Stuart Zender

coffeebeans · #1 02-05-2011, 03:09 PM

Tried searching the forums for a topic on him already, couldn't find one!

Not sure what the rest of the community thinks of him, but I absolutely love SZ. I love his bass lines and his feel for the groove, I find his playing style very inspirational and very influential!

Anybody else like him? Think he's overrated? Think he's great? What do you think?

Skitch it! · #2 02-05-2011, 03:14 PM

Very much dig him! I don't think Jamiroquai has ever been able to replace what he brought to the table imo. Very funky cat, funky sound, funky groove, cat is accomplished and got funk in the genes. I used to live quite close, I knew people who knew him, but never met had the pleasure of meeting him myself. Top man imo

BrandonBass · #3 02-05-2011, 03:17 PM

hes really talented. one of my faves

vstrings · #4 02-05-2011, 03:42 PM

I am a fan.
Really cannot believe he did not stay in the spotlight a lot more after leaving Jamiroquai.
Makes you wonder... or perhaps not?

Chrisk-K · #5 02-05-2011, 03:52 PM

He's one of the reasons why I play the bass. He & Jay Kay were a perfect match. Too bad they couldn't stay together.

Skitch it! · #6 02-05-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstrings

I am a fan.
Really cannot believe he did not stay in the spotlight a lot more after leaving Jamiroquai.
Makes you wonder... or perhaps not?

I do know he got fed up of the scene, and that JK is quite some hard tasker

vstrings · #7 02-05-2011, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

I do know he got fed up of the scene, and that JK is quite some hard tasker

I have also read of the massive ego clashes... but it did surprise me that SZ kind of faded in the background.
There were big plans to produce an album for one of the Appleton sisters, the works... perhaps the industry chose to side with JK, in a manner of speaking, and doors that were supposed to open didn't open.

Perhaps the fact that Jamiroquai find a more than adequate replacement in Nick Fyffe did not help, either.
When Nick also left Jamiroquai, that did surprise me, too; it seems just a great band to be in. Oh, well.

coffeebeans · #8 02-05-2011, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

Very much dig him! I don't think Jamiroquai has ever been able to replace what he brought to the table imo. Very funky cat, funky sound, funky groove, cat is accomplished and got funk in the genes. I used to live quite close, I knew people who knew him, but never met had the pleasure of meeting him myself. Top man imo

I agree! Post-Zender Jamiroquai just doesn't do it for me. Actually I should rephrase that, post-Stuart Zender/Toby Smith Jamiroquai just isn't it. I think Zender on bass and Smith on the keys was a match made in heaven.

Skitch it! · #9 02-05-2011, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstrings

I have also read of the massive ego clashes... but it did surprise me that SZ kind of faded in the background.
There were big plans to produce an album for one of the Appleton sisters, the works... perhaps the industry chose to side with JK, in a manner of speaking, and doors that were supposed to open didn't open.

Perhaps the fact that Jamiroquai find a more than adequate replacement in Nick Fyffe did not help, either.
When Nick also left Jamiroquai, that did surprise me, too; it seems just a great band to be in. Oh, well.

I remember an interview with Nick, he was kind of playing in a Jamiroquai tribute or something at the time?, No he was auditioning for a tribute, what a turn up for the books, nothing better than the real thing! I know he really chased up that audition.

JK is a clever guy, he kept all the publishing from his work, he's not short of money, at all

I've got to say Stuart is my favourite, I love his feel for the stuff, and the lines he came up with, they are great lines to play and I liked his sound.

milklounge · #10 02-05-2011, 05:48 PM

He's one of my main influences when it comes to playing soul grooves. Really love his style. Did you guys know that he does not play the bassline on the studio recording of the "Space Cowboy" track. He played on the single/radio version though.

Skitch it! · #11 02-05-2011, 05:49 PM

First time I've seen Stu play a P Bass, great groover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yBzij29ls4

Skitch it! · #12 02-05-2011, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milklounge

He's one of my main influences when it comes to playing soul grooves. Really love his style. Did you guys know that he does not play the bassline on the studio recording of the "Space Cowboy" track. He played on the single/radio version though.

Do you know why by any chance? Maybe that's around the time that himself and JK had the start of the fallout? I wonder, weird one. Just by the vid above you can see they were the two main men in that band really, gonna be a clash somewhere along the line, shame, that's how it goes sometimes I suppose.

coffeebeans · #13 02-05-2011, 06:00 PM

[IMG]

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This is reason enough to love Stuart Zender!

Skitch it! · #14 02-05-2011, 06:05 PM

^ It's funky, nice colour scheme. Someone was selling a few on Ebay for him a while back, quite a while ago now though, I can't even remember which particular basses.

crispygoat · #15 02-05-2011, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

First time I've seen Stu play a P Bass, great groover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yBzij29ls4

He played a '63 P bass in Olympic White almost exclusively with Mark Ronson until he got his Warwick Signature Bass. Towards the end of Ronson's tour for his Version album, Zender was also using a Gibson Les Paul which he doesn't use anymore. He was also using Fender, Musicman, and Alembic in the studio.

Here are a couple of recent videos with his '63 P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTd3jvnx_f4 (2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUq29...eature=related (2007)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

Do you know why by any chance? Maybe that's around the time that himself and JK had the start of the fallout? I wonder, weird one. Just by the vid above you can see they were the two main men in that band really, gonna be a clash somewhere along the line, shame, that's how it goes sometimes I suppose.

Zender had plan to go on vacation when JK told him he had booked studio time to record Space Cowboy the day Zender was leaving. JK told Zender he would come up with something, but he eventually just hired a studio bassist to do the work while Zender was gone.

You'd be surprise to know that Zender did not play most songs on Emergency on Planet Earth.

Also, I agree with you guys that Nick couldn't hold a candle to Zender, but have you heard Paul on the new album? He is AMAZING.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU7IzAgm6aA

For those interested, my information comes from http://www.stuartzender.co.uk/

milklounge · #16 02-05-2011, 06:29 PM

In an interview he once gave, Stuart mentioned, that during the recording of the space cowboy album he and his girlfriend split up, and that they wanted to do one last vacation together before the album was released to end there engagement in a good way. Just when everything was recorded and Stuart wanted to leave, JK had the idea to record an album version of the track and to use the previously recorded one for the single. They talked and decided that they find a way to do it when Stu would be back, so he left. When he came back the band had recorded the track with another bassist. Stu did not know who the other player was, JK called him "Mr X" (you can find a Mr X in the CD's credits). Soundwise some say it could have been Randy Hope-Taylor from Incognito, and Justin Meldel once had a recording credit with Jamiroquai listed in Bass Player Magazine. If you listen to the album, knowing that the last track is from another session, you can hear the difference in playing and vibe...

milklounge · #17 02-05-2011, 06:34 PM

That Stu did not play on most of "Emergencys" tunes is not correct, the only one did not cut was "When you gonna learn", because that was originally recorded as a single for Acid Jazz, before they were signed to Sony. Acid Jazz musicians were used for that session, Andrew Levi of the Brand New Heavies played it.

Skitch it! · #18 02-05-2011, 06:41 PM

Some great info here, my knowledge of Stuart is only casual stuff, he lived in Ealing, London, at the time, '95ish. I would imagine Randy Hope Taylor was a likely candidate, local player, used to see him in The Bass Centre popping in now and again. As great as Paul is, and he certainly is....I'd still be knocked out to see Stuart there, just one of those things for me

crispygoat · #19 02-05-2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milklounge

That Stu did not play on most of "Emergencys" tunes is not correct, the only one did not cut was "When you gonna learn", because that was originally recorded as a single for Acid Jazz, before they were signed to Sony. Acid Jazz musicians were used for that session, Andrew Levi of the Brand New Heavies played it.

Are you sure? http://www.thebassment.info/ which is owned by the same guy who owns Zender's website had some music sheets of most songs out of Emergency and according to the website most weren't played by Zender (if I recall correctly). The music sheets are not longer free, so I can't check, but you seem to know a lot about Zender, so I'll take your word! thank you!

bassingeorge · #20 02-05-2011, 07:07 PM

I consider him to be the best bass player...he's the reason I started playing...literally.
Started listening to Jamiroquai since I started listening to music.
He is just so groove-full...And not just playing funk...he played a children tv show and his playing was awesome. Anyway he just rocks