This story is all about my great friend Danny Samar. Besides a remarkable person and friend he is also one of the most talented and devoted bass-players I have ever met. Although he operates mostly ‘low-level’ I thought it was the right time now to dedicate a piece on steemit to him.
I know Danny for about thirty years now I think. In the beginning we lived in the same neighborhood and were’nt close friends at that time. I used to hang out with his younger brother jamming on our guitars and listen to some fine music. Danny at that time just started playing the bass in the local (Zutphen, Holland) music scene. About that scene, the local music scene in our hometown was (and still is) small. There were mostly rock- and metal bands. We are a very metal minded city. Every year there were some summerparties in the centre of Zutphen with some live music. Cause of the audience comming to those parties the organization often tried to book bands with a broad repetoire. So Danny was often invited to play with some fellow musicians. At those festivities it was where I saw Danny first time playing. The band he was playing at that time was an occasional formation of musicians with focus on soul and funk. As you could see from the croud they loved the band dearly.
At that time I was only a “Music lover” and not much of a musician myself. Danny impressed me although with his groovy bass-sound, a clean funky punch. They played songs from ‘The jackson 5’, Steve Wonder’, ‘Chakakan’ and so on. That was my first acquaintance with Danny and his bass-playing.
To give a short impression about his funky-ness here’s a short clip from 2010
It was years later when I took the bass-guitar myself when I got to know the “musician” Danny. You can read how that went on in one of my earlier posts (https://steemit.com/music/@verhp11/music-is-magic-music-is-emotion-7-basplaying-jaco-pastorius). Cause of the fact I had bass-lessons from Danny we often talked about music but also a lot about the things he was working on or what motivated him. There aren’t that many people I know wo can talk so passioned about music and other musicians. I have learned a lot from Danny when it comes to really listening to music.
I remember one of his projects with Flowriders in 2003,, more of crossover kind a band. Danny that time played a lot of projects together with one of his best friends Florian Hoefnagels, a great drummer who also has a big trackrecord when it comes to music. Flowriders were invited to play at a dutch TV show called “Rayman is laat”, it was a kind of talkshow like today’s american talkshow hosted by Jurgen Rayman. Nice to know that the rapper is Bones, also a musician from Zutphen. Flowriders also performed at the dutch “North Sea Jazzfestival”, a world-famous Jazzfestival. I was invited by Danny to accompany him on this special occasion. It was great to be among the biggest artists in the scene like Richard Bona, the Roots and Pat Matheny.. And greatest of al were ofcourse the backstage passes ;)
Danny with Flowriders
Another production Danny was part of was of a dutch singer Jodie Kean. Her single ‘Mad world’ was released in the Netherlands. Danny and Florian played in het live band. The had some TV performances of which one was in de dutch talkshow “De wereld draait door”, at that time the most populair TV show. His bassplaying in this song is for me just the thing that makes this song a bit special. It is sophisticated with a very cool timing….
**Jodie Kean @ Serious Talent 3FM **
At one time Danny had his own band called “GetSet”, it was a coverband that played a lot on big events. Their repetoire was a big mix of soul, funk, R&B and populair tunes. The played a lot in and around Zutphen and where the fixed band for a local bar called “De spaan” , every last Friday of the month the organised “The soul-spaan”. A afternoon / evening with live music (GetSet) and a lot of fun. You didn’t have to bother, it was sold out ever time again. He also did the programming for “Cafe Schatjes” in Zutphen, 4 to 6 times a month Danny arranged live music and was responsible for the external promotion. One night he had booked a friend of him, Lydia, she was also a bassplayer. I had seen her one time before at the national bassday in Nijmegen (of course together with Danny) and was really impressed by her bassplaying. She had a very good slap-technique, and was a real funky animal. She also played in a Level42 tribute band. That band was booked by Danny voor Cafe Schatjes and was an excellent choice, the place was sold out and the gig was unforgetable.
A one hour interview with Lydia in Detroit where you can see all of her talent
Danny is always interested in other musicians and their drive. So he worked with a lot of them just for his own learning, but also to help other musicians to achieve their goals. Like Bowe, Danny met him during a gig. Bowe was just finishing his conservatory education. He asked Danny if Danny was willing to play with Bowe for his examination. A new cooperation was born. Danny played several times with Bowe on his studio albums and with live-gigs
Danny playing in Arnheim with Bowe
Danny and I went to a lot of concerts together like Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten for instance. Always connected to our mutual friend “bass”. We always having a great time enjoying life and music.
Danny, at one time, got invited to play as a support act for a (for me at that time unknown) bassplayer for the dutch magazine “Basmagazine”. The bassplayer turned out to be “TM Stevens”, former bassplayer of Tina Turner and much more. A most extravagant musician, but a very cool guy. Of course I went along with Danny. In the afternoon there was a soundcheck of Danny and his band, after that TM had his soundcheck. The first thing we noticed is the volume which TM plays. I have never in my life heard a bassplayer play that loud :), TM is a very funky bassplayer and a really great guy. His bassguitar is full of build-in effects (like a autowah) and he uses it to the fullest. After his soundcheck he asked if Danny wanted to play along with him, and they jammed for a while..It was great to see, and even greater to see TM being impressed by the skills of Danny….I almost wanted to say “need to say more?”:).
Danny is also the one who introduced me to Pino Paladino, what a great bassplayer he is. For instance the bassplaying of Pino at the John Mayer Trio, inimitable….
Pino Paladino with the John Mayer Trio
Danny now is mostly in Germany where he plays with Monopunk (check them out). They are famous by themselfs but also as the rythmsection of many German musicians, like the famous Max Mutzke for instance. He works as a producer as well together with his Monopunk collegues. He has done a lot of German TV shows and did gig’s with the German Philharmonic Orcherstra which was broadcasted on national TV.
I’m gratefull to know Danny as a friend, a muscial teacher…But mostly as the person he is….
Do not to forget to check him out……
Thank you for reading
** Max Mutzke feat. monoPunk **
** Korg Artist Session monoPunk feat. Debrah Jade**
monoPunk feat. Sasha, Max Mutzke
Earth wind and fire medley (poor sound)
