Off Topic Dee Murray

[LawDaddy]

So me and Miss Nick ended up doing a couple of shows with a young piano player who does early Elton material at a savant level. For example, we do most of the "11-17-70" album, including the jams. Really cool stuff.

Of course, these are some of the prime cuts from the Dee Murray era, and Nicole's first real venture into his catalog. Needless to say, she is really blown away by his ability to maneuver around Elton's inventive and often odd voicings/inversions etc., and yet put such a distinctive stamp on the tunes. Definite change of pace from the Duck Dunn/Stax material we play in my normal band.

Next up, Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.

Anyone else here influenced by Dee?

PS: Of course, Miss Nick is rocking the Big Al; somehow I think if Dee were still alive, a Big Al would be perfect for him. One fretted, one fretless, of course.

 

[JayDawg]

Elton John is an incredible musician as well as all of the band members around him. I've never learned any of his bass lines but have liked them when I have heard them.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Dee Murray (RIP) is a seriously underrated bassist, and one of my earliest influences. The bass playing and tone on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road are up there with the best ever recorded, IMHO. And, as JayDawg mentioned, the entire band were stellar during that entire early-mid seventies era. The "Classic Albums" DVD of the GYBR album is tremendous viewing.

 

[Holdsg]

Want to convince the cover band to do "Take Me to the Pilot". I think I got them there, we'll see. With me playin' Elton with the right hand and Dee with the left hand. I'm not gonna wear no light-up glasses though.

Both Piano Men, Elton and Billy Joel had magnificent musicians in their bands.

 

[fly]

Both Piano Men, Elton and Billy Joel had magnificent musicians in their bands.

yes.....and yes........now I gotta go spin them both......thanks a lot.

 

[drTStingray]

Dee Murray (RIP) is a seriously underrated bassist

Agreed - I've learned one or two of his lines in the past and they're all great - big influence.

 

[stu42]

Definitely. Elton John's music played a pretty big role in my childhood and I know Dee's lines have woven their way into my subconscious and influenced my own approach to playing. I've never tried to learn any of his lines but I get the vibe.

Elton and Stevie Wonder were some of my earliest musical influences for sure.

 

[agt]

I am a huge fan of Dee Murray's tone and phrasing. Any thoughts on which EBMM bass models and techniques might get close to Dee's bass sound on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road era recordings?

Be gentle, I am primarily a guitarist/singer who dabbles in bass (always EBMM!)

 

[LawDaddy]

Holy Zombie threads. Totally forgot about this one.

Anything bass-wise that gets you into Jazz land, i.e., the Big Al did great. But then, Dee made a Steinberger sound good later in his career.

FYI: My daughter (Miss Nick) is now a graduating senior at USC's Thornton School of Music.