Fun playing some different songs…

On 20th March I played a one-off charity fundraiser gig with some new friends from Pembury. The two sets featured a number of songs I’ve heard many times but never played before so it was fun, and stretching, to sit down and work through some basslines that are very different to the stuff I have spent most of my time playing over the last few years.

I thought it would be cool to list for you the songs we played – and I’ve never tried this before so, to be upfront about it, I’m experimenting with providing (where possible) a link to pages on Amazon.co.uk where you can preview (and if you want to, buy) the original tracks. Apparently if you buy any tracks I will get a small cut for referring you, but please don’t let that influence you one way or another; I just wanted you to be able to preview some of the original tracks we played.

This was a really fun evening, though we had limited rehearsal time which led to some moments of intense concentration on the night with rapid song change-overs in different keys / tempo and feel, but it was great fun and I really enjoyed playing with the band.

It’s a shame I can’t find a link to the Blue Velvet’s version of ‘Summertime’ for you to listen to because, at the tempo we played it, it made for an interesting transition from ‘Shackles (Mercy)’ into ‘Summertime’, then leaping straight into ‘I Wish’, which has a well known but constant bass riff (a brilliant stamina test) and then into ‘Midnight At The Oasis’

Anyway, here’s the two setlists;

First set:

  1. Sunday Morning by Maroon5
  2. Celebration by Kool and The Gang
  3. Get Down On It by Kool and The Gang
  4. Ladies Night by Kool and The Gang
  5. Love Foolosophy (Radio Edit) by Jamiroquai
  6. Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now by McFadden and Whitehead
  7. Le Freak by Chic
  8. Street Life by The Crusaders
  9. Always There (David Morales Remix) by Incognito
  10. Knock on wood by the Sugar Beats
  11. La Bamba / Twist and Shout
  12. Rockin’ Robin by Michael Jackson
  13. Mas Que Nada (Masters at Work Remix) by Sergio Mendes feat. Black Eyed Peas

Second set:

  1. Dancing Queen by Abba
  2. Valerie by Mark Ronson / Amy Winehouse
  3. Mercy by Duffy
  4. Shackles (Praise You) by Mary Mary
  5. I Wish by Stevie Wonder
  6. Summertime by The Blue Velvets
  7. Midnight At The Oasis (Album Version) by The Brand New Heavies
  8. Maybe by Emma (Bunton)
  9. Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love) (Radio Edit) by Spiller feat. Sophie Ellis-Bextor
  10. You Give Me Something by James Morrison
  11. You Make It Real by James Morrison
  12. We Are Family (Single Version) by Sister Sledge
  13. Lovely Day by Bill Withers

With years of experience playing bass in a wide range of situations a dear friend once said that if you were to cut me in half you'd find the word 'bass' written all the way through - yes I know that's so cliche - but that doesn't make it any less true! Like so many people I have more than one 'day' job - but most of my work-time these days is spent working for Interconnected Solutions.