Stanley Clarke

Dave Castelo · #1 09-13-2001, 08:33 PM

i have never seen this bassist ever... i knew he was a huge influence on Les Claypool but i never got the opportunity to hear-see him well...

but last night i saw this concert on "Films and arts" channel on my cable system and it was Expo/something 1992 with paco de lucia and other guitarist doing a tribute to something (sorry i never saw the beginning)...

...so there i was in my bed ready to fall asleep when someone announces Stanley clarke... i inmediately got up and turned the volume up... he did a good solo thing then he invited another guitarrist to play "School days" then Stanley started to strum the bass (pretty cool riff i must say) and i was like "i have seen this before"... because Les claypool has the exact same strumming technique...

anyway i have to say he left me kinda amazed and he has really long fingers!

(he looks like he´s holding a toy bass) he played an Alembic i think...

so anyway... any songs i should chek out?

**john turner** · #2 09-13-2001, 08:39 PM

yeah, the album school days is a great great album. very influential on me too.

**john turner** · #3 09-13-2001, 08:47 PM

check it out...

Dave Castelo · #4 09-13-2001, 08:55 PM

yet another JT "showing off" thread

J/k

That´s one hell of a bass touched by one hell of a bassist

(and played by one hell of a bassist too

)

Dave Castelo · #5 09-13-2001, 09:00 PM

I just noticed that i intended to post this over "bassist forum" and this is on misc... so mod... make the honors

gruffpuppy · #6 09-13-2001, 09:01 PM

I love Stan, I prefer his self titled disk then Journey to Love and then School Days.

But that is just me. Silly putty, Hello Jeff, Song to John, Vulcan Princess, Lopsy Lu, and
Spanish Phases for Strings & Bass still blow me away. School Days is great, so is the stuff on I want to play for you and If this bass could talk.

bassbrad · #7 09-13-2001, 09:03 PM

IMHO Stanley is hands down the single best player around. Why? Stanley is one of my favorite players, he is a fine bassist and has a wonderful solo voice. He can hang with any one out there and play just about anything. Classical, Jazz, rock, funk, electric, acoustic. If you called Stanley to any gig any where he would play it just fine. I have been lucky to have seen Stanley several times in different groups and he has always stolen the show no matter who else was on stage. Enough ranting. My 2 favorite Stanley Clarke CDs would be "School Days" and Return To Forever's "Romantic Warrior".

malthumb · #8 09-13-2001, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Castelo
[snip snip snip]......
anyway i have to say he left me kinda amazed and he has really long fingers! (he looks like he´s holding a toy bass) he played an Alembic i think...

so anyway... any songs i should chek out?

The reason Stanley's bass looks like a toy in his hands is that he most often uses Alembic small bodied short scale (30 - 3/4") basses. Keep in mind he's over 6 feet tall with huge hands.

People have already suggested School Days and Stanley Clarke , so I'll add to the list I Wanna Play For You , which is a live double album set from 1978 or 79, East River Drive , and If This Bass Could Only Talk . You may want to also check out the albums he did with George Duke, Clarke / Duke Project, Clarke / Duke 2, and Clarke / Duke 3

I've seen Stanley many times in concert, including once sitting in the 2nd row while he stood in front of me on an empty front row seat and just totally went off. One of my all time favorite concert memories.

Peace,

James

Bass Guitar · #9 09-13-2001, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by john turner
check it out...

Is it me or are Stanley's eyes bulging out after seeing JT's bass?

Seriously, Stanley Clarke is one of the bass pioneers - a contemporary of Jaco's, he was one of the early bassists who pushed the boundaries of the instrument.

He pioneered the use of the tenor (ADGC) and piccolo basses, and many times during his concerts played lead bass while he had another bassist play as well. Great slapping and strumming technique, fantastic composer.

**Blackbird** · #10 09-13-2001, 11:42 PM

Stanley's great.

And this thread's gret for the "bassists" forum.

JimK · #11 09-14-2001, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gruffpuppy
I love Stan, I prefer his self titled disk then Journey to Love and then School Days.

...that sounds about right(works for me).

Also, SC's playing with Return To Forever; the (acoustic bass) playing on both Return To Forever & Light As A Feather...whew!

slapper3 · #12 09-14-2001, 08:47 PM

hey JT, you have any clips of you playing one of those beasts? I would like to hear you play......yo hve a lot of nice basses too.....and I apologize to everyone else for further inflaming your ego....jk.

narud · #13 09-14-2001, 10:55 PM

if any of you guys can track down a copy of return to forever from the old grey whistle test back in 76, it'll blow your mind.

**john turner** · #14 09-14-2001, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slapper3
hey JT, you have any clips of you playing one of those beasts? I would like to hear you play......yo hve a lot of nice basses too.....and I apologize to everyone else for further inflaming your ego....jk.

i have no ego.

there's a link to a rough mixdown of a 12 minute instrumental in my sig, i played this bass....

tuned f#-b-E-A-D-G-c through the whole song. lots of stanley influenced stuff on there.

slapper3 · #15 09-15-2001, 08:39 AM

right after I posted I saw the link and d/l it! Your a beast!

**john turner** · #16 09-15-2001, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by slapper3
right after I posted I saw the link and d/l it! Your a beast!

thanks

Bassline1414 · #17 09-15-2001, 11:13 AM

I got the "Bassic Collection", and to be honest...I can't stand most of it. The first few tracks are really cool though, it's just that some of it was kinda "wanky". Sorry if I offended any of Stanley's fans, but that's just how it made me feel. I do like a few cuts from the Return to Forever album I have though, Romantic Warrior (especially the one Stanley Clarke penned).

Bruce Lindfield · #18 09-17-2001, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by narud
if any of you guys can track down a copy of return to forever from the old grey whistle test back in 76, it'll blow your mind.

The BBC are having an "Old Grey Whistle Test" week, this week and every night there is a programme with live highlights from the 70s 80s etc.

I shall be recording every one as I remember some great stuff - hopefully they will have this.

Today's "Radio Times" promises the following live acts :

Bob Markey, John Lennon, Lynyrd Skynyrd(Freebird!),David Bowie, Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Southside Johnny. I'm looking forward to tomorrow with Tim Buckley, Captain Beefheart and Little Feat with Lowell George.

But I can't believe with all the great stuff that they have they are dedicating a whole show to Billy Joel!

Beefbass · #19 09-19-2001, 09:20 PM

JT, that double neck 7 string bass is a beautiful instrument-if you needed an extra set of hands to play it, say to play on both necks at the same time, Stanley would definitely be a good choice! Looks like he's all set to do it in that photo! LOL!!!!
Seriously, I wish I could have been you at that moment.
Peace

**john turner** · #20 09-19-2001, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Beefbass
Seriously, I wish I could have been you at that moment.
Peace

yep, it was very VERY cool. stanley clarke is definitely one of my favorite players and biggest inspirations.