Ricky Minor on American Idol Thread

funkygospel · #1 02-20-2007, 07:32 PM

We are privileged to hear the finest bass playing on network television on a weekly basis from, hands-down, the most versatile bassist of our generation. I thought that there should be a thread to discuss his sick playing as American Idol progresses. His chops last year was just crazy. Anyway...let me know what songs you liked. OR...you can just G.A.S. over his Smith.

Hey mods, if you think this is a bad idea go ahead and lock it...I just thought it would be awesome.

SuperSnake2012 · #2 02-21-2007, 12:03 AM

I was surprised to see him on TV today... he had some pretty sweet lines. He sounded good through my system and his bass was sexy as hell

James Hart · #3 02-21-2007, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkygospel

Hey mods, if you think this is a bad idea go ahead and lock it...I just thought it would be awesome.

Talkin' about bassists is what we do here

I've not seen the show, but if you have some clips online to link to, I'd love to check him out.

funkygospel · #4 02-21-2007, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hart

Talkin' about bassists is what we do here

I've not seen the show, but if you have some clips online to link to, I'd love to check him out.

Here is Ricky Minor's tearing it up on Signed, Sealed, Delivered last season.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RKPH3nfSQkU

And Jailhouse Rock

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FTCBaIdMgHM

bassist15 · #5 02-21-2007, 10:47 AM

I watched a bit of American Idol last night. Ricky is a very good bassist and musicical director. The whole band is very solid. Ryan Seacrest acually gave the band credit last night. He said " Thanks to Ricky Minor and the band" . They cut to Ricky when he said that. I thought that was pretty cool. What amps does Ricky use on the show?

pointbass · #6 02-21-2007, 01:47 PM

Ricky Minor is an excellent bassist and, based on the gigs he gets, a very good MD as well. My only gripe with him is that he has a tendancy to over-play at times, to the point where his over-playing sounds a bit too in-your-face for the tunes.

I notice that when he isn't on American Idol his playing is much more reserved (although still very tasty

). As an example, he was playing behind John Mayer, John Legend and a female singer/guitarist (who's name escapes me at the moment) at the Grammy awards and he was very contained in his playing. I get the feeling that he knows he can blow over the top of the Idol noobs and takes advantage of them, but he also know that guys like Mayer and Legend won't tolerate that nonsense.

But no doubt, he is a very talented guy, and I particularly love the tone of his Smith on Idol ........

mattq · #7 02-21-2007, 03:03 PM

i happened to have caught ai last night and noticed the same thing you guys have. great player and band leader. except for one of the songs last night. when that big dude with the white fro and the glasses went on, that band's version of that song was terrible. maybe not if you haven't heard the original version, i don't know. the original is by a band called mute math and the song is called typical. if you hear them one right after the other, it was pretty drastic

funkygospel · #8 02-21-2007, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pointbass

a female singer/guitarist (who's name escapes me at the moment) at the Grammy awards

Corine Bailey Rae

funkygospel · #9 02-21-2007, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassist15

What amps does Ricky use on the show?

I am pretty sure he said in an interview he runs it through a D.I. box, but I have seen him use SWR Amplification and according to the SWR website, he is in the SWR Family of Artists.

James Hart · #10 02-21-2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkygospel

Corine Bailey Rae

Her voice and style and being infect me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT5q4HxpcgE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JODSQU9Dc9Y

Hey Ed, John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae are performing locally soon.

soniq · #11 02-21-2007, 06:00 PM

Wonder if Randy had anything to do with that

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkygospel

I am pretty sure he said in an interview he runs it through a D.I. box, but I have seen him use SWR Amplification and according to the SWR website, he is in the SWR Family of Artists.

pointbass · #12 02-22-2007, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hart

Hey Ed, John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae are performing locally soon.

They are scheduled for mid-April .... at the Starland in Sayreville on the 20th, at NJPAC in Newark on the 22nd and at MSG on the 23rd .....

I'm going to really try for the NJPAC event. She knocked me out at the Grammy show and I really like what legend is doing lately ....

steveb98 · #13 02-22-2007, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassist15

What amps does Ricky use on the show?

It is mainly DI that your hearing and there have been different amps on the show sometimes just for looks. I think it was last season for rock week there was a Marshall stack behind him. The last couple season it was interest the differnet in sound between the weeks he used his Smith and other he used his Sadowsky. The Smith is big, but his Sadowsky really cuts and has better definition. I hear he sold the old Smith, probably has another.

Minor was the MD on the Aretha Franklin tribute a few weeks ago. He had Reggie Hamiliton on bass for that one. Reggie was great playing the Aretha tunes and every now and then slip in a super hot line.

Eggman · #14 02-23-2007, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveb98

The last couple season it was interest the differnet in sound between the weeks he used his Smith and other he used his Sadowsky. The Smith is big, but his Sadowsky really cuts and has better definition.

I noticed that last week. He played a few songs on the Smith and his sound was lost. He started to play the Sadowsky and I thought "ahh...there he is"! The Sadowsky sounded so much better (IMO).

sk8terguy316 · #15 02-27-2007, 07:22 PM

What bass was he playing tonight, I didn't get to catch a glimpse of it but it sounded great and I especially liked them little slaps he added in when playing Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity" he sounded great.

The_Ryst · #16 02-28-2007, 04:50 PM

His bass playing on Fever I definitely dug.

**Winston TK** · #17 03-01-2007, 11:51 AM

I agree with everyone's praise about this man. He is one of the best things about the show, actually. Sure, the singers are pretty good. The judges are interesting characters. Ryan does great damage control to ease the contestants' nerves. But, Ricky and the band are stellar. Super versatile, too.

On last night's show (February 28th -- The Girls' Showdown), Ricky was playing his blue bass (Sadowsky, I think) most of the time. His tone was killer. He was even playing synth bass on a few tracks, too!

I love that band, and Ricky as leader. It's always great when they cut to him every so often.

**j-raj** · #18 03-01-2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkygospel

Here is Ricky Minor's tearing it up on Signed, Sealed, Delivered last season.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RKPH3nfSQkU

whoa... there's a couple licks I'm stealing from that version of Signed, Sealed, Delivered, for the next time I have that tune called out on a gig!!!!!

flareaga · #19 03-01-2007, 09:11 PM

Randy Jackson should go up and play some tunes.

dmperry24 · #20 03-02-2007, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Ryst

His bass playing on "Fever" I definitely dug.

What was especially good about it for me is that that song is an iconic bass piece. Ricky managed to keep the feel and pulse of the original, but made it new sounding without playing the original bass line note for note. Great Job!!
Mike