Mention Sting to us bassists and several hallmarks come to mind: his sparse basslines with the Police. His ability to sing while playing independent bass parts. And his jazz-infused, post-Police explorations, which further cemented his status as a favorite among fellow musicians without affecting his gift for selling millions of records to the general public.
His restless musical soul and inherent curiosity have led him down many different avenues over the years, including the time he hit the stage of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to rock the 2011 iHeartRadio festival alongside Jeff Beck and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler.
Joining Tyler to kick off the second night with Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion, Sting took on Tom Hamilton’s iconic opening bass lick – but he hadn’t quite got it right, as bassist Tal Wilkenfeld was quick to point out.
Speaking to Bass Player in 2017 Sting said, “With Tal it was very funny; we were doing an event in Las Vegas, and we were playing an Aerosmith song and it was kind of a complicated bassline. And Tal came over and said, ‘Sting, it doesn’t quite go the way you’re playing it!’
“I really respected her courage to come up to me and teach me the right way to play the part, and I was very grateful. She's an amazing bassist with great ears.”
Wilkenfeld’s long-standing Beck association had previously seen her take up bass duties with Sting at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th Anniversary Concerts, as Sting delivered a rendition of People Get Ready with Beck’s band, which also included Jason Rebello on keyboards, and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums.
“Vinnie is an extraordinary musician,” said Sting. “The only thing I'll tease him about is the double bass drum. I'll say, ‘Hey, where am I in this equation?’ And he'll crack up laughing, but we have a great relationship and I appreciate all that he adds to my music. Let's face it, a band is only as good as the drummer.”
While Sting would make a conspicuous return to playing bass onstage in 2011, billing his live shows as his “Back to Bass” tour, on record he's frequently enlisted other bass players, rather than handling bass duties himself.
“It's great to have a holiday so I can just sing! Will Lee, Christian McBride, Ira Coleman or Nathan East will often come to my aid and give me that holiday. I do listen, though, and if I don't agree with something, then I’ll let them know.”
Asked if any other bassists had caught his ear these days, Sting explained: “I love Metallica's Robert Trujillo. He's not only a great bass player, it's the drama of how he plays, and he's a showman, which I think is fantastic.
“I’m also impressed with the emergence of excellent female bassists. I've played with both Tal and Esperanza Spalding. And Esperanza, my god, she's a triple threat – she writes, she's a fantastic singer, and she's an incredible bass player.”
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