Yolanda Charles M.B.E. (Paul Weller, Squeeze)

Courtesy of Yolanda Charles Facebook Com

 

By Thomas Semioli

 

First call UK session player/ side-woman, clinician, educator (Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester) Yolanda Charles’ genre traversing career spans such ensembles and artists including Urban Species, Paul Weller, Eric Clapton, BB King, Roger Daltrey, The Deep Mo, Dave Stewart, Van Morrison, Alison Moyet, Robbie Williams, Jimmy Somerville, Sinead O’Connor, and Squeeze to cite a very select few.

 

Starting out as a guitarist in her teens, Yolanda tended to pick out bass lines on her instrument. As such, instructor came up with a solution “you don’t want to be a guitar player, you want to be a bass player!” And the rest, as they say…is history!

 

Yolanda cites Marcus Miller’s work with Luther Vandross as an influence, along with Barry “Sunjohn” Johnson with Don Blackman’s Family Tradition.  Her first high profile gig was with Jimmy Somerville at the age of 18, which led to additional work – to which Charles credits her skills as a backing vocalist as well. 

 

For her services to music Ms. Charles was bestowed Member of the Order of the British Empire at the 2020 Birthday Honours, hence her MBE designation on Know Your Bass Player Com! 

 

Yolanda Charles Sound & Vision…

 

Project FUNK “We Live in Brooklyn” https://youtu.be/0uf7TxX0OEE

 

Paul Weller: “Shadow of the Sun” https://youtu.be/Jl8NzFQ7oM4

 

Squeeze: “Rough Ride” https://youtu.be/33lKPTFmD0E

 

Solo Yolanda: “The Game” https://youtu.be/pTvMoA1GyV4

 

The Deep Mo “These Times” https://youtu.be/wbNMl1xr9x4

 

 

Photo by Julien Fontenelli Courtesy of Yolanda Charles Facebook

John Bentley (Squeeze)

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Bass lessons from Trevor Bolder – soon to be a Spider from Mars! Never get uptight with an upright! Timing is everything in the music business….From Terminal Studios in beautiful downtown Bermondsey, dig “A Conversation with John Bentley! Tom Semioli: Interviewer / Writer. Mark Preston: Producer / Director. Derek Hanlon, Oliver Harley Symonds: Cinematographers. Mark Polott: Editor. Special thanks to Joel McIver!

Keith Wilkinson (Squeeze)

Among the many stellar bassists to anchor the various Squeeze line-ups was Keith Wilkinson who began his tenure with the tuneful lads on the Difford & Tilbrook self-titled slab waxed in 1984.

 

As was 1980s vogue, Keith boosted the treble, and doubled on fretless for a series of stellar Squeeze sides which somehow failed to make a significant dent in the marketplace including Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti (1985), Babylon and On (1987), and Frank (1989).

 

Wilkinson also helmed releases by Roger Waters, and his former Squeeze band-mate Jools Holland, among others. When last sighted by KYBP, Keith was working with The Jar Family.

 

 

Keith Wilkinson Sound & Vision…

 

Difford & Tilbrook “Love’s Crashing Waves” https://youtu.be/_0B7Hwfc9m4

 

Dig Keith on a heavily chorused Fender Jazz for this live rendition of “Last Time Forever” with Squeeze https://youtu.be/pI0y1AMGQ_M

 

Keith slapping the fretless on “Big Beng” with Squeeze https://youtu.be/lCtR0s0bVIY

 

The Jar Family https://youtu.be/MimfEf6NYf0