Showing posts with label marcus miller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marcus miller. Show all posts

Monday, April 15, 2013

THE JOB INTERVIEW and LUTHER VANDROSS

The Time was now about Late October of 1988, I had a Job Interview with the Local County Council to Work as a Cook in an Old People's Day Centre, about 2 Miles from Home!

I Remember going to the Interview, as Clear as Anything, this is because, there Must have been about 6 People in the Interview Plus Me!

They had the Day Centre Manager and her Deputy, they had the County Council Area Manager and his Deputy, there was the Cook who was Leaving and a Couple of Others, I Thought I was going for a Job as a Brain Surgeon Not a Cook!

One of my Main Worries about going to the Job Interview was, Do I Tell them about my Bankruptcy, that had Just gone through, or Not!  

I had Decided to Tell them, as they would Probably find out anyway, if not now, but Later.

So after I had about an Hours worth of Grilling, I told them what had Happened with my Previous Employment, i.e having my Own Takeaway and Going Bankrupt as a Result of Failure, I didn't Know at the Time, if this went Down Well or Not!

The Previous Cook, who had the Job was on Maternity Leave and had Decided Not to come back to Work, so she was in the Interview, but there was also another Cook who they had Working there on a Temporary Basis, now I Knew this other Cook, she was the Older Sister of one of my Aunts (although I Never got on with this Aunt).

She had given me a bit of Useful Advice on Getting the Job, but when I left the Interview, it seemed my Only Worry about getting the Job was, I was a Male and they had Never had a Male Working there, Apart from 1 Male Van Driver (although he Never Worked inside the Centre, Just on the Vans), Nowadays that would Never Happen with All this Equality and PC Crap!

There was Something else I Learned from the Interview, if I did get the Job, I would Not be your Normal Run of the Mill Cook, I would be Called "Cook-In-Charge" 

I Don't Know who I would have been In Charge of, Because I was the Only Person Working in the Kitchen, and I had to do My Own Washing Up as Well!

So I Left the Interview and was Told, they would Contact me Either Way in a Couple of Days Time, so I went Home and had to Wait while they went through All the Usual Cr@p, what them Sort of Manager's go through!

====================================================================
Now for Some Music, Back in July of 1981, Luther Vandross Released his Debut Solo Single, which was Taken from his Debut Album to be Released on August 12, 1981, they were Both Entitled "Never Too Much"

The Song was Written and Produced by Luther Vandross and on the "Epic Record Label"

It Features the Great "Marcus Miller" on Bass and Cissy Houston and Tawatha Agee (Mtume) on Backing Vocals!

The Track Reached Number 1 on the US R&B Chart and Number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100, it also Charted in the UK at Number 13, this Turned out to be his Highest Ever Chart Position in UK for one of his Solo Singles!  

           

                    The "Never Too Much Album" in Full

                                luther vandross by funkysoulvinyls on Grooveshark

                    
Enhanced by Zemanta

Sunday, April 7, 2013

WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER

Over the Past Few Months I have been Featuring 10 Different Bass Players in my "Who's The Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll, there has been 126 Votes so Far, and if you are Not One of them Voter's, Please Vote Now! (over to your Right).

The Ten Bass Players are as Follows (Written in Order of the Poll, Top to Bottom), Press the Name's to see their Individual Post's I have Written on them, including Bio's and their Best Tracks:


My Original Introduction Post the the Bassist's is Here!

My Favorite Top 3 Would be as Follows:

Mark Adams
Larry Graham
Marcus Miller/Mark King

Here's a Track from each of the Bassists or their Band!


The Picture at the Top of this Post, is of Many of the Bass Guitars that Mark King had Played During his Career!

Monday, March 25, 2013

WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 10 VICTOR WOOTEN

In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist's who are in My "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, its been Running for a Few Month's, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week, This Week is the 10th and Last Artist on the List! 

ARTIST NUMBER 10..............VICTOR WOOTEN


Victor Lemonte Wooten was Born on 11th September 1965 in Mountain Home, Idaho USA.

His Parents Pete and Dorothy Wooten were in the Military!

Victor was the Youngest of 5 Brothers, they Moved to Hawaii when Victor was Very Young.

All the Brothers were Musicians, and Victors Brother Regi Learned him to Play the Bass at the age of 2 Years.

By the Age of 6, Victor was in a Band, formed by his Bothers which was Called "The Wooten Brothers" 

They Toured Night Clubs and Theatres as a Support Act, they Supported Curtis Mayfield and his Band. 

By an Early Age, Victor had learned to Play the following Instruments: Bass, Double Bass and the Cello.

Before he had Left High School, The Wooten Brothers had been the Opening Act for Various Soul, Funk and Jazz Bands, such as War, Ramsey Lewis, Stephanie Mills,  MazeDexter Wansel and The Temptations

The Wooten Brothers Released their One and Only Album in 1985!

Victor Wooten was a Founding Member of the Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones in 1990, they Released their Debut Album in that Same Year, it was "Self Titled"

The Band has now Released 14 Albums from 1990 to the Present Day, the Last One being  2012, VW has also been involved with " 2 Albums with "Bass Extensions" 2 albums with "Vital Tech Tones" and One with "Greg Howe"

He has also Released 9 Solo Albums, between 1996 and 2012,
but the Best Project he has been Involved with, was S.M.V Back in 2008, he Recorded  and Toured with Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller!

Over the Last Few Years Victor Wooten has Won Many Awards for his Bass Playing including "Bass Player of the Year" by the Magazine "Bass Player" in Fact he Won this Award for 3 Years Running, No other Bass Player has Ever Achieved this, he has also won 5 Grammy Awards!

A Selection of Victor Wooten Tracks


The Full Album by SMV... THUNDER

smv by funkysoulvinyls on Grooveshark

Victor's Jam Live!



SMV PLAYING THUNDER LIVE, VICTOR WOOTEN, MARCUS MILLER AND STANLEY CLARKE



Sunday, December 9, 2012

WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 4 MARCUS MILLER


In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist's who are in My "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Week's, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week! 

ARTIST NUMBER 4..............MARCUS MILLER 



Born William Henry Marcus Miller Jr on June 14th 1959 in Brooklyn, NYC.

His Father "William" was a Church Organist and Choir Director, by the Age of 13 Miller was already Proficient at Writing Songs and Playing the Clarinet, Piano and Bass!

By the Age of 15, he was already Working Regularly in NYC, this would Eventually Lead him to Writing and playing Bass for Jazz Flautist "Bobbi Humphrey" and Keyboardist "Lonnie Liston Smith"

Marcus Miller is Multi-Talented in the Music World, he is a Songwriter, Producer, Singer and a Multi-Instrumentalist, which includes the Following: Bass, Double Bass, Guitar, Sax, Clarinet, Recorder and Keyboards!

He Spent 15 Years as a Sideman and Session Musician before Finally going Solo in 1982 and Releasing his Debut Album in 1983.



The Album was Called "Suddenly" and was on the Warner Brothers Record Label, he Produced and Wrote all the Album Tracks apart from 2, these he Co-Wrote, the Album was to Feature a Who's Who in Music at that Time!  




  • Marcus Miller: All instruments, lead and background vocals
  • Percussion: Ralph MacDonald
  • Vibes: Mike Mainieri
  • Background Vocals: Yvonne Lewis, Luther Vandross, Tawatha Agee, Brenda White
  • Alto Saxophone: David Sanborn
  • Drums: Buddy Williams, Yogi Horton, Harvey Mason
  • Acoustic Guitar: Nicky Moroch
  • 2-String Bass: Dean Crandall, Lewis Paer
Check out the Suddenly Album:

marcus miller ...suddenly by funkysoulvinyls on Grooveshark

Marcus Miller has Appeared on 100's of Tracks and Albums over the Years, including some of the Greats: 
  
Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Luther VandrossDavid Sanborn, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, McCoy Turner, Wayne Shorter, Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Grover Washington Jr, Donald Fagen, Bill Withers
Chaka Khan and LL Cool J, just to name a Few!

Marcus Millers Album Discography, as follows:

15 Solo Albums
Nearly 30 Albums for Luther Vandross
1 Album for Grover Washington Jr
15 for David Sanborn between 1977 and 1999
7 Albums for Miles Davis between 1981 and 2002
2 Albums with "The Jamaica Boys" between 1987 and 1989, The Jamaica Boys Featured amongst others, Miller, Bernard Wright and Lenny Williams.
1 Album for Dizzy Gillispie in 1984

He as also had Songs Featured in over 20 Movies over the Period Between 1990 to 2009.

In 2008 after Playing with 2 other "Bassist" Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooton, they Decided to Release an Album under the Guise of S.M.V, the album was called "Thunder"

A Selection of Marcus Millers Solo Tracks:

marcus miller by funkysoulvinyls on Grooveshark


Related articles

Sunday, October 14, 2012

WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER!


My Last Music Post Concerned the Poll I am Running on "Greatest Soul Singer of All Time" (over to the Right of this Blog), I have now Finished Featuring All 11 Artists, one by one over about a 5 Month Period. 

At Present Marvin Gaye is Top of the List  with Al Green in Second Place, these 2 are my Top 2 Choices, apart from I would have had Al Green at the Top!

I am Very surprised there are No Votes for Eugene Record (Lead Singer with the Chi-Lites) I am Sure The Chi-lites will be Right near the Top of a "Soul Music Band" Poll.

Perhaps I will have a Poll for "The Top Soul Music Band of All-Time" sometime in the Future!

Anyway back to the Present, I have just Started a New Poll (to the Right of this Blog) on "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Please have a Vote (on Both Categories) after you have Finished Reading this Post, also Please Press the "Opinions" Button on Top left of Voting Widget to Leave Your Views!

There's some Great Bass Player's in the Poll, including:
Bootsy Collins, Mark Adams (of Slave), Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Louis Johnson (of the Johnson Brothers), Verdine White (of Earth Wind & Fire), Bernard Edwards (of Chic)Mark King (of Level 42), Larry Graham (of Sly & the Family Stone & Graham Central Station) and Victor Wooton (of SMV).

My Favorite Bassist (and got my Vote) is Mark Adams of Slave, who I saw Live in Concert back in 1984, Probably One of the Best Concert I have Seen, He was a Marvelous Bass Player, and the Stand Out Feature on Most of Slaves Great Track's!



I also saw Level 42 Live in Concert back Around 1985, again Mark King was Great and by Far the Best British Bassist of All-Time!


I will do the same with this Poll as my Previous one and Feature all the Artist's one by one (2 a Month) over the Coming Month's, I will Write a Bio with Fact's and Figure's concerning each of the Artist's, I will also include some of their Greatest Track's and Video's.

One Bassist worth Featuring now (I did not put in Poll for obvious Reasons) is Robert Gordon, he used to be Part of Gil Scott-Heron's Backing Band "Amnesia Express" during the 80's, I saw GSH live back in the Mid 80's, but he was Performing Solo.


Robert Gordon was Featured Playing Bass with GSH on his TV Special back in 1983 called "Black Wax", I have Featured this Program before on this Blog, but its worth another Mention.

Press the "Black Wax" Link Above to View Video in Full.



Have a Look at the Video "Waiting For The Axe To Fall" by GSH & Featuring Robert Gordon on Bass, its one of my Favorite GSH Track's and Robert Gordon is Magnificent on Bass!




Please Re-Visit over the Coming Month's for All Future Post's on "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" 

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...