Bass Player: Dave LaRue
Dave LaRue is the bass player with the virtuoso rock group Flying Colors. He is also a long-time member of the instrumental groups the Steve Morse Band and the Dixie Dregs. LaRue’s technical prowess is formidable among other jazz-fusionists, but his unique talent is to project his virtuosity with remarkable soul and feel.
LaRue continues to be the go-to guy for many leading guitarists, having worked with Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Vinnie Moore, The Hellecasters, Pat Travers, Steve Lukather, Mike Stern, Eric Johnson, Andy Timmons, Albert Lee, Paul Gilbert, Tony MacAlpine, Rik Emmett, Ace Frehley, and Steve Vai.
Education is a big part of Dave’s career, beginning with an instructional column for Bass Player magazine (for whom he also served as a member of the Advisory Board). LaRue also does clinics internationally for Music Man and was an adjunct professor at Stetson University in Florida. He teaches privately at Bass Central in Orlando when not on the road, and does lessons via Skype with students from all over the world. Dave is following up his Essentials (Alfred Music) instructional video with a new series of video lessons to be released on JamPlay.com.
Education
Bachelor of Music, the Berklee College of Music, Boston.
Awards
Two Grammy nominations with the Dixie Dregs, in 1992 for “Bring ‘Em Back Alive”, and in 1994 for “Full Circle”. Dave has finished in the top 10 in the “Best Overall” category in the Bass Player magazine Readers Poll in 1993, ’94, ’95 and ’96. He also finished third in the “Best Rock Bassist” category in Guitar Player magazine in 1994. Dave received the “Lifetime Achievement Award for the Advancement of Bass Guitar” at the 1996 Florida Guitar Show.
Recordings/Performances
In addition to 8 Steve Morse Band and 3 Dixie Dregs albums, Dave has released a solo record entitled “Hub City Kid”. He is featured on the Joe Satriani DVD/CD, “Live In Anaheim”, and has recorded with Vinnie Moore, John Petrucci, and Planet X, among others. A partial list of the people or bands Dave has recorded or performed with includes the London Symphony Orchestra, Deep Purple, Bruce Hornsby, Mike Portnoy, the Hellecasters, Pat Travers, Tommy Lee and Vince Neil (Motley Crue), guitarists John Petrucci, Steve Lukather, Joe Satriani, Mike Stern, Eric Johnson, Andy Timmons (Danger Danger), Steve Vai, Albert Lee, Vinnie Moore, Paul Gilbert, Tony MacAlpine, Rik Emmett (Triumph), and Ace Frehley (Kiss).
This transcription is of the tune ‘Zig Zags’ from the 2004 Steve Morse Band album, ‘Major Impacts 2’. Lots of repetition so not too challenging a chart once you nail the basics.