Favourite session and touring musicians...

[astrsxi77]

...and when following their careers leads to unexpected muscial pleasure and discovery.

What I am going on about? Well, we all have our favourite singers or bands and their official members, but the recent sad death of drummer Jimmy Copley got me thinking about the session and touring musicians who journey from group to group, or become unofficial sidemen or part of the live act, each leaving their own personal mark on the sound and style of the band, yet remaining largely unsung or unknown by the wider fanbase.

I first came across Jimmy Copley some years ago when I was immediately grabbed by his blistering opening fill for Tears for Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World, live at Knebworth 1990. From there on in, I've been seriously digging the powerful and precise style that he brought to their 1989-1990 tour, to Go West's 1987 tour (also notable for Alan Murphy on guitar), and to numerous studio albums from the likes of The Pretenders and others. Therefore, I can credit Copley with igniting in me a deeper interest in these artists' work.

Same goes for the likes of Guy Pratt (bass), Tim Renwick (2nd guitar) and Gary Wallis (drums) of Pink Floyd's studio and live efforts from the late 80s onwards; Chris Whitten (drums) of Dire Straits' final world tour and Paul MccArtney's late 80s work and tour; Steve Ferrone (drums) and Nile Rodgers (production/guitar) for Duran Duran's funk/grove powerhouse Notorious album, all for example.

So, did you find respect/admiration/love/mentally debilitating obsession for your favourite journeymen players leading you to becoming fans of acts that you'd never have previously imagined liking? Or did they just put the cherry on top of bands that you already knew and loved?

Jimmy Copley with Go West - 1987 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E_BRGvgtFY

An inspirational drummer - RIP

[astrsxi77]

vournikas said:

Funny, I've never thought of Nile Rodgers as a "session" guy but I suppose that's exactly what he's been since Chic largely disbanded.

BBC4 ran a terrific documentary on him a few years ago. It's remarkable to discover quite how many artists and bands he's sculpted over the years. Plus the story of how he and Bernard Edwards came up with Le Freak is hilarious.

[astrsxi77]

Loyly said:

Two of my favourite session musicians form the rhythm section for Hiromi Uehara, Anthony Jackson and Simon Phillips. Both are absolutely top drawer players. Anthony Jackson is regarded as the bassist's bassist and it's not hard to see why. He has the most incredible tone and touch.

Ahh yeh! Simon Phillips has worked with Anthony Jackson for years. You must have seen his drumming videos from the early 90s, featuring Ray Russell too. They're all over YouTube. Great players.

I'm going to lob the late Kenny Kirkland into the mix, too. I don't know much of his work, but he was the best damn pianist that Sting ever recruited.

[astrsxi77]

Now we're cooking with gas!

JLC25 said:

Bowies "Let's Dance" album - Not his best, but the line up! HIghlights are:

David Bowie – lead vocals; horn arrangements
Nile Rodgers – guitar; horn arrangements
Stevie Ray Vaughan – lead guitar
Carmine Rojas – bass guitar
Omar Hakim – drums
Tony Thompson – drums
Rob Sabino – keyboards
Stan Harrison – tenor saxophone; flute.

Zappa had Warren Cuccurullo and Vinnie Colaiuta.

.

Hakim is such an elegant drummer - watch him with Sting on I Burn For You from '85. You've got to feel for Terry Williams of Dire Straits. He was sidelined during the BIA recording sessions so that Hakim could be parachuted in for a slick recording wrap up. Still, Williams made the drum parts his own on their subsequent tour.

Vinnie - another of Sting's brilliant recruits. He is a genius of splash cymbals.

Cuccurullo replaced Andy Taylor in Duran, didn't he?

geezerbutler said:

I'd also give a mention to Tessa Niles for the incredible amount and quality of vocal work she did for all sorts of artists, both in the studio and on tour.

Oh yes! Her "Love has no guarantee..." chrous on ABC's Date Stamp totally hooked me into their Lexicon of Love album. Mind you, Trevor Horn really made that album's sound what it is. Niles was in Clapton's orbit for many years too, as was Nathan East (bass). Love him and another brilliant bassist, Leland Sklar (metioned above), both of whom have variously floated about Clapton, Phil Collins and Toto over the last 30 years.

Did someone say Jeff Porcaro? The deepest, creamiest, thickest of grooves. Aside from Toto and MJ, he must have been recorded on hundreds of artists' works.

Wasn't Pino Palladino on bass duties for the house band at the Queen's Jubilee concert of 2002? That one also included Sam Brown and Claudia Fontaine, of Pink Floyd's Div. Bell tour, on backing vox.