   
 
|
Tuesday April 3rd, 2001
Larry Carlton leaves his Fingerprints on the guitar
This exclusive interview with "gifted" guitarist Larry Carlton comes to gibson.com from Gibson USA alumnus Brian Vance who recently caught up with Carlton on Fourplay's most recent tour. A celebrated guitarist and session player, Carlton -- who's performed on over 100 gold albums -- talks about his music, his career path, his essential gear, and his plans for the future.
By Brian Vance for marsmusic.com
Although most people may not know his name, they've undoubtedly heard his music -- that's because Larry Carlton's guitar playing made him the king of L.A. session guitarists in the 70's. During his reign, Larry played on more than 100 gold records by artists as diverse as The Crusaders, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Barbara Streisand, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Donald Fagen and Linda Ronstadt, not to mention a long list of TV and film credits, which include Against All Odds, Who's the Boss, and Hill Street Blues. His distinctive single-note lead lines, impeccable rhythm chops and unmistakable Gibson ES-335 tone (he's commonly referred to as "Mr. 335") render him one of the most sought-after session guitarists of his time.
Through the years Larry has managed to retain his own sound and style and today continues to stress that musicians should follow their heart rather than their charts when it comes to playing music. He now finds himself comfortably sandwiched between his smooth jazz supergroup, Fourplay, and his solo projects, including his newest studio CD, Fingerprints, and an upcoming live album with fellow L.A. session master Steve Lukather. Seldom will you find an accomplished musician as positive and humble as Larry.
marsmusic.com (mm): Fingerprints was your first solo album in four years. Did you make a conscious effort to move away from solo work or did Fourplay occupy most of your time?
Larry Carlton (LC): Actually, I had been on MCA since 1986 and now I'm back on Warner Brothers, so it took me a while to get out of my deal with GRP (Grusin, Rosen Productions). That's why there was a lull between The Gift and Fingerprints.
mm: Do you prefer working in a band environment or as a solo artist?
LC: I really enjoy both and obviously hadn't been in a band since the Crusaders and I left them in early 1977. So, this is a fun and unique situation.
mm: How do you approach playing in an ensemble like Fourplay as opposed to working solo?
LC: Playing with Fourplay gives me the opportunity to be a sideman for part of the show, and that's a fun place to be when you have Bob James, Harvey Mason and Nathan East as the other potential soloists.
mm: Is your main role in the band more as a player, composer or leader?
LC: It's all three. When we record, we all bring in songs, and when it's my turn or Bob's turn or whoever to have a tune cut, they're the leader for that song. The rest of us will contribute ideas, but the vision of the tune comes from the composer.
mm: After years of interacting with the guys in Fourplay, how has the group's playing elevated?
LC: We've become the new Fourplay. The more we play together, the more we hang out together socially, the more we become a band. Obviously, that takes some time, and we're enjoying the process and are very excited about the ways things have progressed.
mm: During the 70's, you staked your claim as a studio session player. Do you prefer working in the studio or playing live?
LC: I enjoy the spontaneity and energy of performing live. I like that there's basically no preparation, especially with my band. I usually outline what we're going to do for the first three tunes, and after that, call them as we go. I love that looseness.
mm: How would you describe your playing as it relates to the term "jazz"?
LC: If I had to put myself in a category, I'm a jazz influenced guitar player, but I don't call myself a jazz guitar player. I do have a passion for jazz and have since I was 14 years old and that influence is in my playing.
mm: Who were your early influences?
LC: I listened to the pop and rock and roll music of the day on the radio. Then I got turned on to jazz and Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, Coltrane...I loved Coltrane from an early age.
mm: When did you decide you wanted to play guitar for a living?
LC: I never thought about it because that's all I ever did. It was the natural evolution of taking lessons at age six, and by the time I was 14, I had done many talent shows and local gigs. I remember celebrating my 15th birthday and I was playing on Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at a supper club with some older guys.
mm: Was there a particular gig or situation where you got your "break"?
LC: It was just a series of things. The more I played, the better I got and the more people started talking. One thing led to another and eventually, I had a career.
mm: How were you able to develop and maintain your own style while doing sessions for other artists all the time?
LC: The more sessions I was able to do, the more I honed the craft of being a session guitar player. I never really tried to develop my own style it just happened as a product of my influences and the people I liked.
mm: What kind of memories do you have about your early days with the Crusaders?
LC: The Crusaders started in 1971 and I had been a fan of their music in my teens. To get to perform and record with them at age 23, I mean, it was thrilling. It really was. So, my memories of that period are very fond.
mm: Your "Kid Charlemagne" (Steely Dan) solo is one of the greatest ever and is still admired by guitarists for its phrasing and tone. Do people still probe you about it?
LC: I do get asked a lot about that solo, and a few years ago I put a little segment in my show where I would play just the solos from four or five of the most famous recordings I had done. "Kid Charlemagne" was one of those, and I had to go back and relearn it (laughs). So it was kind of fun to go back try to duplicate myself.
mm: After so many sessions and recordings, how do you continue to stay inspired?
LC: This may sound oversimplified, but I'm a guitar player. I'm a musician and my passion is to make music. So, I don't have to look to something to spark that passion.
mm: I know you're a big fisherman, do things like that in your personal life, hobbies, etc. influence your writing or playing?
LC: I think they are reflected in my guitar playing. Who I am as a person comes out in my playing.
mm: What kind of practice regime do you have?
LC: I never practice and never was a practicer from 1970 on. I do anywhere from 75 to 125 live gigs a year, so I play a lot and that keeps me going.
mm: How is the session/recording environment and process different today than it was during your days as a session player?
LC: The most obvious things are drum loops and technology such as Pro Tools, but my approach is exactly the same as it's always been - to have demos of the tunes and charts. The musicians can then contribute to that. But from the beginning, it sounds like one of my songs and one of my productions, so we're not searching for what's it's going to sound like.
mm: How do you keep up to date and in touch with the latest technology?
LC: I don't. I'm using the same couple of guitars I've used forever and the Fingerprints album was done with an old Fender Vibrolux from the 50's, my '68 ES-335
mm: I understood you to be a Mesa Boogie guy in the 70's. What did you use then?
LC: 90% of the recordings that you've heard me on were done with a Princeton Reverb. "Room 335," for example, was a Boogie, but for most of the session work I did, I used smaller amps.
mm: What drew you to that now-legendary ES-335 through a Boogie combination?
LC: Well, I was fortunate, I remember doing a gig in San Diego with the Crusaders and someone from a local music store showed up at sound check and said "I've got this amp that's brand new. It's called a Boogie and I'd love you to hear it." I said, "Sure. Bring it in." And we plugged it in and obviously that was the coolest thing. I got the immediate sustain I'd been looking for. I bought it that day, then used it that night. I used that for many years, but I've been playing live through a Dumble for 15 years or so.
mm: What does your rig consist of these days?
LC: Pretty simple, a Dumble Special Overdrive head and Dumble cabinet with a single 12" speaker. I use a little reverb (Boss RV-3 ), a volume pedal (Showbud) and a chorus pedal, which I hardly ever touch.
mm: The volume pedal is a key tool for you. How do you incorporate that into your technique?
LC: Oh, I don't know (laughs), I just kind of turn it up and turn it down. It's like part of my body. When I'm standing there with my right foot up on the volume pedal, little subtle things are going [on] there that I don't even realize.
mm: How do you prepare mentally for a show or a session?
LC: I like a little down time, at least 30 minutes before we hit the stage. If you were to come backstage, you wouldn't find me hanging around. I'd be in a room someplace just warming up slowly, playing a few scales, maybe looking over one of the charts. It's a focus thing for me, but it's not like voodoo or something.
mm: With everything you've accomplished in your career, can you think of anything you haven't done that you would like to?
LC: I'm still waiting to experience a true blues tour, where every night I'm playing shuffles and down home blues, maybe with a singer and a couple of horn players. I haven't been able to put that together yet, but I know that will happen sometime in this decade.
mm: Do you stay in touch with your session buddies in L.A.?
LC: Every once in awhile I get to see the guys. Jay Graydon or Steve Lukather and I get together.
Just a click away. . . mm: Speaking of Steve Lukather, I understand you collaborated with him recently.
LC: Steve and I went to Japan to play together, just for fun, two years ago. We had such a good time that we recorded two nights and it will be released in January on Steve Vai's label (Favored Nations). We did some Jeff Beck tunes and a couple of my tunes. It turned out great. We had Greg Bissonnette on drums and my keyboard player, Rick Jackson, and a bass player Chris Kent from Nashville. We're going to do some shows together next year.
mm: From all of your experiences, what have you learned that you can pass on to the new generations of music hobbyists or aspiring professional musicians?
LC: Well, one thing that was important to me was to play the music you like because your heart will be in it and you will feel it. That raises the potential for the people who are listening to feel it also. So, I've been true to playing the music that I love to play. If you love rock and roll, play it; then it will be an honest representation of who you are.
| Archives: 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 |
