Leland Sklar Musician - All About Jazz (2024)

Lee Sklar has been a prominent figure among Hollywood session bassists dating back to the 1970's and ever since. Sklar has more than 2,500 albums to his credit (and still counting), and is considered to be one of the "A" players in the highly selective L.A. music community where the competition for recording dates is fierce, and where only the strongest will survive. His very recognizable bass playing style has been heard on hits by Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Hall & Oates, Jackson Browne, Phil Collins, Clint Black, Reba McEntire, Billy Cobham, and George Strait, to name just a few.

He’s a bass icon " as famous for his foot-long beard as he is for his rich, deep-pocketed grooves. Since the ’70s, Lee Sklar has been in constant demand for both studio sessions and live performances. His résumé reads like a Who’s Who.

Lee didn’t rise to the top of the bass world by spraying notes all over songs " although he can surely do so when called upon. Lee considers himself a minimalist, both in gear and groove. “I really try to find the part that works the best for the song, and if it comes down to just whole notes, then I’ll play whole notes. And some of those are my favorite tracks, because it’s all about what’s right for the song. Trying to show how flashy you are is just meaningless to me. Whenever I’ve been called on to do a solo, I’ve always said no. I’ve never enjoyed bass solos. I mean, I saw Jaco, and it was mind blowing, but in the time it takes to play a bass solo, I’d rather hear the band play another song.”

Lee’s approach to gear is similar. “I’m not one of these guys who you’ll see in the studio with a pile of boxes on the floor. To me, the most important thing I can do is provide a pure, clean bass sound.”

That said, Lee has bonded with one effect that he won’t leave home without: the BOSS OC-2 Octave pedal. “I can’t function without it,” he tell us. “It’s indispensable. I never show up to a session without it. I just love the sound of it, and none of the other boxes sound as good. I have several of them, in fact, so I always have backups.” Lee will be taking the OC-2 along on the upcoming Phil Collins world tour. “I use it on ‘In the Air Tonight,’ ‘Take Me Home,’ a bunch of songs. I recorded ‘Another Day in Paradise’ with the OC-2.”

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Leland Sklarbass, electric

4

Hiram Bullock

guitar, electric

Danny Kortchmar

guitar

Russ Kunkel

drums

Anthony Jackson

bass, electric

Doc Pomus

composer / conductor