I've known for a while that Dee Murray is/was a monster bass player. But my appreciation is through the roof now because I'm playing an Elton John tribute show on Nov 10 with a bunch of Seattle luminaries. We're covering the seminal double-album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in its entirety from front-to-back! Digging into Dee's playing over the last few months has been a lot of work but absolutely enjoyable. He's just amazing! He never just 'hangs back' -- both in what he plays and his sounds/approach to the instrument. Kudos to Gus Dudgeon and David Hentschel for producing and engineering some amazing sounds, and mixing the record so the bass really stands out but never gets in the way of the songs. I don't think an album like that -- with the bass so forward on a piano/pop record -- could even be made nowadays (for lots of other reasons too of course). Just give a listen to the playing and tone on Love Lies Bleeding or Grey Seal. Or Danny Bailey's creativity. Or Dirty Little Girl's tone and sludgy emotion. Even the closer track Harmony has some unexpected, tasty bass (and again, oh that tone!) that somehow does not overpower the delicate song. I'm so thrilled and excited to bring these songs to life at the show. And for those who want to know, I'll be playing an Ibanez 76 Jazz, switching back and forth between p/us as needed for each song; plus also using a 68 Mustang for some of the punchier numbers like Danny Bailey and Dirty Little Girl. I'd get a P in the mix too, but it's just too much gear to juggle for one show! (I do want the sound guy to like me
). Anyway, I just wanted this community to know... a PSA of sorts... if you haven't in a while, listen to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road again and bask in the outstandingness that is DEE MURRAY!
