Ok there are several threads about this tour, in one of which someone asked if they could end the thread now, dude, if you don't like a thread, there are plenty of
others to look at, don't waste your time reading about something you aren't interested in, and no offense, but no one is interested in finding out what bores
you. That said, here is a super long thing I wrote about Clarke, and the show I saw last night, when I got home 'round midnight. (Spoiler alert; favourable.)
3-24-11 The Stanley Clarke, Victor Wooten band tour, a rambling "review" by James Mobius.
Just got back from seeing Stanley Clarke, with Victor Wooten, at Royale in Boston's theatre district. Found the club with little trouble, not a lot of parking spots, signs saying $20 to park, but I have my ways, and got a free spot by the Commons a 5 minute walk away. Posh club, suits of armor for decor, I liked it, also they sold earplugs for a buck a pair, which I complimented them on, (though I always have some with me). This gig was not deafening, I took them out to see, and it wasn't that bad, I put them back in, but only halfway really.
Wooten opened noodling on a Miles Davis tune, a sort of bluesy African sounding nursery rhyme-ish melody Miles had played when he was on Saturday Night Live back in '81. I don't know the name of it, but I never forgot it. His band consists of an amazing drummer and 2 of his brothers on keys and guitar, the guitarist's hand was bent at such a frightening angle when he played I worried about his carpal tunnels, and told him so after the set, lol, but he strummed faster than anyone I think I've ever seen, and kept 2 sweat bands on the neck of his guitar to mute open strings.
Wooten's set featured original tunes of course, some nice solo stuff, including nicely subtle use of what I think was a digital whammy pedal, and delay loops. He played a trick on the audience with his effects, playing a fast ascending line higher and higher, I noticed his fretting hand fingers barely seemed to be moving, eventually he let us in on the joke as he took his hands off the bass entirely to reveal it was an effect, as the line continued without his assistance, but he certainly has the chops not to have to resort to trickery to produce fast flourishes of notes. He sang a really cool song called "I saw God" -very cool lyrics and music. Wooten's band also did a little Jackson 5/M.J. tribute, and during the very percussive guitar solo played bits of several songs including Zep's Kashmir and the Ohio Player's funk classic Rollercoaster of love.
I noticed Victor adjusted his truss rods 3 times, (on 2 different basses) in between and in one case during a song, he signaled the drummer to solo a bit to give him time to tweak it. His Fodera basses must be suffering from the temperature shifts of the tour. It's spring here in Boston, and it snowed today, although we have had some warm days. During a song about playing bass, he swung his bass around his body as he sang about taking it out for a spin, great dramatic trick with perfect timing! I just hope he has strap-locks! There's a video on youtube of someone without them trying that, and sending his axe flying to its demise. Very sad, people laugh at it, but it makes me cringe! Anyway, Wooten's melodicism really made me think a bit, then I decided I better not think too much about it.
One reason I stopped listening to the hot new bassists back in the late 80's was I didn't want to be influenced by any more bassists besides my initial big influences, Stanley, Jaco, Brian Fox, Mick Karn, and a lot of rock guitarists, I think I own one Bela Fleck CD, I started to try to figure out Wooten's Banjo-roll Bach trick and basically worked out what he was doing, and dropped it because I don't want to add someone else's trick to my bag, I'd rather develop my own voice, which I think I have largely done. The primary influences still show, but everyone has their influences. (Except the late Mick Karn, he was from outer space. Ok he grew up hearing mediterannean music, that influenced him a bit.)
In between sets Wooten and his band signed autographs at the merchandise table, I got to talk to him, taught him the secret bassists handshake (my invention), and handed him a gift (read: demo) of 2 copies of my band's old CD with new contact info in it, and asked him to give one to Stanley, mentioning I play 6 string bass and Stick, although come to think of it, there isn't any Stick playing on that CD, sorry Victor!
He was very friendly and a genuinely warm fellow. I didn't know if Stan was going to sign stuff so I couldn't take a chance, the main goal of me going to this show, aside from having a great time seeing Stan for the 6th time, and Victor for the 2nd, (Bela Fleck opened for RTF a couple of years ago), was to get a demo into the hands of the most important living professional bassist, (and Victor) and I did that, so I feel pretty good about that. Will they listen? I'm sure Wooten will pop it in his laptop, people on tour like to check out new music, Nothing may come of it but it was too good an opportunity not to try.
Stanley's band, appeared to have an average age of 12. Ok not that young, but I'd be surprised to learn any of them were not still in their 20's. Two Israeli keyboardists, one who went to Berklee, and he really did look quite young, the drummer, from Compton, had a massive orange Tama set with a rectangular cymbal ( possibly by hammeraxe.com -they make unique cymbals). He credited his guitarist (also Californian, possibly pushing 30), in particular for their recent grammy win.
I had shown up to this show wearing a heavy winter coat with 2 sweaters on, I took them off and stuffed them into a sleeve and had it over one shoulder, where the sleeve, with a mind of its own, apparently was introducing itself to a girls bottom slightly, I had no idea, she looked at me, then her boyfriend, and I realised what has happening and apoligised, fortunately her male companion realised I was genuinely innocent of any intentional hanky panky. Similarly another woman's purse tossed over her shoulder bumped my junk several times as she kept backing into me to take pictures! (cheeky!)
But I digress, (which I shall do again), Stanley, now 62, plays with more energy now, than he did the first time I saw him, 25 years ago at the Paradise, it was my 20th birthday, I recall because the drinking age had just been raised that day, or the day before, to 21, and I didn't know if I'd be able to get in. I went, and they wouldn't let me in, so I went home, and returned in a bit with my brothers, at that point the guy manning the door, was someone they knew, they introduced me and mentioned it was my birthday, he assumed my 21st and ushered me in uncarded! In those days Stanley invited bassists to jump up on stage and show off their chops, a bunch of guys did so, no one was terrible, but when Brian (Fox, my non bio-bro) got up, they high fived like old friends (they had met before at a party in Cali where Stan told Brian the reason he was such a good bassist is that he had been a tree in past life and could relate to the wood of the bass,) and no one played as well as Brian, I'm not just saying that, seriously, he's world class, with a unique sense of syncopation and rock solid timing. I was to afraid to get up there, tho I wish I had, I would have been the only guy to do some hammer-ons.
I saw Stanley there again on a solo tour (where my brother was incredulous when I said he was playing "Born in the USA" at the start of that tune) and with Animal Logic, (dream rhythm section, Stanley with my favourite drummer the Police's Stewart Copeland!), saw him at Berklee on what I think was called the "jazz explosion" tour, with Alan Holdsworth on guitar, (a Steinberger which he played with amazing effortless fluidity and seemingly endless stamina even if some Berklee kids thought he was too modal, oh yeah? Well no one has heard of
you kids so shut up.) -Michael Brecker on horn, Journey's Steve Smith on drums, and I didn't know who the keyboardist was. (ah, Bernard Wright, thanks google! ) My drummer was at that show also, although we hadn't met yet. I continue to digress. I saw the Return to Forever reunion tour, and tonight was the 6th Stanley Clarke performance I've seen. Never got to talk to him before, there wasn't much time tonight, I basically told him as we were being photographed what an honour it was, and thanked him for coming back to Boston, there were close to 700 people in the club, so I'm sure he'll be back, also taught him the secret bassist's handshake. (Hey I taught Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten something about bass they didn't know! both were amused.)
Anyway, Stan's set was great, his very young band held their own, The drummer was particularly solid, his solo ideas weren't as inventive as the older drummer who'd preceeded him on stage, but then, he's young, (with a bright future). I hope those kids are thinking to themselves "holy crap, we're playing with Stanley Clarke!" every night. After a few numbers Stan's upright was brought out and he played it solo extensively, strumming it like it was a ukulele, at one point doing Pete Townshend style windmills, much to the audience's amusement. He used the bow very sparingly, and did some drumming/strumming stuff I don't recall him doing earlier in his career, not to that extent anyway. I had a theory he wouldn't actually play School days, but would just play a bit of it on the upright, I was close, he did quote some of his other songs, his upright playing really is inspiring.
I was quite happy to hear them play Goodbye Porkpie hat, probably my favourite jazz tune, which Stan started playing in homage to Jaco after he passed away. Come to think of it, it was at a Paradise show where Stan played with just a bridge pick up on, aping Jaco's tone, the only time I ever saw or heard him do that, I think he might even have had a fretless bass on stage that show as well which he has said he doesn't generally play because he can play upright. In any case, I found it touching. Back to tonight's gig, after the 2nd long upright solo spot, he brought his band back and closed with School days, with Victor playing along, a very fun rendition. There was no encore, but there really didn't need to be, with something like 3 hours of music. Best $27 I've spent all year so far. I took several photographs, none of which are especially sharp or good, and got my photo taken with him, not the most flattering photo ever of Stan, but not a bad pic of me grinning. (for a change) Got back to my van, parked near a sign cautioning people not to leave valuables in their vehicles, to find no broken windows, and happily drove home humming School days in my head, and quite high on low frequencies.
If you are not a bassist, stop reading now, as this last technical bit will be completely boring for you, and has nothing to do with a plan for world domination by bassists or anything of the sort, thank you. Bassists may continue.
How to do the secret bassist's handshake; position your hands hooked together as if you are going to thumb wrestle, with thumbs up, but instead, slap thumbs together 3 or 4 times. Only do this with bassists. It's ok to do even if you don't actually play with or even enjoy slap technique. I invented it many years ago and have taught it to many bassists. Hasn't really caught on yet as far as I know, but now that Clarke and Wooten know it, who knows? I like to imagine each one of them trying to impress the other one tonight with it, only to find out they already knew it.
Maybe one day someone will show it to me, unaware in advance that it was my invention.
(Non-slapping/anti-slap bassists may do the alternate version; hook only the lower 2 fingers together and alternate curling your index and middle fingers as if playing bass, brushing them against the other anti-slap bassists fingers, and enjoy looking like a couple of Japanese schoolgirls who have a similar handshake.)
James Mobius.
some photos from this tour on this thread:
Anybody see Wooten/Clark Tour?
