Rhonda Smith... I don't know guys...

[DWBass]

Never been to a Tiffany concert, eh?

Is that what they were doing? I thought they were all having convulsions!

 

[DB5]

I imagine you were either:

A. Asleep.
B. Not really present.
C. Dead.

Rhonda Smith and Prince have got musicianship and groove to spare. How else can you get a crowd of 25,000 people dancing, especially when half of them are white?

Amen to that brother

 

[Brad Johnson]

Is that what they were doing? I thought they were all having convulsions!

"I think we're alone now...!"

 

[Benjamin Strange]

"I think we're alone now...!"

Ugh! Hurts so good!

 

[ApeIsHigh81]

You need to fully look into an artists capabilities and projects before you criticize. Are you in any bands, and if so, do you have any clips for us?

 

[heath_the_great]

well im pretty sure she must be "good" if she's been with prince for over 7 years now, has a mesa boogie endorsement, won some Juno award in canada, was in merlin factor before prince and she said in the bas splayer interview that prince has had a huge influence on her so she now plays more simple and with more taste and her skills have improved immensly since she's played with prince.....and she's uber hot

 

[Mike Flynn]

You CANNOT judge someone's bass playing abilities from watching them do a show supporting a solo artist. While they may sometimes get some kind of big solo section it's pretty rare and their sole role is to support the music of that artist. The other night I saw Adam Nitti play with Christian recording artist Stephen Curtis Chapman. I am by no means a fan of Chapman and just went to see Nitti. There is no way that anyone who has never heard Nitti's solo stuff went away from that show thinking "I bet that guy is an incredible bassist that can really tear it up." Nitti just supported the rather simplistic arena rock by playing simple, tasteful lines. However, Nitti IS an incredible bassist that can really tear it up. You only get a very narrow taste of someone's abilities in that kind of situation.

brad cook

To follow on from that - has ANYONE here heard Oteil B with the Allman Brothers????? <b>PLAYING A FOUR STRING FENDER JAZZ NO LESS!</b> If ever there was a guy that turned his style around 360 degrees on a gig that's Oteil - the man plays like he's 60 years old and loves The Dead! But when you have great songs and Derek Trucks up front (that guy's astonishing) you don't have to do crazy stuff on the bass.

Sorry, almost lost my cool there - Brad's spot on - don't think that just cos session guys hold back, or rather great soloists hold the pocket when hired to do so,that they can't 'play' that's what their boss wants! Personally I love playing pocket - on good material - it's a challenge in itself... what is playing bass all about anyway? In most cases it's as an accompaniment to other instruments - what I have heard of Rhonda with Prince is absolutely banging - and personally I would be s***ing myself if Price gave me a call and said "Bro, I hear you're a baddasss - wanna come and prove it....?!"

 

[bassmanjones]

The whole point is, and this is true for any band, when you've got a LARGE band with 2 guitarists, drums, percussion, 2 keyboardists, backup singers, a horn section etc., if everybody just goes for it and make it chops heaven it'll all sound like mishmash.

Now, just picture what it would've sounded like at the concert with everyone playing their parts and Rhonda just doing the Jaco/Wooten 32nd note groovin solo thang. It wouldn't fit and would make the music sound wrong and out of place.

The true pro plays what's required - heavy chops aren't required in a grooving funk gig, they are required for a jazz gig. Put her in a bebop quartet and you'll hear a totally different player.

 

[Benjamin Strange]

You need to fully look into an artists capabilities and projects before you criticize. Are you in any bands, and if so, do you have any clips for us?

I'm going to have to come to Heath's aid on this one. I think it's perfectly fine for anybody to criticize, regardless of qualifications. You don't have to be a five star chef to be able to say the soup sucks.

If you didn't dig Rhonda, oh well. You're entitled to your opinion, even if it is wrong.

 

[jokerjkny]

Don't get me wrong, I didn't say Rhonda could't play, I'm sure it's quite the opposite. My one and only point is, given the 25 years of Prince hype, I didn't find Rhonda, the 2nd keyboards or any of the horn players to live up to the legend; I expected virtuosity. What I saw was a well packaged enjoyable show. The drummer, 1st keys, Prince on guitar and guitar #2 were very impressive!
I tend to think maybe Prince being as controlling as his reputation suggests, didn't give these guys enough chain.

Bottom line, I'm sure Rhonda can really shine but I think she may need a different venue.

Thanks everybody,

KT

what were you expecting? jazz fusion? they were there to shake it.






and yes, shake it like a polariod.

 

[heath_the_great]

I'm going to have to come to Heath's aid on this one.

WOO HOO!!

 

[jerry]

It must have been a different band than I saw! The band I saw was probably the tightest band in the world, with one of the best bandleaders in the world. They defined the word groove!!! The only thing I can think of is.....maybe it's just not your bag, you said yourself that you don't buy into the Prince as genius thing. To me Prince is a genius, and could musically hang with anybody........but it's cool...we all have and are entitled to our own opinions.

 

[Chad Michael]

....It's not always about chops and showing them off.

Shaddup, DW!!!

You're revealing secrets that may threaten our job security.

 

[ApeIsHigh81]

WOO HOO!!

Protect yourselves guys.

 

[battousai]

I don't quite understand this "Wooten/Jaco 32nd note" talk. If Vic were playing with Prince, he probably wouldn't be playing anything different than Rhonda. Just because you have chops doesn't mean all of a sudden you can't groove and be supportive.

 

[20db pad]

yes it does...

look at billy sheehan....i saw him play with vai a month or 2 ago.....he didnt groove at all that night

I've been admiring Billy's playing for way over 25 years, back in the days when he was an unknown in New York. He's one of the finest players out there in any genre, and that applies wholly to both sides of the groove. There's no such animal as a bassist that can't groove who can maintain a solid three decade career like Sheehan has. The same goes for Wooten, but that's another thread

I've seen him with Vai several times and there never was any lack of groove, time, or supportive playing.

 

[ApeIsHigh81]

I'm going to have to come to Heath's aid on this one.

Wait a minute. Why are you quoting me in relation to Heath's posts? I was directing towards the threadstarter. Now, what you're saying still doesn't make sense to me.

You don't have to be a five star chef to be able to say the soup sucks

Fer sure, but what is being said by the threadstarter is more like the chef (without knowing of the other dishes made by this chef "whats her claim to fame? Not her (dishes) chops for sure ") making the soup isn't awesome, based on this soup requested to be made by the restaurant(Prince). This particular soup (Rhonda's playing with Prince) is actually still rated 5 stars by the fans of the restaurant (Prince). Do I make any sense???

 

[heath_the_great]

Do I make any sense???

...........no

 

[ApeIsHigh81]

...........no

You're just too great to understand me big boy. What's "he jazz" anyway (your signature)???

 

[heath_the_great]

You're just too great to understand me big boy. What's "he jazz" anyway (your signature)???

its a spelling mistake.....and its a bill cosby/simpsons quote