Michael Rhodes (Joe Bonamassa, Dave Stewart, Kelly Willis, Terry Radigan)

 

A distinguished member of the Musicians Hall of Fame, he was a first-call Nashville session cat / sideman from 1977 until he passed in 203.

 

Raised on a steady diet of country, rhythm & blues, Cajun, jazz, and various permutations thereof in his native Monroe, Louisiana, Michael Rhodes was a master groove / song player who anchored scores of genre spanning artists including Stevie Nicks, Hank Williams Jr., Reba McEntire, Dixie Chicks, Steve Winwood, Randall Bramblett, Vince Gill, Kelly Willis, Johnny Cash, Lorrie Morgan, Toby Keith, Taylor Swift, Dave Stewart, Etta James, Dolly Parton, Joe Bonamassa, Neil Diamond, Joss Stone, Tanya Tucker, Ronnie Milsap, Marty Stuart, Brooks & Dunn, JJ Cale, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Shawn Colvin, and Terry Radigan to namedrop a select few.

 

Rhodes cited Joe Osborn, Carol Kaye, John Paul Jones, Tommy Cogbill, Sir Paul, Jack Bruce, and Jack Casady among his influences. His weapons of choice included several Fender Precision basses, a ‘64 Epiphone Embassy Deluxe, various Hofner instruments, all run through an Ashdown CTM 300 Tube Head and two 8 x 10 Ashdown cabinets.

 

Michael Rhodes Sound & Vision….

 

Joe Bonamassa’s British Blues Explosion https://youtu.be/ds5p59XOXHk

 

Dave Stewart and Orianthi “Girl In a Cat Suit” https://youtu.be/sTuOL-qreJc

 

Terry Radigan “So What” https://youtu.be/Y6Ai-grgtjw

 

Lee Ann Womack “I Hope You Dance” https://youtu.be/RV-Z1YwaOiw

 

Kelly Willis “Get Real” https://youtu.be/SJJC2AtbLXw

 

Shawn Colvin “Sunny Came Home” https://youtu.be/qfKKBDFCiIA

 

Carmine Rojas (David Bowie, Joe Bonamassa, Rod Stewart, Nona Hendryx)

Courtesy Carmine Rojas Facebook

Among the most in-demand, versatile session cats since the late 1970’s, Carmine Rojas’ credits on stage and on record span David Bowie, Tina Turner, Joe Bonamassa, Carlos Santana, Nona Hendryx, Ian Neville, Allen Toussaint, Paul Rogers, Rod Stewart, John Waite, Carly Simon, and Herbie Hancock to cite a very, very select few.

 

A composer, producer, musical director (Rod Stewart, Julian Lennon), master of fretless, traditional four, and extended range bass, Carmine’s canon traverses rock, funk, rhythm & blues, jazz, soul, and hip-hop and permutations thereof.

 

Attention bassists: To give you an idea of the scope of Carlos’ approach to the instrument – be advised to study Bowie’s live archival Loving the Alien (1983-88), in particular, the Serious Moonlight Live ’83 selections, wherein Carmine goes full-throttle with harmonic extensions, pop/slap passages, and register leaping counterpoint to reinvigorate Bowie’s early canon.

 

As I recall back in the day, Bowie diehards recoiled (and many still do) at David’s pop funk forays, however Rojas and that band (also featuring Earl Slick, Carlos Alomar, Tony Thompson) kept the Ziggy zeitgeist relevant for a new generation.

 

Essential listening for those who did not get it the first time around! Rojas was brilliant on David’s Let’s Dance (1983), Tonight (1984), and Never Let Me Down (1987); working a modern rhythm & blues / reggae / funk / soul pocket with a piercing tone signature of the era.

 

Among Carmine’s current projects include A Bowie Celebration with several of David’s esteemed alumni including Earl Slick, Mike Garson, and Gary Leonard, among others.

 

Carmine Rojas Sound & Vision….

 

David Bowie:

 

Dig the harmonic / chromatic passage Carmine renders to add a new dimension to David’s “Rebel Rebel” https://youtu.be/W5YzzK4qVwA

 

Carmine stretching out on David’s “Cracked Actor” https://youtu.be/Shgbt4nN4xc

 

“Let’s Dance” https://youtu.be/VbD_kBJc_gI

 

Carmine in costume for “Blue Jean” https://youtu.be/NZnryZ5rDbs

 

Charlie Sexton:  A Bowie Celebration: “Let’s Dance” https://youtu.be/2KYvc_Zofzs

 

Sir Rod and Ronnie Wood on the Faces classic “Stay With Me” https://youtu.be/oop92KYfR08

 

Check out Carmine’s chordal work on Nona Hendryx “Tax Exile” https://youtu.be/HG9NAcveq1k

 

Joe Bonamassa: https://youtu.be/B4-QVk-6xUc

 

Carmine Rojas ZOOM ZESSIONS – 2021