CATARI comes along at Pacific Seacraft

[dyslexic dog]

I don't need shoes that big.

I do and EEE also. Ive been known to walk on water too but it usually is really cold out.

 

[Bryanjb]

Bob, you played bass for John Lee Hooker? How cool is that!

 

[Dog]

Bob...You do beautiful work. Can we see a sail plan?

 

[Bob Perry]

Joli:

Yes, I did. He showed up for a Seattle concert without a band. The promoter called me and asked if I would play bass for John Lee. Of course I said yes. The promoter asked me to find a drummer. I called my band's drummer Marty and Marty was up for it. I went to the auditorium and set up my stuff. No drummer! I went out to the loading dock and Marty drove up with his drums. He rolled down the window to his bus and asked ,'"How much are we getting paid?" My promoter friend told me, "Nothing". Fine. I went back and told Marty that were were not getting paid and he rolled up his window and drove away. But we found a drummer willing to play from another band on the ticket. He was very good.

John Lee's hard to play with. He doesn't play the typical blues turn around.. He just hangs on the root. And if by chance you made that change he would shoot daggers at you. It was a reflex to play the change but I got over it. I wish I had a photo today. Stupid Marty.

 

[Bob Perry]

Here is a sail plan for you Dog.

It was called to my attention that this sail plan is not the most current. That is correct. But, in fact it is so close the the current sail plan I doubt even a trained eye could spot the change. It's very small. So here it is. Enjoy.

 

[Tucky]

Joli:

Yes, I did. He showed up for a Seattle concert without a band. The promoter called me and asked if I would play bass for John Lee. Of course I said yes. The promoter asked me to find a drummer. I called my band's drummer Marty and Marty was up for it. I went to the auditorium and set up my stuff. No drummer! I went out to the loading dock and Marty drove up with his drums. He rolled down the window to his bus and asked ,'"How much are we getting paid?" My promoter friend told me, "Nothing". Fine. I went back and told Marty that were were not getting paid and he rolled up his window and drove away. But we found a drummer willing to play from another band on the ticket. He was very good.

John Lee's hard to play with. He doesn't play the typical blues turn around.. He just hangs on the root. And if by chance you made that change he would shoot daggers at you. It was a reflex to play the change but I got over it. I wish I had a photo today. Stupid Marty.

I think that was John Lee's routine, similar to Chuck Berry. My older brother and his band did just as you did in Detroit at the Grande in 68- had the same complaint about the changes. Just listen to the original version of "I Cover the Waterfront" among others and you can hear him do the same thing in the studio. I have old vinyl I should drag out of Hooker live (way before Hooker n' Heat). My memory says there is one song with no changes where he keeps chanting something like "it don't matter, just get that beat" And of course the bubbles in "I'm bad like Jesse James".

One of the greats.

 

[Ed Lada]

Joli:

Yes, I did. He showed up for a Seattle concert without a band. The promoter called me and asked if I would play bass for John Lee. Of course I said yes. The promoter asked me to find a drummer. I called my band's drummer Marty and Marty was up for it. I went to the auditorium and set up my stuff. No drummer! I went out to the loading dock and Marty drove up with his drums. He rolled down the window to his bus and asked ,'"How much are we getting paid?" My promoter friend told me, "Nothing". Fine. I went back and told Marty that were were not getting paid and he rolled up his window and drove away. But we found a drummer willing to play from another band on the ticket. He was very good.

John Lee's hard to play with. He doesn't play the typical blues turn around.. He just hangs on the root. And if by chance you made that change he would shoot daggers at you. It was a reflex to play the change but I got over it. I wish I had a photo today. Stupid Marty.

What is it with stars that come to play and expect everybody to know exactly what they will do with no prior notice. I majored in theater in college and we had a lot of bus and truck shows come to our facility. I would often operate the lights for these shows, if I was lucky I would get a 3 minute rundown on the essential cues, blah, blah, blah, do this here, do that there, got it? Yeah sure, I got it, I have never heard of your obscure modern dance company nor have I ever heard of the obscure music but I'll figure it out, don't worry. I got screamed at over the headset by Buddy Rich's road manager when I pointed a follow spot at "the star" during his first solo. The manager yelled "Get that spot off of the star right now or he's walking out". Sheesh, it is kind of common to point the spot at the star of the show absent any other instructions, and Buddy Rich had an ego bigger than most. You'd think they might mention that Buddy didn't like the light on him.

 

[Bob Perry]

Soaker:

It's a bit different withe a blues musician. In order to qualify as "the blues" by definition it will almost always be a three chord "turnaround". It's not hard and personally I find it a bit boring for the bass. But John Lee's signature sound was that he just hung on the root chord for almost every tune. I think in some cases they "tarted" it up a bit to make it sound more commercial. But left on his own he just rode that root chord. It's kind of like sailing a boat with lee helm. All your steering instincts are reversed. Every bone in you wants to make that change to the 4 or 5 chord but not with John Lee. It took me a couple tunes and a few gentle but dirty looks to learn my lesson.

John Lee strutted about the stage wearing a woolen Russian fur hat and smoking his pipe. He was totally in command. I enjoyed the hell out of that hour. If I could go back and re-live any gig I have ever played it would be that one.

Tuckster:

John Lee does a duet with Van Morrison on I COVER THE WATERFRONT that is very, very good. Van tries really hard to out "down and dirty" John Lee.

John, " I smoked 40 cigarettes"

Van, " I smoked 42."

 

[Ed Lada]

Soaker:

It's a bit different withe a blues musician. In order to qualify as "the blues" by definition it will almost always be a three chord "turnaround". It's not hard and personally I find it a bit boring for the bass. But John Lee's signature sound was that he just hung on the root chord for almost every tune. I think in some cases they "tarted" it up a bit to make it sound more commercial. But left on his own he just rode that root chord. It's kind of like sailing a boat with lee helm. All your steering instincts are reversed. Every bone in you wants to make that change to the 4 or 5 chord but not with John Lee. It took me a couple tunes and a few gentle but dirty looks to learn my lesson.

John Lee strutted about the stage wearing a woolen Russian fur hat and smoking his pipe. He was totally in command. I enjoyed the hell out of that hour. If I could go back and re-live any gig I have ever played it would be that one.

Tuckster:

John Lee does a duet with Van Morrison on I COVER THE WATERFRONT that is very, very good. Van tries really hard to out "down and dirty" John Lee.

John, " I smoked 40 cigarettes"

Van, " I smoked 42."

Sitting in with THE John Lee Hooker must have been a memorable experience. I wonder if Marty the drummer is kicking himself for turning down the gig. I got to meet some pretty famous folks in my college days, some of them were really cool, a lot of them were complete assholes, like Buddy. I guess life on the road pretty much sucks so I wasn't too upset about it, but still... Did you get to talk at all with Mr. Hooker? (I would call him Mr. Hooker until he told me to do otherwise).

 

[Bob Perry]

Soaker:

My dear old Dad took me to see Buddy Rich at the Sydney something Grounds when I was about 11 years old. I remember being fascinated by a drunk on the tram. My dear old Dad was a great musician. He took me to see Louis Armstrong at the same venue. Given the economic level of our family it must have been a stretch for Dad but he thought enough of the experience to drag me along with him. Thanks Dad.

Marty is still a pro drummer and I have played with him several times over the years. He is very good and doubt if he even remembers the incident.

I only hear from Marty now when he wants to put down that he applied for a job with me when he is applying for unemployment insurance. The last time he asked I told him to take a hike.

Don't recall talking to John Lee. I do remember being talked to by John Lee. He was very nice and very professional.

 

[Rasputin22]

Bob, now that this thread is officially off topic, I wanted let you know about a guy named Bob Culbertson I heard up in Vancouver after leaving your place. He was playing on the street in the Granville Isle tourist district and was just floored at the sounds he was getting from this weird guitar called a 'Chapman Stick'. Since you are talking about blues guitar, here is a link to some blues on the Chapman Stick.

 

[Bob Perry]

Amazing!

 

[Rasputin22]

Thought you might like this stuff. Here is a link to another master of the finger tap Chapman Stick. Click on the sample at the top 'One Cloud' and the whole album will play through.

Rasp

BTW, I sent you that whole album from the Rob Martino site as a gift. You should get an email and a link for a digital download.

https://robmartino.bandcamp.com/

 

[austin1972]

Sounds like it belongs on a Mark Knopfler album!

 

[Rasputin22]

Sounds like it belongs on a Mark Knopfler album!

Check the guy from the link I just sent Bob. I keep thinking of Kaki King when I heard the Chapman Stick.



I didn't know Kaki was into the lap steel guitar. I chose that one just for the title. Maybe Kaki will take up the Chapman Stick!

 

[Bob Perry]

The weird thing is, I think WHL ran into the same Chapman stick player, Culbertson, in a village in Britain.

 

[Rasputin22]

The dude does get around. I guess he can go anywhere and people are just entranced.

Not surprisingly the slap bass guys are getting into the Stick as well.

 

[Bob Perry]

That is just plain scary. People should not be allowed to be that talented. I'm still working on I WALK THE LINE.

Received the gift Rasper. Many thanks. This opens up a whole area where I can feel intimidated and inadequate. Thanks.

 

[austin1972]

I wonder what Les Claypool would do with one of those.....

 

[Ned]

Pretty awesome soundtrack for the drizzly Squishicane Ana afternoon. Makes me want to go burn my basses. Or practice. Thanks guys.