Jul 29, 2022
Simply put, Jimmy Haslip is one of the legends of the electric bass.
Producing over 190 recordings, he also has himself recorded on over 400 records. Haslip is a founding member of the group Yellowjackets, and was a member for 34 years. He has 22 Grammy nominations and 3 Grammy wins. Haslip has toured and recorded with over 180 artists and bands in 52 years, from jazz artists like Al Jarreau, Lee Ritenour, Billy Cobham, Pat Metheny, George Duke, Branford Marsalis and the Jeff Lorber Fusion to pop. rock and soul stars like Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, Chaka Khan, , Crosby, Stills & Nash, Anita Baker and Bruce Hornsby.
His latest project is a trio record that came together during the pandemic shut-down period, when long-time friend Barry Coates, who plays a unique synth guitar, shared music he was working on with Jimmy. From there came virtual sessions with drummer Jerry Kalaf, resulting in New Dreams. Haslip plays both fretless and fretted bass on the album, adding to an ethereal sound harkening back to the glory days of ECM Records.
Haslip has been getting back on stage slowly, with short tours backing drummer Dennis Chambers and guitarist Oz Noy. His most recent productions include a session with singer Marilyn Scott, an old musical buddy, working with Yellowjacket Russ Ferrante on her album The Landscape.
Podcast 922 is the first of a multi-part conversation with Jimmy, as he talks about his recent projects. Musical selections include “Towner” from New Dreams, and the title track from Marilyn Scott’s The Landscape.