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Will Lee

Grammy Award-winning Will Lee is mostly known as a bassist for over three decades on Late Show with David Letterman, giving him the world’s record for longest-running bassist on late night television.  

Will has also lent his considerable talents to over 2,000 Pop, Jazz, Rock, Reggae and Gospel albums from Chaka Khan to Ricky Martin, Frank Sinatra to James Brown, Barbra Streisand to D’Angelo, Cat Stevens to Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin to BB King, David Sanborn to Spyro Gyra & Bob James to Pat Metheny.

He has sung and played on an equal number of  TV and radio commercials as well as many movie soundtracks. 

Will performed at Live Aid with The Thompson Twins & Madonna.

Will has been part of the house band for most of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremonies.

Will’s also been Sting’s bassist of choice for all of Trudie Styler’s Rainforest Benefit concerts. 

He has played with Miles Davis, Gary Burton, Dizzy Gillespie, and was held in Charlie Parker’s arms as a baby. 

Will also has the enviable position of having performed or recorded with all 4 of the Beatles, which is pretty thrilling for a guy who is a founding member of the world’s premier Beatles band, The Fab Faux

Will is an inductee in the Musician’s Hall of Fame in Nashville.

Will has recorded 2 solo albums and multiple records with bands from The Brecker Brothers, The 24th Street Band, Joe Cool, Toph-e & The Pussy Cats, Oz Noy Trio & Band Of Other Brothers.

And when not playing or producing projects, doing some musical directing for some pretty awesome organizations including the already legendary annual Love Rocks NYC in benefit of God’s Love We Deliver.


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Radio & Podcasts

Celebrating The Third Story at 10 with Will Lee and Amanda Sidran

Read "Celebrating The Third Story at 10 with Will Lee and Amanda Sidran" reviewed by Leo Sidran


Ten years ago, on a bit of a whim, I invited bassist Will Lee to come over to my home studio in Brooklyn to do an interview with me for a new project I was starting: a podcast. A year or two earlier, my friend had turned me on to Marc Maron's WTF podcast, and I was totally hooked on the concept of casual long form interviews among peers. At the time Maron spoke almost exclusively to comics, and I ...

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Liner Notes

Steve Khan: Arrows

Read "Steve Khan: Arrows" reviewed by AAJ Staff


By Steve Khan With The Blue Man not selling as well as Tightrope, Dr. George Butler requested that I have a co-producer for the next CD. I was lucky to be able to land the engineering / production talents of my old and dear friend, Elliot Scheiner. Elliot and I had recorded together on countless sessions, but perhaps most people link us together because it was Elliot who recommended me to Donald Fagen and Walter Becker for AJA, which, of ...

5
Album Review

Mike Levine: Just Chillin

Read "Just Chillin" reviewed by Edward Blanco


A proponent of the more relaxing side of the jazz spectrum, pianist and keyboardist Mike Levine presents his fourth album as leader, offering thirteen primarily original pieces falling decidedly within the smooth jazz category. A talented composer, Levine's music seems to eschew the core jazz tenet of improvisation in favor of catchy melodies perfect for those chilling-out moments that overwhelm us all sooner or later. A first-call musician by anyone's count, Levine draws on his vast experience performing ...

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Album Review

Oz Noy: Snapdragon

Read "Snapdragon" reviewed by Mike Jacobs


It's an old sentiment but it still holds that great instrumental chops, enthralling as they may be, are fairly meaningless on their own. And quite frankly, they are pretty ubiquitous these days with the internet exposure machine going full tilt. Given all that, it's quite easy for the listener to become inured with technical prowess-- especially wizardry of the fretboard. So to say Oz Noy is a fantastic guitarist just isn't enough anymore. It's fortunate then that what ...

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Album Review

Wayne Krantz: Write Out Your Head

Read "Write Out Your Head" reviewed by Mike Jacobs


What do you want from Wayne Krantz anyway? It's a particularly relevant question when new release time rolls around for the guitar icon(oclast). Not that Krantz himself seems to give the question much thought. He's more known for being preoccupied with things like inventing (and reinventing) himself, exploring and capturing ineffable group mojo, or pushing the envelope toward things he has yet to try or accomplish. And, as many longtime Krantz fans would surely tell you, rightfully so. ...

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Extended Analysis

The Complete Arista Albums Collection

Read "The Complete Arista Albums Collection" reviewed by John Kelman


When fusion first emerged in the late 1960s/early '70s with artists like trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Chick Corea and guitarist John McLaughlin, the emphasis was on guitar and keyboard heavy lineups like Return to Forever and Mahavishnu Orchestra, with an equally strong predilection for the intensity and volume of rock and a kind of thundering funk that was different than the kind of music coming from R&B and soul artists like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire. Parallel to ...

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Recording

"Late Show" Bassist Will Lee Releases New CD His First (as a leader) In 20 Years: Love, Gratitude and Other Distractions

"Late Show" Bassist Will Lee Releases New CD His First (as a leader) In 20 Years: Love, Gratitude and Other Distractions

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations

A brilliant showcase for Will’s talents as a singer, songwriter and bassist, Love, Gratitude and Other Distractions (Sinning Saint Ltd. / August 20, 2013 release) also has the consummate team player getting a little help from his friends on this long-overdue second outing as a leader. Being the hardest working man in show business has been a boon to Will Lee’s career but prevented the ubiquitous bassist from diligently pursuing his own personal recording projects over the years. Between his ...

216

Recording

New CD from Toph-E & the Pussycats, "No Ordinary Day" Feat. Cliff Carter, Will Lee, Ralph Macdonald, David Mann, Chris Parker

New CD from Toph-E & the Pussycats, "No Ordinary Day" Feat. Cliff Carter, Will Lee, Ralph Macdonald, David Mann, Chris Parker

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations

No Ordinary Day Toph-E & the Pussycats M'Bubba Music 10052 October 26 Release Featuring: Clifford Carter-piano / keyboards Will Lee-bass & vocals Ralph MacDonald-percussion David Mann-tenor / soprano saxophones Chris Parker-drums Now in their 10th year, Toph-E and the Pussycats is a group of well-respected and professional musicians (Clifford Carter, Will Lee, Ralph MacDonald, David Mann, and Chris Parker) who share a great love for rhythm ...

265

Recording

Dean Brown with Dennis Chambers and Will Lee Release "DBIII: Live in Tokyo"

Dean Brown with Dennis Chambers and Will Lee Release "DBIII: Live in Tokyo"

Source: Michael Ricci

For his third outing as a leader, guitarist Dean Brown called on two longtime friends to complete a potent power trio. And in bassist Will Lee and drummer Dennnis Chambers, he wound up with the ultimate rhythm section. Together this dream team lays down some seriously funky grooves while interacting in the moment with jazzy abandon on DBIII: Live in Tokyo. Recorded in the heart of the Japanese metropolis at The Cotton Club, this vibrant live recording captures the earth-shaking ...

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Recording

Pianist Mike Catalano gets Will Lee, Bob James, Chuck Loeb, Ivan Lins and more on his debut CD, "A Manhattan Affair"

Pianist Mike Catalano gets Will Lee, Bob James, Chuck Loeb, Ivan Lins and more on his debut CD, "A Manhattan Affair"

Source: Michael Ricci

Pianist Mike Catalano teams up friends and favorite talents to make this dream come true. Beginning with his co-producer Will Lee, veteran bassist, vocalist, producer (Oh, The Fab Faux, Late show with David Letterman,), and arranger Rob Mounsey (Dave Koz At the Movies, Aaron Neville, Natalie Cole, Ivan Lins, Michael Franks, Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Flying Monkey) and rounded up a virtual who's who of the contemporary jazz and jazz industry as guests and musicians Ivan Lins, Bob ...

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Performance / Tour

Tabitha Fair Will Lee, John Chapman, Ralph MacDonald at the Iridium Sunday, Nov.14 6.30-8.00p.m.

Tabitha Fair Will Lee, John Chapman, Ralph MacDonald   at the Iridium Sunday, Nov.14  6.30-8.00p.m.

Source: All About Jazz

IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121 Sunday, Nov. 14, Classic Night Club Hour 6.30-8.00p.m. $20 Entrance $15 Drinks ($10 more for whole evening) TABITHA FAIR WILL LEE, JOHN CHAPMAN, RALPH MACDONALD & MORE Arthur Pomporello is set to give the Iridium audience a real gem bringing together Tabitha Fair, Will Lee, John Chapman, Ralph McDonald (and others!) for the “Classis ...

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Wig Glue (Single)

Self Produced
2023

buy

What is Hip?

Mango Eater MUSIC
2022

buy

Just Chillin

Self Produced
2021

buy

Write Out Your Head

Abstract Logix
2020

buy

Snapdragon

Abstract Logix
2020

buy

Search For...

World Alert Records
2020

buy

Videos

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