Beyond the Bass Clef
by Tony Levin

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Book Reviews of Beyond the Bass Clef

Book Review: "In the beginning there was a bass."
Summary: 4 Stars

[ahem] - sorry about that. Ok, so this book really isn't much more than a quick, brisk read about the life of one particular working musician, but I've greatly enjoyed it all the same. I'll admit to being quite biased since I've admired Tony for years; anyone who isn't either a musician or a fan of his work (or both) might not get quite the same enjoyment I did. The overall tone is one of friendly storytelling, the kind that keeps people up in small bars until closing time trading one quick anecdote after another. Expect much more and you'll probably be disappointed.

There are some nice thoughts on general road life and developing one's playing/performance skills, but the real meat of the book is a gathering of numerous little snapshots of Tony's musical career. There are glimpses of life working with King Crimson, touring with Peter Gabriel (and some of the wacky stuff the band got up to along the way), doing various sessions or gigs with just about half the musicians on the planet, some of the difficulties of traveling in foreign countries, and some interesting background on his own life and solo work. Sometimes it wanders a little too far into aimless randomness, such as his descriptions of some early public performances as a youngster (including the day he almost shot President Kennedy), but overall it was enough to keep me smiling and laughing until the last page. We learn where that burned-barn picture on the Thrakattak insert came from, how to conduct an interview with oneself for a magazine when the regular guy is too busy, some of the hazards of working for Buddy Rich, and even pick up a nice recipe or two along the way.

So there you have it. You've heard this guy play somewhere, whether you realize it or not; for those who do, here's a nice way to take a closer look. Just beware of those fast high notes...

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