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Tal Wilkenfeld

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Tal Wilkenfeld

Tal Wilkenfeld (born in Sydney, Australia, ca. 1986) is an Australian bassist and former guitarist who has gained worldwide attention performing alongside some of rock and jazz music's most notable artists. In a Bass Player reader's choice poll, Tal was voted "The Year's Most Exciting New Player" for 2008. She has impressed critics and fans alike with musical achievements usually reserved for players with relatively long established careers. Tal became a professional bassist after only three years on the instrument. She is currently bandleader of The Tal Wilkenfeld Trio, which includes Wayne Krantz on guitar and Keith Carlock on drums.

Biography

Early life

Wilkenfeld began playing guitar at age 14, but made a switch to bass at the age of 17. After a matter of a few months, she devoted herself to forming a band of her own, and began composing her own material. Discussing her chosen instrument, she has commented, "I’ve always just picked up any instrument and been able to play it ―I could sit down at the drums or the piano and just play for fun," however, she continued, "as soon as I started playing bass I knew it was my instrument. It was like, 'Yes this is it. I don’t even want to play guitar anymore, this is amazing.'"[1]

Move to the United States and professional career

In 2002, Wilkenfeld dropped out of high school, saying that "it just wasn't going to work for me",[1] and emigrated to the United States at age 16. She first settled in Los Angeles where she attended the Los Angeles Music Academy. After completing school, she moved to New York City and began making a name for herself in New York's jazz clubs. She now divides her time between Los Angeles, New York, and Sydney, Australia. When she first arrived in the United States, she had studied electric guitar, but within the year made the switch to electric bass guitar.[2] Wilkenfeld's compositional talents can be heard on her debut solo album, Transformation, recorded over a period of two days when she was 20 years old.[3] Wilkenfeld composed, produced, arranged and played bass on eight intricate tunes with Wayne Krantz, Geoffrey Keezer, Seamus Blake, and Keith Carlock, with special guests Samuel Torres and Oteil Burbridge.[4] One of the songs, "Oatmeal Bandage" was written about Burbridge, who is the bassist in The Allman Brothers Band.

Performances 2006-2009

Tal Wilkenfeld and Jeff Beck (left)
The Crossroads Guitar Festival July 28, 2007
Chicago, Illinois. Photo By Philip Vaandrager

2006 saw Tal Wilkenfeld sitting in with the Allman Brothers Band, and soon after, heading an instructional bass clinic. Tal's backup band for this clinic consisted of drummer Chaun Horton and guitarist Ben Hauptmann. Aware that Chick Corea was seeking a bass player for an upcoming tour, Wilkenfeld, knowing that he had heard her music before, sent him demos of her newest recording. She was elated to be selected to accompany him on his Australian tour [1] before joining up with Jeff Beck, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Jason Rebello for Beck's summer European tour. After returning from Europe, the group met with Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago, Illinois, performing to a sell-out crowd. By November 2007, Tal joined back up with Jeff's band for a week of gigs at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London, where the band was joined on stage by Clapton thus rounding out a very productive year for Wilkenfeld. [3]

Wilkenfeld has performed with such notable musicians as Chick Corea, Jeff Beck, Hiram Bullock, Steve Vai, Ron Holloway, Susan Tedeschi, the Allman Brothers Band, Herbie Hancock, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. Wilkenfeld's performance with Jeff Beck at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival was aired on PBS in November, 2007. Unfortunately no credits were given for Beck's band, and viewers have confused her with Becky Godchaux or even Beck's daughter. However, the DVD of the concert gives full band personnel listings, crediting her on bass. She played with Jeff Beck at his 2009 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Equipment

The Tal Wilkenfeld Trio November 2008
Wayne Krantz, guitar, and Keith Carlock, drums
Photo Courtesy of Mandy Hall

Wilkenfeld was offered, and accepted an official endorsement from Roger Sadowsky of Sadowsky Bass Guitars, after seeing her play at the 2003 winter NAMM Show show in Anaheim, California. [5] Tal also has endorsements with EBS Professional Bass Equipment amplifiers and cabinets,[6] and Pigtronix effects pedals.[7]

Discography

  • 2006 Transformation; Wilkenfeld's first solo effort on CD

References

  1. ^ a b c McCulley, Jerry August 2, 2008 Meet Tal Wilkenfeld, Jeff Beck’s Young Aussie Bass Prodigy
  2. ^ Paul Bibby (2007-04-28). "Ace of bass just doing her thing". The Sydney Morning Herald. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ a b Tal Wilkenfeld Official Website
  4. ^ Sadowsky Official Website (2009). "Featured Artists". Tal Wilkenfeld. Sadowsky Guitars. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  5. ^ "Featured Artists - Tal Wilkenfeld". Sadowsky Guitars. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
  6. ^ EBS Amplifiers and Cabinets
  7. ^ Pigtronix effects pedals

Listening

External videos
video icon Cause We Ended As Lovers with Jeff Beck
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