Studio Jams #80 - "Watermelon Man"

Here is one of several tracks from Studio Jams Episode #80, taped at Spyro's Modern Music and Recording Centre in Reading, PA (USA). It features bassist Victor Wooten, drummer Curtis Harmon, guitarist Kevin Hanson, saxophonist Bob Franceschini and pianist James Lloyd. It was taped on April 8, 2018. For more on the series, go to www.StudioJams.com.

[@peterjanjanin9883]

Best Sire ad ever...... ;)

[@elijahjones2889]

So true

[@peterfeldman7807]

Victor's doing his impersonation of Rocco Prestia's "What is Hip?" sixteenth-note driving line. Sounds good.

[@fabiofreitas1402]

with the thumb ...

[@avp0713]

uh.. really? Rocco is awesome; Victor is from a different planet.

[@soduno596]

It's both weird and really nice to hear Wictor Wooten doing "simple" bass groove.

[@thomasshugar5636]

He played on John Lennon's Imagine Album, no 'wicked grooves' on that album.

[@einoboe9998]

@@thomasshugar5636 what the fuck are you talking about

[@jensclarberg6419]

@@thomasshugar5636 Hah nice bait.

[@ashtheproducer_]

Can we take a minute to shout out the drummer for switching up his groove by a beat and then switching it back around just in time for the walkdown at the end of every form? Crazy

[@Julianjahbless]

The guitarist also nailed that solo...respect

[@lordviewer7305]

that guitar solo was brutal

[@mooka5445]

You eat candy like a child! Matt watson!!

[@pairmike]

More people need to hear this version. It was awesome to witness. Thank you!

[@Wann______]

The drum and bass lock here is untouchable 💪🏾💪🏾

[@Bassarocious]

I agree the keyboard solo was in beast mode, and Vic on the vintage tone ... Go Vic!!! You all are do'in it. Thumbs up.

[@skyreadersociety6183]

probably the most interesting take on watermelon man, especially effective on a gig I suppose - will grab the crowd for sure.

[@v33punk]

Very cool to see Victor playing Marcus' Bass!

[@allanpenford8787]

This isn’t Marcus’s bass …. This is Marcus’s business deal …. His fender will Always be his bass

[@markanthony5897]

Thank you for confirming. Marcus TFL Furthermore.

[@LiteInTheShadows]

Maybe the best fusion guitar solo Ive ever heard. They all kill it, Love these sessions

[@eyeofbass]

Loved this mindset... “A lot of the times, for me, if I don’t have, a good, what I call a good idea, I’ll just try a bad idea. You know; and a lot of times, that bad idea will point you to something better.” - Victor Wooten

[@freakbass]

Victor on this jazz bass sounds phenomenal!

[@RamaNatan]

He slays the Sire V7!

[@markanthony5897]

Marcus TFL

[@christianhodder1662]

man even victor Wooten is playing a sire, those basses are tearing up the market

[@MsMymac]

Jamey aebersol

[@wilsonmillerjr9817]

I have ONE!! And they give the Fenders a Run for Thier Money !!

[@johncolteraneoffical]

Victor playing the Sire! Love it!

[@rileyavidruger8644]

Kevin hanson the guitatist was my teacher, incredible player

[@catboyzee]

Wow, now this is truly a sight to behold: Victor Wooten playing a bass not named Fodera. Not surprisingly, he's killing it. Digging that super warm sax tone Bob Franceschini is getting also.

[@jonborrmann3124]

Victor is the SHIT on anything he plays. 🤘 He can make a tampon string sound amazing

[@luisorozco3130]

Hahaha

[@bryceb8331]

lol

[@xclenttech2270]

Hysterical, and you are probably right...

[@wilsonmillerjr9817]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@javimm77]

If it's enough for Victor Wooten, then it's more than enough for me!. I've just ordered a Sire P7 just before watching this video :-)

[@doowah5]

WOW!! Incredible stuff..... couldn't believe there were ANY thumbs down on this one!! Guess they don't appreciate true musicians!

[@gustavoelizondo2498]

instantly added to my favorites

[@Skylismo]

A TERRIFIC Perform in all ways!!! Congrats and hat off to you all!!! Stunning!

[@rodrigoponce2863]

the old version was amazing, this is freaky awesome.

[@ztopalusic]

Vic,finaly man...i love you for that...

[@mickehaglund4119]

Vic is killing it!!

[@kennykent5336]

5:41 When God shows you what Groove is

[@desmojack9072]

Wooten is an alien bassist 🤩

[@franzfigueracello]

bautifully done!

[@andrewbautista23]

this maybe the first (or second) time that I saw Vic play a Jazz bass!

[@ej.salcedo]

James Lloyd what a man

[@jamesjackson8058]

Big Thumb up and down and up and down and up and ...The Victor always wins!

[@blaqkstar]

Around 6:00 you can catch James Lloyd with an "oh yeah!" face halfway through Victor's solo. 100% can relate to that expression.

[@jermainelong1843]

Only clicked on this to see Victor playing a Jazz bass! I'm going outside to watch Haley's comet pass now😉🔭

[@strzempa]

Wow, Wooten + Sire V7!

[@GaRay__]

Great sounds

[@shaynehoff]

Nice to see something good come out of reading pa

[@j.p.7708]

What they consider bad or average is exceptional for most listeners.👍👍

[@Jonathan-L]

Smooth keyboard note bends at 4:40 :)

[@duciel.2461]

And the Crowd. Goes. WILD!!!

[@ranielyfire]

A classic

[@CliffHuxtableSweater]

I wonder if Marcus slipped Vic a couple g's like, "yo...vic... play one of my sires on that session u got comin up..." Well, it worked cuz I think I'm about to go ahead and pick up a 5 string🤔

[@Juniscrazy]

CliffHuxtableSweater I got a sire v7 vintage and the feel the sounds u can get I’m surprised it’s that good for the price

[@Skadiowo]

Yeaaah... dat groove

[@juliejaneirosinger8549]

Awesome...!

[@simonpaulengland7833]

This is seriously cool.......

[@jesuspasutti4771]

outstanding

[@fogent9487]

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Victor play anything other than a Fodera.. Is this Marcus Miller’s new line he’s playing?

[@gitarananowo9345]

yea! what is hip!

[@stanleyso8457]

What is Hip!!!

[@0008890]

Yes, it is Sire

[@garyzito1860]

Yeah those Sire Marcus Millers are the best basses for the money. I'm planning on getting one for Xmas this year.

[@ellissworld]

While it certainly is cool to see Victor Wooten playing something other than a 10,000 dollar bass, I think something Adam Neely said has never been more pertinent: "The man (VW) can make a tennis racket sound good."

[@humbertooliveira3506]

Amazing!!! What is this the man? How awesome!

[@lebosquettranquille5714]

Awesome

[@nathanwalters9]

Watermelon is Hip 🍉

[@vitorpachecoterron]

Sire… nice basses… bought one and they are nice. Has it all and the plus is that they are light weight

[@bobrebob1652]

Yes really Coooolll !!!

[@relaxingchannel3928]

damn so tight

[@prof.luanmonteiro]

Topzera demais!

[@robertappleby4891]

YEAH!

[@JoergB]

Ha! Such a nice groove! :-)

[@davidsuriamusic]

oh yes!

[@mikeaman2008]

Hahaaa....Everyone's exhausted!!!!...Love it!

[@seanliberty1626]

Drummer kicks ass!

[@wilsonmillerjr9817]

Victor playing a Sire V7 Marcus Miller Model Bass

[@aclass22]

James Lloyd on keys "Pieces of a Dream"

[@guidomedici3044]

The elbow master!

[@josemariavarelaramos5492]

Buen ritmo. armonía.

[@joshuasailor2974]

I hope y'all caught the keys on that "I Thought It Was You" quote at 8:05 🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@marchangel7462]

Medium low action makes sire basses sing!

[@shaunpickett8571]

Im diggin Victor on the sire, he sounds more like a bass player than a bass players player (if that makes sense). Would love to hear more of him on a jazz bass taking on more traditional bass player roles like this. No offence i am a huge fan of Vic doing the spotlight solo stuff but this made me happy.

[@papachung6639]

I bet he has on studio recordings for other artists, but we’ll never know it’s him. Just a guess

[@lucasnegashfine5084]

Wow

[@Sco3000]

Niiiiiiice

[@lucmichel7588]

👍👍👌

[@LordHiggumBottom]

There's some inspiration for ya

[@maxpressutti]

Super estratégia de marketing ,Victor Wooten com Bass da Sire!

[@billhd]

Double thumb and clean tone with no hair tie! (noise gate?)

[@zechariahfrink3707]

nah it's just good technique.

[@isaquealvessilva2887]

Top

[@vernahill5818]

Nice elbow work

[@HumbleBasse]

fiew. heavy.

[@kuyaferds8715]

I want to hear vic's verdict with that sire.

[@markanthony5897]

Marcus TFL

[@IamUncledeuce]

and... whoozyfratz on guitar...

[@ssdtrain1]

Sounds like TOP "What is Hip"...

[@gefnuppland4810]

Cats getting funky

[@AddisuDesta]

He is proving that he can smoke any bassist in a pipe 😋😋😂😂

[@user-ek3gf3se7h]

wow! victorxsire v7 wow! interesting!!

[@markanthony5897]

BTW Marco Bass is a force to be regarded. Eg: Marco TFL

[@Gravyea]

Yup it’s the hands not the bass.. or bass maker

[@JesseJB-1990]

nice rocco prestia quote

[@bassicinstinct2144]

I might need to get a Sire😳

[@iplayguitarnbass]

Is it the keyboard player?

[@gabrielquinn7208]

What happened to victors fedora

[@sk8erboy2707]

This is the product of what is hip and watermelon man, if they had a baby

[@aapoholma7122]

😳😳😳😳

[@musicforever4319]

victor :D

[@sergioserdiuk7823]

"What is Watermelon Hip"

[@julos71]

Watermelon "What is hip ?" Man... Victor Wooten seems to have eaten Rocco Prestia ;) Fantastic !

[@sp4gsus]

I was wondering why nobody mentioned the reference to top

[@julos71]

;) I always loved Victor Wooten, discovered 25 years ago with Bela Fleck and the Fleckstones with their amazing Beatles covers. Sometimes, he plays to much notes ;) That's not the case here

[@sp4gsus]

tracy Smith that is the most assinine uncalled for distasteful inappropriate bigoted comment I ever read good job Tracy smith

[@sp4gsus]

tracy Smith oh, and wrong too, white boy Rocco had everything to do wit dat.

[@julos71]

tracy Smith ... stupidity, racism and ignorance are not the preserve of the "white male". Your comment is the perfect illustration. Have a good day ;)

[@johnny6904]

i can join the band and just play the muted ghost chords the whole time

[@maikosoft]

Pensé que mi video estaba a 2x jaja

[@cursedswordsman]

5:42 vic

[@macflapalicious]

I'm sure I'll get flambeed for this....but Vic sounds better in this video on that Sire than any of the videos I've seen of him playing a his Fodera.....

[@joaorocha3307]

mac flapalicious notttt

[@zechariahfrink3707]

His sound as with any great musician comes from the soul and the hands ultimately.

[@vekku96]

I was thinkin just the opposite. He sounds the crappiest ever. Strings seem to be really low ...too low, so that no proper bass sound comes through.

[@Luckyhat66]

vekku96 i thought the same. needs more tension

[@djthingsmaker]

vekku96 i think it’s just his heavy handed slap technique . cause when he plays finger style it is fine. plus have in mind that a producer did most of this sound design.

[@onzkicg]

I’m always amazed by his right hand technique .. using it like a pick that way.. I guess the finger got callous or callous become finger after long time lol 😂 try that with ur thumb.. I’m not kidding it’s really difficult and painful:)

[@ihH6053]

onzkicg Ima bassist double thumbing stops hurting after doing it so much

[@onzkicg]

IJ Hopkins I’m newbie bassist and it hurts! lol 😂 Seriously that’s encouraging to know- how long before it gets feels normal/ no pain? months to a year? I’ll keep trying.

[@StrikerFin]

IJ Hopkins Is it normal to see scratch marks on nail when double thumbing? Lol

[@onzkicg]

Peanut You see scratch even on the pick 😂

[@ihH6053]

Peanut yah

[@TheCarlosBill]

Woooooow boy I....in November 2013 I watched Victor Wooten in person in the Luciano Alf's guitar institute in Rio, Campo Grande (a little far from Rio's downtown) and was absolutely out of myself for one week. He played extraordinarily loose and overall licks and phrasings and slapped coolly, total improvisation and now seeing him here again in Hancock's hit is exciting feeling provoked by his always exciting bass. Just grooving, soloing, supporting other players - everyone there is terrific, hats off to the guitarist keyboard man tenor sax drums woooow boy...- Vix is the best bass player in the world, since Charles Mingus Dizzy Gillespie or Cannonball Adderley I never saw an artist so devoted to his instrument, with so much attitude and virtuosity, like Hendrix's attitude, Jimi Hendrix, because Victor uses the bass as a tool like Hendrix, too. Hats off to him. We talked very briefly. He liked my live SMV Live in Vienne 2009 dvd record with Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke and Victor. I liked Grits, all that funky vibe. His solo was out of this world there!! Like here, now. Funky geniality. Cheers to you all, Carlos Bill, Rio.

[@Gravyea]

What is hip !!!

[@sassaOff]

Victor plays Sire?

[@lucasbogaerts]

Apparently

[@SanNjig]

He played the hell out of it. Got his $400 worth in this one song

[@CuzCutz]

He borrowed that bass from Bennie Sims, my friend from Reading PA who often records and plays live with Curtis Harmon and James Lloyd there and in the Philadelphia area.