|
"If I
suddenly knew I could not perform tomorrow...
I know that I would still feel good about where I am today" -George
Porter, Jr.
Few bass players in the history of modern New Orleans music are as
storied as George Porter Jr. During the course of a career spanning
four decades, Porter has not only made a deep impression with his
work in the Meters, but he’s notched sessions with artists as
diverse as Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Patti LaBelle,
Robbie Robertson and Tori Amos. Early in his career, Porter worked
with seminal New Orleans artists like Allen Toussaint, Earl King,
Lee Dorsey, and Johnny Adams. Back in 1965, Porter joined on with
the Meters, considered by many to be the ultimate fusion of rock,
funk and R&B, and gained recognition as one of the scene’s elite
bass players.
Porter’s rhythmic work in the Meters in lockstep with drummer
Zigaboo Modeliste was epic. Those pockets, the long notes and fat
holes, provided the cushion for Leo Nocentelli or Art Neville to
play or sing over and created some of R&B history’s most memorable
grooves.
Today, Porter features that epic bottom end in his latest collection
of Porter Batiste Stoltz tunes. “It’s the ultimate jam band,” Porter
says, “one that actually is more musical than just playing
everything you know in every song. This band slaps people in the
face until they see how good the stuff is!”
|
Artist's Web Site
See a YouTube clip from George Porter Jr.
|