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you know why Will Lee is great?

corinpills

corinpills

Nov 19, 2000
2,395
2,257
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Boston, MA
www.corinashley.com
#1
I was watching the rock & Roll Hall Of Fame thingy and, as usual, they had the Letterman band backing the inductees. Of course, we've all seen him back some of the biggest names in music night after night on the Late Show. The thing about Will Lee that makes him such a great bass player is.... wait for it...
HE ACTUALLY PLAYS THE BASS PART.

He doesn't try to make the bassline "a little hipper" by throwing in extra notes, he respects the integrity of the orginal bassline. When he backed the OJays the other night, he didn't try to put his stamp on the songs. He played the parts that were on the records that sold millions of copies. I gurantee you that Anthony Jackson has to listen to wedding band bass players try to update his bass lines all the time and it must make him cringe. Imagine the chops Will Lee must have after playing 7 days a week for over 30 years, but he respects the music enough to honor the original bass line. That's a lot of maturity, self-restraint, respect and a sense of musical heritage in one guy.

That is my sermon for the day. Will Lee is the man.
 
#6
I saw him with his own band at the Detroit Jazz Festival last fall, INCREDIBLE. He was with his own band, did some singing, but didn't take a solo till the next to last song, When He did my Draw dropped, the man is sick good, and Victor Baily and Mark Egan who were sitting right off stage were impressed too! The band had a great time, but more important, and a novel idea at a jazz festival the audience had a good time too!! It was a privilage to see him live, I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
 
#7
Mojo-Man said:
:cool:
Will was rock'in.
I noticed, Will played two fender Percision bass.
I think one with flats, and one with roundwounds.
He sounded great.
Click to expand...

No Jazz?!
No Sadowskys!?


...ever hear the story about the P-bass that Lee "Frankestein'd"
with about 5 or 6 pickups? ;)
 
#8
There is a reason Will has managed to keep working in N.Y.C. for 34 years......he was always about the groove. I used to see him a lot in the clubs in the 70's.....always great with whoever he was playing with. He's a great singer too, and makes good money singing on sessions & jingles.
 
#10
Mojo-Man said:
JimK said:
No Jazz?!
No Sadowskys!?
:cool:
No just to old fender P-basses.
One white, one fiesta red, both with rosewood necks.
Click to expand...


This MUST remain just between us.

:eyebrow:


Anyhoo...:D

Last time I saw Will live was at a Bass Day in 2000. Unlike the rest of the performing artists*, Will played a set that included ensemble playing and vocals.

Amazing;)

Will kills.


*excluding Joe Osborn
Click to expand...
 
#11
Will is one of the greats, IMO.

*I giggle when ever I hear that Army commercial "Be... All that you can Be... In the Army...", That's Uncle Will singing that jingle.

*The Fab Faux absolutely is one of the best Beatles cover bands!

A cat that has a jam here in the Atlanta Area, Johnny Knox (also someone that I have done gigs with), had Will and Paul Shafer on his studio album... how's that for hip?
 
#15
corinpills said:
I was watching the rock & Roll Hall Of Fame thingy and, as usual, they had the Letterman band backing the inductees. Of course, we've all seen him back some of the biggest names in music night after night on the Late Show. The thing about Will Lee that makes him such a great bass player is.... wait for it...
HE ACTUALLY PLAYS THE BASS PART.

He doesn't try to make the bassline "a little hipper" by throwing in extra notes, he respects the integrity of the orginal bassline. When he backed the OJays the other night, he didn't try to put his stamp on the songs. He played the parts that were on the records that sold millions of copies. I gurantee you that Anthony Jackson has to listen to wedding band bass players try to update his bass lines all the time and it must make him cringe. Imagine the chops Will Lee must have after playing 7 days a week for over 30 years, but he respects the music enough to honor the original bass line. That's a lot of maturity, self-restraint, respect and a sense of musical heritage in one guy.

That is my sermon for the day. Will Lee is the man.
Click to expand...
I feel what you're saying,but I doubt that any bass player would or could make Anthony Jackson cringe ! good or bad
 
#16
i'm just glad he finally wised up, and got rid of those awful Hartke crap! :p

but yea, will's pretty righteous. saw him at Bass Day Live with Dave Wilson this past october, and all he did was play a few of his favorite bass lines, and he just killed every one! motown, stax, a little funk, it was all Will. guy's definitely a living legend. kinda corny, too. was wearing his trademark Raybans the whole time. :smug:
 

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