My Old School is a song that I used to sing live when I was in Steely Dan, so every time we would play it wed get a little more energy and it was kind of like a snowball rolling downhill till finally it became, live, a pretty hard-driving tune. He said, But it did you good, right? Absolutely! (laughs) So I did obsess about that. He hasnt been out there a lot lately. Same with Mike McDonald. Anyone have his contact info? PS Ed Cassidy's drum kit in this video is hilarious. Related Helpful tips Who were the original members of the Doobie Brothers? She taught me to read when I was five, about the same time she got me piano lessons. It was on this day, August 3 rd, in 1974 that guitarist Jeff Baxter quit the band Steely Dan when the other founding members decided to stop touring. Tiran Calvin Porter (born September 26, 1948) is an American bass and guitar player, vocalist and composer, best known as a member of The Doobie Brothers from 1972 to 1980 and 1987 to 1992. Insofar as I CAN play, I can only play sitting down. . I listened to all that music. It's another must-have if you're a. Robert Fripp from King Crimson also sat down a lot. That was another gift my mom gave me, was she taught me to read when I was very young. Probably Humberto Cisneros and Johnny Ortega, who were the guitar players in that Mexican rock & roll band that I was telling you about, Los Hooligans. With all the drug use in rock-and-roll how did he get security clearances. So for me, reading is habitual. So yeah, I was relieved. He states that he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he finds he plays better sitting. Why is Jeff Baxter always sitting down while playing guitar. Jeffrey Baxter, Actor: Blues Brothers 2000. Depends on a lot of things. When I first met Humberto Cisneros, and later on Johnny Ortega, yeah, it was, wow, these guys are like selling records, doing gigs, hugely famous, theyre all over TV and theyre doing huge concerts. He states that he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he finds he plays better sitting . For me it was, I dont know, a very good, exciting, wonderful, joyful chapter. Luckily, I got a chance to play and work with him. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I wasnt sure if it was me playing or me playing for my dad or my dad. She is a very special human being. I recently had a lengthy conversation with the Hall Of Famer about his stellar career, his new record, and the artists he has worked with. I said, THAT is the kind of guitar player that I would like to be. I think thats great. Jeff Skunk Baxter is 72 years old today. 2 Did Jeff Skunk Baxter play with Linda Ronstadt? But what I found to be most enjoyable with this project was there was no time limit. I think thats where its going. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. I even wrote the forward for the transcription of those two records because the man was incredible. So what made you think of him and that hed be a perfect fit? JBaxter: I felt that the direction that Steely Dan was headed was much more o. You are using an out of date browser. Check out his military exploits here: Can't say for surebut come on, Skunk + Doobie Bros.? Its funny, Ill be on the phone talking to some of my colleagues at the Pentagon and maybe a couple of friends are around me and I have to answer the phone, and Ill say, Okay, I need you to get ahold of Balls, I need you to get ahold of Bam Bam and I need them to call me tonight on this project. And theyll look at me and say, What are you talking about? (laughs). No matter how beautiful the prayer rug is, the weaver always leaves a slight flaw somewhere, because only God is perfect. Baxter dropped out of college in Boston in to join a short-lived psychedelic-rock band. You'd think playing in a band with Jimi Hendrix would be the pinnacle of most careers. We were living in Mexico so a friend of his that was a DJ in Washington DC would send him cases of records and the two albums that he sent him were Color Him Funky and HR Is A Dirty Guitar Player by Howard Roberts. At the end when we were sort of improvising on the chord changes that we added to the arrangement, when I finished playing it, I guess it was surreal because there were certainly tears on my steel as I did it to honor my father. Ive done a few vocals in the studio as a studio musician, background stuff, but as a studio musician Im a guitar player. He had previously worked with the band in the studio, adding. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Agreed, Spirit, great band. I was eleven and playing in a surf band with Abraham Laboriel and sitting in sometimes with Los Hooligans, which was a very well-known Mexican rock & roll band. Yepgot to get over the "guitar-to-high is not cool" syndrome. Between playing in superstar bands (he was inducted with the Doobie Brothers into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020), fielding recording session offers and working as a military defense analyst, Baxter squeezed in time to produce albums for Carl Wilson and Nils Lofgren, as well as for acts like Nazareth, the Ventures, the Stray Cats, and . He had been battling cancer for some time and succumbed to complications of the disease with his family at his side. Imagine the world is. I think my biggest fear is to be stuck in an airport with a long delay and not have something to read (laughs). Jeff Beck is certainly one of the most respected names in rock guitar. I think that would underline the fact there is a resurgence and interest and in that interest I dont see any limitation in terms of what is being offered and what is being created for musicians, especially guitar players, to hone their craft. It's just a question of application," he told MTV in So it was just a natural progression. This is Baxter's home territory, and he covers it with a unique liveliness, precision, and sense of humor. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Speaking of which, Bodhisattva: notwithstanding Steely Dan's often indiscernible subject matter, the title does actually mean something. However, the question has been posted as to whether Jeff Baxter is a scam or not. When I could finally stand I it was like starting over. In the flashback, he makes a feeble attempt to rob the doctors who work there, but a clinic staffer with a baseball bat quickly . Theres so much interest in guitar. Informative interview. 4 Who is the black guy in the Doobie Brothers? My parents had given me a guitar for my ninth birthday. Affiliate programs and WTF is going on with this thing? Looking ahead new aerospace medicine could mean healthcare innovation for all humankind Here's how. Its very Celtic, I think, in its execution and its structure. Along with the collection of records that he had, besides me listening as a piano player to everything that Pinetop Smith and Albert Ammons ever did, trying to learn to play that style of piano, he had a really great collection of Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and all these wonderful Jazz musicians and the players on those records were people like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, just incredible musicians. Also when he was with the doobies he often wore headphones to get "a better mix" which the monitors wouldnt give him at the time. At the end of the module, Jeff shows two live videos from real phone calls where he talks to cold leads. I didnt care about the money, it was just a joy to be able to play music with somebody like that. I think I grew mine when I was eighteen and yeah, nobody seemed to have a problem with it. So thats kind of how it started. When you go there, theres something about it that will stir your DNA. Classical guitarists are *very* concerned about ergonomics of playing positions as repeat motion injuries are common and difficult get past. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Whitney Walker Champions Gratifying Gothic Folk-rock Sounds on A Dog Staring Into a Mirror on the Floor (ALBUM REVIEW). Jeff Skunk Baxter's age is 74. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter has earned eight platinum records in a music career that started in the 1960s, and he has received numerous security clearances and contracting jobs since the 1980s as a. What finally lit that fire under your butt to do this? It may not display this or other websites correctly. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Here it is straight from the horse's mouth: "Question: What was your basis to quit Steely Dan & go to the Doobies? Check out his military exploits here: Can't say for sure Found insideI was beaming at home seeing those guys do harmonies that Gene and I had come Location: Gypsy Caravan. And Jonny Lang, the same thing. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Interested in combining your passions with your career pursuits? Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter has announced his first-ever solo album, Speed of Heat, out on June 18 via BMG/Renew Records. Jeffrey Allen Skunk. Im telling you, when I first went to Scotland, my dad said, When you look out the window of the airplane, youre going to see a green in the land thats going to shake your DNA. And I said, yeah sure. He had a very creative mind. So if you listen to what Clint Black did, hes an incredible musician and a big Steely Dan fan, when he walked into the studio and he played that opening guitar riff, it was like, okay, you get it, this is going to be totally different. Yess, he has always had a passion for singing and playing the guitar too! See, my whole family is from Scotland so its a tribute, I guess, to my heritage and if youre going to do it, you want to have the pipes. Strat Talk is the leading online community and marketplace for Stratocaster guitars. Tell us about your relationship with Jazz? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Thats where the title came from and it definitely is an ode to my heritage. I was relieved because that was 1969 when I showed up for my draft physical; 1968, something like that. Why does Jeff Baxter sit while playing? Skunk is my call sign. Love the Skunk. Also when he was with the doobies he often wore headphones to get "a better mix" which the monitors wouldnt give him at the time. And this is not meant to be a religious trope, Im just saying that I dont think theres ever such thing as perfection. When you think of some of the most well-respected musicians in the business, its a good bet that Jeff Baxter, better known as Skunk, ranks very high on that list. What kind of guitar did Jeff Baxter play? So I thought someday this is a great way to arrange this song and I got a chance to do it, and again to honor my father in the same way we honored the different guitar players that had passed on. Michael Hossack of the Doobie Brothers performs in California. Best-known for his work with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter's versatility and highly developed technique as a soloist made him a hugely in-demand session guitarist from the '70s on. SCFMG Music TSO MUSIC GROUPDoobieSCFMG It was great. Hey, fine with me. 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