it's not really happening. I think Leland and Russ will just kick though, as they did for all those years back in the day.

EddieG · #9 01-19-2010, 09:07 AM

Didn't James spit the dummy when Lee got asked to go out with Phil Collins or something?

The quintessential bass player, and exactly the kind of role model I aspire to.

Dr. Cheese · #10 01-19-2010, 09:08 AM

Years ago, I had an album (yes, an album

) by the Section. Lee Sklar gets an awesome tone when he gets funky. I remember the drumming was great on the record too.

Of course, everybody remembers how Sklar threw down on Billy Cobham's "Stratus."

**Eric Perry** · #11 01-19-2010, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddieG

Didn't James spit the dummy when Lee got asked to go out with Phil Collins or something?

The quintessential bass player, and exactly the kind of role model I aspire to.

Maybe it WAS Collins and not Stewart. Now I'm even more confused.

KJung · #12 01-19-2010, 09:16 AM

Here is the 'first hand' info. That would be cool to see again, although they are in 'arena type' venues, and I've stopped going to those kinds of shows years ago.
From the Taylor website. Keyboard player not mentioned... is Craig still around? I hope so.

"Troubadour Reunion Tour" Expands
http://www.james-taylor.com/bin/news...?id=1263235705

See the Tour page for a wave of newly confirmed "Troubadour Reunion World Tour" dates throughout the U.S. and Canada. The concerts will feature JT with Carole King, Danny Kortchmar, Russ Kunkel, and Lee Sklar.

KJung · #13 01-19-2010, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Perry

Maybe it WAS Collins and not Stewart. Now I'm even more confused.

Leland left James' band for Collins band many years ago. I remember hearing the buzz about James not being happy, but it was all third hand stuff. That was MANY years ago (I think Jimmy J has been with him for 20+ years now... can that even be!

MrBEAR · #14 01-19-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Years ago, I had an album (yes, an album

) by the Section. Lee Sklar gets an awesome tone when he gets funky. I remember the drumming was great on the record too.

I too fondly remember that LP, "Forward Motion" by the Section too. iirc it was 1973 back from the college radio station DJ daze.

Leland's bass solo was called "Get Down, Piltdown" featuring fuzz, delay and other odd bleeps and bloops. fwiw it has now been re-issued on Wounded Bird Records as a CD. Danny Kortchmar, Craig Doerge, Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel = the Section.

And yes he is an outstandingly nice, laid back person to meet. I had a great hang for a little while about 30 years ago in an LA studio when I was doing tour bassist duties for the "GrassRoots", even got to try out his infamous Fender with the autographs.

Cheers,

Mr. BEAR

**Eric Perry** · #15 01-19-2010, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJung

Leland left James' band for Collins band many years ago. I remember hearing the buzz about James not being happy, but it was all third hand stuff. That was MANY years ago (I think Jimmy J has been with him for 20+ years now... can that even be!

If memory serves me, I learned of James' extreme unhappiness directly from an interview with Sklar. I wish I knew where that interview was!

mccartneyman · #16 01-19-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJung

Leland left James' band for Collins band many years ago. I remember hearing the buzz about James not being happy, but it was all third hand stuff. That was MANY years ago (I think Jimmy J has been with him for 20+ years now... can that even be!

I read an interview online somewhere (can't find it now) in which Lee addresses this and talks about having a bass made with the reversed P pickup. As I recall, JT was not working so Lee accepted a tour with Phil. JT called Lee and expected him to leave the tour to work on some project, and Lee said that wouldn't be right because he had made a commitment to Phil. JT apparently didn't appreciate Lee's lack of "loyalty."

chadhargis · #17 01-19-2010, 09:38 AM

I love Lee, but I think James has done better with Jimmy Johnson. Jimmy's use of the 5 string is prolific. I believe he was one of the pioneers of the 5 string bass.

I've got my tickets for James Taylor and Carole King. Should be a great show!

**Eric Perry** · #18 01-19-2010, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mccartneyman

...As I recall, JT was not working so Lee accepted a touyr with Phil. JT called Lee and expected him to leave the tour to work on some project, and Lee said that wouldn't be right because he had made a commitment to Phil. JT apparently didn't appreciate Lee's lack of "loyalty."

That's exactly the one I read! Still don't know why I thought it was Rod Stewart though. lol

EddieG · #19 01-19-2010, 09:43 AM

Think the interview everyone is referring to used to be on Mike Visceglia's website. Doesn't seem to be there now though.

**Marcus Willett** · #20 01-19-2010, 10:15 AM

The Visceglia interview is still there but the link is squirrely.

Mike: You’d worked with him [JT] for so long, how did that relationship – at least on the professional end – how did that stop? As far as you being the bass player

Lee: This to me is the weirdest thing: I don’t even know.

Literally - in 1989, we did Phil Collins' BUT SERIOUSLY album and I called James and I said, “Are you working in 1990 – Do we have any plans to work?” and he pretty much said “No.”

And I said, “’cause we just finished Phil’s record and they want to go on the road and it’s a year long tour with Phil.”

About three months into Phil’s tour, James decided he wanted to work. He called me up and asked if I could leave the tour. And I said “No” I said, “beyond the fact that it’s WRONG to do that, I’m under contract for this thing.”

And that was the last time we ever spoke. It was like I was disloyal or something.

Mike: Oh god, I’m sorry to hear that. That occurs a lot – I’ve heard this story before.

Lee: Especially amongst players. You know you always come into these things with 100% of your heart and you think this is friendships. And all this different stuff is going on and it’s really always kind of sad when you take a look and it was just “I was a gardener” – and there’s never even an acknowledgement of your contribution to their music.

Mike: That’s so interesting - after all that time that you’d think that with his reputation of being a ‘musician’s musician’ that there would have been a little more communication.

Lee: I would have thought there would have been more, but there sure wasn’t.

Mike: Well, I’m sorry to hear that.

Lee: It so.. well ….we’ll leave that. At this point, I just look back at having had an opportunity to make some truly amazing music

Mike: And is certainly hasn’t slowed your career down AT ALL

Lee: No, but it just saddens me.. You know, cause I thought that after spending 20 years of your life with somebody that you would have thought there was more to it than that. Not even a ‘goodbye’ just sort of a….

Mike: “Well, youre not available – see ya!”

Lee: Yeah, “youre not available so I’ll call somebody else” and that was it. And then to be told you’re calling somebody else just as a sub but then never get called again – as much as I love Jimmy – I mean Jimmy is fabulous, but ...

Mike: Yeah he is fabulous.

Lee: Yeah.. but you kinda sit there and go, “this is sure weird”. And it only gets really weird when people keep asking, “So when are you guys gonna be playing together again?” [Laughs.]. And you go, “well, I’m probably never gonna see him again for the rest of my life!” So, it is odd.