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Tal Wilkenfeld, who's like her?

Exemonium

Exemonium

May 13, 2010
970
196
#1
I'm hoping someone could point me in the direction of bassists that have the same feel, soul, style, etc as Tal. I keep listening around and coming back to her. I just don't know what it is but I really dig her vibe. It's not too much or flashy, but its not dull. She grooves it up, even her simple backing lines just feel good.

So who could I listen to to get more of that vibe? I'm also a Marcus Miller fan and that's mostly who I can think of but even he's more flashy. But I want to learn to play like Tal, so I figure (aside from listening to her) the more like her I hear the better.
 
#4
Exemonium said:
I just don't know what it is ...
Click to expand...

I've got a hunch ...

101029201945_62.jpg
 
#5
My girl has been very influenced by Tal and she was curious about Tal's influences. From what I can remember, I believe Lincoln Goines would be one bassist to check out. He teaches at Berklee now.
Also, not on bass, but check out Wayne Krantz and Geoff Keezer...her friends and mentors.
My husband played a gig with Geoff Keezer a few years ago---he's phenomenal!!
 
#7
I had the incredible (for me anyhow) experience of hearing Tal, before she was known, at NAMM the year everyone else also noticed her. For anyone who's never been to NAMM, imagine a guitar center, X 1000, with thousands of people wanking away and checking out gear. Only they're not 14 year old wanna-bes. They're mostly successful, incredibly talented players. The kind of players that make you want to throw your gear out the window, and go home and cry. :)

Anyhow, after a couple of days of this you become immune to it...

I was looking at something at a booth, and around the corner (out of my line of vision) was someone wanking away on a bass, but it sounded freaking awesome. Soulful, tunerful, musical.... awesome enough that I had to see who was playing. Sorry for the stereotype, but I pictured an old fat black dude, and I can't tell you how freakin surprised I was to see this little girl. She was drawing a small crowd of others that were equally amazed. 6 months later she was popping up all over the place.

I'm putting this out there because if I didn't have that experience I might think that Tal's success came mostly from the fact that she's a cute kid. That girl is one of the greatest players I ever heard, period. Her cuteness is just a small part of the package. It helps, I'm sure, but I'm equally sure she'd be just as succesful regardless of the package she came in. :)
 
#10
BassMom88 said:
My girl has been very influenced by Tal and she was curious about Tal's influences. From what I can remember, I believe Lincoln Goines would be one bassist to check out. He teaches at Berklee now.
Also, not on bass, but check out Wayne Krantz and Geoff Keezer...her friends and mentors.
My husband played a gig with Geoff Keezer a few years ago---he's phenomenal!!
Click to expand...

Krantz played on Tal's CD, Transformation. And Goines was one of the bassists Krantz used when he was gigging at the 55 Bar in Manhattan.

I dunno..must mean something cosmic...
 
#11
Ewo said:
Krantz played on Tal's CD, Transformation. And Goines was one of the bassists Krantz used when he was gigging at the 55 Bar in Manhattan.

I dunno..must mean something cosmic...
Click to expand...

No Joke ;)...or it's just Serendipity....I was just at the 55 Bar last week....weird!!! Grammy Camp NY had their launch party at The New School and then we caught the last few minutes of our friend's gig at the 55 as it was just down the street.
So Krantz/Goines albums together are Two Drink Minimum and Long to be Loose...that must've been what my kid had found.
I also just found on another message board that Tal used to hang out at the 55 when these guys played and would sit-in sometimes...very cool!!
 
#13
BassMom88 said:
No Joke ;)...or it's just Serendipity....I was just at the 55 Bar last week....weird!!! Grammy Camp NY had their launch party at The New School and then we caught the last few minutes of our friend's gig at the 55 as it was just down the street.
So Krantz/Goines albums together are Two Drink Minimum and Long to be Loose...that must've been what my kid had found.
I also just found on another message board that Tal used to hang out at the 55 when these guys played and would sit-in sometimes...very cool!!
Click to expand...

Tal used to play at the 55 bar. She's also mentioned Wayne's Long to be Loose as one of her favorite albums.
 
#14
BassMom88 said:
No Joke ;)...or it's just Serendipity....I was just at the 55 Bar last week....weird!!! Grammy Camp NY had their launch party at The New School and then we caught the last few minutes of our friend's gig at the 55 as it was just down the street.
So Krantz/Goines albums together are Two Drink Minimum and Long to be Loose...that must've been what my kid had found.
I also just found on another message board that Tal used to hang out at the 55 when these guys played and would sit-in sometimes...very cool!!
Click to expand...

Two Drink Minimum is just some of the best playing I've ever heard... Long to Be Loose, too. My faves are Whippersnapper and Is Something I Don't Understand Yet.


IIRC Krantz has a download available of Tal playing bass in his trio at the 55 Bar. I don't remember the date of the recording, but it was after the trio with Danziger and Goines.
 
#15
Exemonium said:
I'm hoping someone could point me in the direction of bassists that have the same feel, soul, style, etc as Tal.
Click to expand...

About 15 years ago I met Ted J. Smith, Grace Ave, Port Allegany, Pennsylvania, USA. He was really, really great and used also his pinky when soloing!! This time 52 years old, long jet black hair but almost bald, 220 pound, unfortunately had problems with acne. But - was a great bassist and to my judgement even more versatile than Tal in his solos. Ever heard of him?
 
#16
I meet Tal around time she first arrived to NYC in Rudys music store, I said to myself who is this cute girl trying to play the bass, I freakin spoke too soon! she kicked my ass on bass but she was very nice about it. She is a badass bass player!!
 

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