From the Bottom: Breaking Down the “Riff of the Century”
Let’s revisit the story of how two musical giants met in 1972 and started making music together: Stevie Wonder and Jeff Beck.
This is the story of how the “Riff of the Century” was born, and I’ll break down how one iconic song created two different – but amazing – bass lines.
Paul Thompson has been playing bass professionally for over 30 years, including recording and touring stints with trumpeter Maynard Ferguson and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. Recent playing credits include Bob Reynolds, John Pizzarelli, Jeff 'Tain' Watts, and Bob James, among others. Currently, he can be seen playing in and around the Pittsburgh, PA area with the THOTH Trio, the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, and many other musicians in the city's rich Jazz community. An educator of over 25 years, Paul currently teaches Jazz Bass at Duquesne University, West Virginia University, and his alma mater, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 Performing Arts School.
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