What is your bass concept on the show?
I look at it almost like being a character actor. During the course of a show, I can quote half a dozen bassists, from Paul McCartney and James Jamerson to Ron Carter and Dee Dee Ramone. I get to assume different grooves and attitudes—it’s a blast. The biggest challenge is trying to recreate all those bass sounds with one instrument, because there’s no time to switch. I just lock it down with Max, listen to the band, and go from there.
What is unique about playing in a TV band?
Unlike a live concert or a recording, where the music can flow and develop, we have to focus a lot of energy into a short amount of time. Going in or out of a commercial, or playing a walk-on, we need to deliver quickly and tightly—it’s instant on, instant off. Also, the music is not the main component of the show; it’s important, but we’re more like the connective tissue. Like any good musical situation, though, it’s different every night.
What has been biggest change over the years?
In general, it’s the way the show has been embraced, retaining the hip, young audience while gaining a mainstream one as well. Musically, it’s the direction of the band. The original concept was a smaller version of Doc Severinsen’s NBC Orchestra on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, with guys who can play jazz like in Doc’s band, but come out of the rock and R&B generation, so they can play blues, soul, rockabilly, British Invasion, and other genres. In the beginning we were known mostly for jump swing, which was popular at the time, and it’s still part of our rotation. But as styles and tastes have changed, and the passing of time has made more music “classic,” we’ve become more rock-oriented; we’re playing Led Zeppelin, the Clash, and the Ramones.