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Bass Musician Magazine: Jun/Jul 2009 Issue Featuring Jeff Berlin

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Jake: As a private instructor, is this something that you present to students in the beginning phase of working with them, or is it a concept that you open them up to over time?

Jeff: First day—first thing. When you come to our school (Players School) I tell them that if you can’t read, I’ll help you to read. If you don’t know chords, I’ll help you to understand them. The thing that I allow the students at the school is “not” to do anything in time. Then, I allow them the time to learn these things. They don’t have to learn it by next week; they just have to learn it before they turn 70. And the philosophy of that comment means I don’t insist that my students “get” this stuff. What I do insist on is that they “practice” it, because I know if you practice something you’re going to get it. It’s a fact, it’s a hundred percent guaranteed. So you tell people, don’t force yourself—you don’t have to learn this stuff by next week. All I want you to do is practice this principle. When you get someone who knows nothing about music, you’ve got to give them very simple principles. You can’t give them hard principles. You give them simple music to work on, and as they practice, you remind them that they’re going to make mistakes. Usually, when players make mistakes, they’ll get very upset with themselves. And I tell them…stop…you’re going to make mistakes…it’s built into the learning process. When you make a mistake don’t feel bad about it. Just stop, and review what you’ve made your error on, and sometimes that means review it ten times. So if your head start’s to ache, and your eyes get sore from looking at the music, put the guitar down and walk away from it. And when you recover, you come back and start practicing again. If you practice without duress, and you practice things at your level of understanding, you’re going to get better. And for that reason, and I brag about this openly, I have a 100% improvement rate here. Not one player that has come to the Players School has left without being an improved musician. But that’s the caveat—you’ve got to practice. And if you do the work, you’ll improve. I’ll tell them from day one, it’s my way or the highway. You paid the money, and you need to get a return. You can ask anybody that’s come to the school that’s done the work. We have had a few disgruntled students, but that’s because they wouldn’t do the work I insisted on. They didn’t get better, and then they were talking badly about me. Imagine that. They didn’t do the work that they paid to do, they didn’t follow through with the work I insisted on, and didn’t get better, and then complained that the school didn’t help them out. But anybody else that does the practice always gets better, 100% of the time, on any instrument—without fail.

Jake: There was another question that I had, and I think you’ve kind of already answered that for me, but I’ll ask it anyway. Your Players School has been in existence for a number of years now. Has that time factor altered in any fashion the basic methodology of the school?

Jeff: The answer is no, because music is eternal. What’s better than music? That’s why I don’t have anything to do with tablature…that is a shortcut for people who don’t know music, and probably don’t wish to learn it. They rely on numbers, which is not a musical approach to playing, whereas notes, and harmony, and rhythm “are” a musical approach to playing. Imagine this…they have been teaching notes and music for 300 years, and then somebody came along with a tablature principle and defended it by saying that lute players used to use it. And I’d tell guys, when was the last lute gig you ever did? When was the last lute gig anyone ever heard of? So I’m telling you, people will fight and argue their point of view rather than see the logic that a learned and studied player will be able to have the tools in a year or so that will last them a lifetime. And there are people that are reading this that have a bass, and have been playing for ten or fifteen years, and still can’t handle the blues and a few rock songs. So eventually I’d like to think that the light bulb goes on as far as realizing that you have to study with someone that understands music. You have to study with somebody that enforces the approach and the credo that a knowledgeable musician can function in any situation. A Gmajor chord exists in a Van Halen song–it exists in a Gmajor sonata by Mozart–it exists on a panty hose commercial on TV. GMajor is just Gmajor. But if you don’t know Gmajor, how can you play it?

Jake: I’ve listened to you evolve over the years as a player, going all the way back to the Bruford days. Could you tell me if your personal practice time has in a similar fashion evolved for you as well, from your perspective?

Jeff: It’s continued pretty much the same as it’s always been. I’ve always listened to players better than me. I aspire to play like them and then I look for music that helps me to do that. That’s kind of a nutshell description of what I do. I have a music teacher named Charlie Banacos in Massachusetts. For me, he’s the greatest jazz teacher in the world, and for a lot of other people too I might add. What he’s forgotten, I haven’t learned. So I go to him periodically for principles of music and I ask him to help me to learn new things. He’s very valuable to me. He’s a very dear friend of mine and part of my musical history, and I’m very fond of him. I haven’t seen him in a long time, but we still talk occasionally. We always seem to be pals at the same level. He’s a terrific guy, and again, I believe one of the best jazz teachers on earth. The musicians that I listen to, I guess I would say it in kind of a humorous way, are musicians that hurt me. I like to listen to musicians that create emotional change within me that I humorously called pain. The guy that’s causing me the most pain right now is Keith Jarrett. I listen to some of the things that he does and I’m almost riveted to the chair. I’m helpless in his presence. So I’ve been transcribing him—his sense of time, his sense of notes, his sense of melody, and his sense of harmony. This is the man that is most in my life right now. A guy that I wish I could emulate the most. I never imitate bass players. I admire my colleagues, but I don’t really find that they’re as melodic as musicians that don’t play bass can be. So I have no interest in bass players in that regard. The only bass players I truly enjoy listening to our upright players, which is an instrument I’d prefer not to play because I was a violinist for ten years and don’t want to go the route of that approach anymore. I enjoy the immediacy of the electric. My practice routines are guided by people who are playing things that are not in my life at this moment, and I want those things in my playing, so I pursue it. And I’ve always been good at that. I was transcribing things by Sonny Stitt, and Cannonball Aderly, and then Pat Martino because of the inside bebop that he had which was so great, and McCoy Tyner as well. And then there was Albert Lee, the country guitarist. He was a guy I was very impressed with. I love country players because they’re virtuosos—they play beautiful music. These are some of the people and the variables I consider as far as my practice time goes.

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Leland Sklar, Over Half a Century of Bass, March 2024

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Leland Sklar, Over Half a Century of Bass, March 2024

We all have enjoyed Leland Sklar’s Bass lines for over half a century.

You might remember that we had him on our cover back in 2017 and did an update when he launched his book “Everybody Loves Me” in 2020. It was exciting to hear that The Immediate Family had got back together in the studio to work on their own music in 2019 and are now up to two albums.

Just last December, Magnolia Pictures released a documentary titled “Immediate Family” where we got a behind-the-scenes look at the massive contributions Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, Ross Kunckle, Leland Sklar and Steve Postell have made in countless songs that are the very essence of our daily personal musical soundtracks. Seeing the astronomical roster of performers they have supported over many years is very eye-opening. It is a must-see for any music lover!

Now, I am thrilled to bring you a special chat with Leland Sklar where we go more in-depth into the bass side of his musical journey.

Photos: Header, Rob Shanahan – Cover Photo, Jay Gilbert/Chris Schmitt

Skin In the Game – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhbnzIrdjJ8 
from new album Skin In The Game

The Toughest Girl In Town – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVQLZIRfLjU 
from new album Skin In The Game

Fair Warning – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DN18DYwLsU –
from the self-titled album The Immediate Family

Visit Online

www.immediatefamilyband.com/
www.facebook.com/TheImmedFamily
www.instagram.com/theimmedfamily/

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Bass Videos

Ricky Phillips, STYX Bass And More – February 2024

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Ricky Phillips, STYX Bass And More, January 2024

Ricky Phillips, STYX Bass And More…

This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram

I have always been a huge Styx fan. Their music kept me awake during countless nights studying and gave my imagination a place to escape when I had a moment to take a break. 

I had the immense opportunity to chat with STYX bassist Ricky Phillips for our August Cover in 2017 and follow his projects as time passed. Now, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to catch up with Ricky as he has been super-busy over the past six years. 

Join me as we take a deep dive into the band’s most recent album “Crash the Crown” and EP “The Same Stardust”. Ricky shares some insights into the herculean team effort behind the scenes and the musical process that keeps them ever so busy and how he has updated his sound. 

Without further ado… Here is Ricky Phillips!

Photo: Jason Powell

“Crash of the Crown” lyric video

“Reveries” lyric video

“Save Us From Ourselves” lyric video

“Sound the Alarm” lyric video

“Too Much Time On My Hands” Zoom video 2020

Visit online:

www.Styxworld.com
FB & IG @styxtheband

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Bass Videos

Jeff Pilson, Foreigner Low End – January 2024

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Jeff Pilson - Bass Musician Magazine - January 2024

Jeff Pilson, Foreigner Low End – January 2024…

Those of us who were around back in the 70’s remember how certain songs on the radio resonated with us. It turns out that many of these iconic melodies came from Foreigner and they were part of our personal soundtracks! 

After all these years, the band is going as strong as ever with Jeff Pilson firing away on bass midstream into a 2-year farewell tour. 

I am excited to be able to bring you all the details about Jeff’s musical Journey, the farewell tour in progress, how he gets his sound and his plans for the future.

Cover Photo: Krishta Abruzziini / Video Photos: Krishta Abruzzini, Karsten Staiger, Gina Hyams

For more news on FOREIGNER and upcoming Farewell Tour dates, fans can visit:
foreigneronline.com
facebook.com/Foreigner
twitter.com/ForeignerMusic
instagram.com/foreignerlive
youtube.com/user/FWebTeam
Also on FB @officialjeffpilson

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Bass Videos

Rodney O’Quinn, Rockin’ Hard Through the Years – December 2023

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Rodney O'Quinn, Rockin’ Hard Through the Years – December 2023

Interview With Foghat Bassist Rodney O’Quinn…

Rodney O'Quinn - Bass Musician Magazine - December 2023-v2

Many rock fans have enjoyed music by Foghat, who originally formed in London back in 1971.

Over the many decades of playing, the band members have changed, leaving behind only Roger Earl as the only original member. Bassist Rodney O’Quinn left the Pat Travers Band and joined the group in 2015 and has been laying down the low end for this iconic quartet keeping the Foghat legacy alive. With a new album titled “Sonic Mojo” which dropped on November 10th, the band is as busy as ever and there is lots of very tasty music to come.

Join me as we learn of Rodney O’Quinn’s musical journey, how he gets his sound, and his plans for the future.

Photos:
Cover,
Jake Coughlin
Video Thumbnail, Tom Apathy
Photos used in the video: Kerry Quinn, Chuck Lanza, Kim Granger, Kenneth Strohm, Jake Coughlin, Jay Jylika

1st Single from Sonic Mojo – Official “Drivin’ On” 

2nd Single from Sonic Mojo – “She’s a Little Bit of Everything Official Video

 “Road Fever”- California Mid State Fair – Paso Robles, CA – 7-27-22

“Stone Blue” – Rodney O’Quinn Bass/Lead Vocals – Don Odell’s Legends – Woonsocket, R.I – 10/15/22 – The Stadium Theater

The Earl’s Court – Season 2, Episode 7: Funny Guys 

“I Just Want to Make Love to You” – CasinoRama – 6-9-23 

FOGHAT “Somebody’s Been Sleepin’ in My Bed” – Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT – 1/28/22

“I Just Want to Make Love to You” – California Mid State Fair – Paso Robles, CA – 7-27-22

Visit Online:

www.foghat.com
www.facebook.com/Foghat
www.twitter.com/FOGHAT
www.instagram.com/foghat_official
www.youtube.com/user/FOGHATMUSIC

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Bass Videos

Suzi Quatro, Eternal Powerhouse – November 2023

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Suzi Quatro, Eternal Powerhouse – November 2023

Interview With Bassist Suzi Quatro…

Suzie-Quatro-Bass-Musician-Magazine-November-2023

It is always exciting to have the opportunity to talk to an artist who has been prolific for decades.

Suzi Quatro has been rocking our world since the sixties and has been super-creative as a bassist, musician, actress, singer, songwriter, author, radio show host and so much more. Most recently, Suzi released a new album titled “Face to Face” where she joined forces with KT Tunstall and together they are a force of nature. (See our video with Suzi about the album release)

Join me as we hear about Suzi’s musical journey, her many projects, how she gets her sound and her plans for the future.

Here is Suzi Quatro…

Suzi Quatro & KT Tunstall – “Truth As My Weapon” (Official Music Video)

“Shine A Light” music video (from the upcoming album)

“Bad Moon Rising” music video (from 2022):

Bass-Solo / Live in Prah? 1979

Glyserine Queen / Bass solo – Tampere Finland

Follow Online:

suziquatro.com
IG @suziquatroreal
FB @Suziquatrorocks
TW @Suzi_Quatro

Photos: 
Video – Andrew Whitton
Cover and Header Photo – Courtesy of Suzi Quatro

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