Reginald Veal – Bass

Fairly traditional fare, this time. There are a couple of Marsalis Christmas albums and this is from the 2009 album, ‘Christmas Jazz Jam’. It’s a classic ‘N’warlins’ feel, rooted in the Blues and there aren’t any bear traps in this one. This is just the kind of reading practice I wanted when I started playing the double bass.

It’s a little late for Christmas but, whilst it is a Christmas song, a change of lyrics and it would be 1,000 other things. Veal just hits the mark every time (as does the rest of this band).

A complete aside but I always loved the fact that the Rush guys all came from the same place and, particularly with regards to Lee and Lifeson, met at school. The same is true of the Marsalis bands; most of them were kids together e.g. Marsalis and Goines were in kindergarten together (that’s nursery school to us Brits). A lifetime of music making that’s in the DNA. Love it.