Darryl Jones

Interview

Darryl Jones - Stones’ side man, Ron Wood fan

“Unofficial” Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones, who replaced Bill Wyman in 1994, readily admits that playing with the carousing rockers has been a revelation compared to working with stern jazz masters like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Wynton Marsalis.

“What I’ve learned from Mick and Keith is that rock and roll is fun. It’s not supposed to be didactic or that you can’t make a mistake onstage. It should be loose and irreverent.”

Jones took that attitude to full use when performing on fellow Stone Ron Wood’s new album.

You play guitar on several tracks on Ron’s new album. How did the process differ from the Rolling Stones sessions you’ve done with him over the years?
The process was kind of the same, actually. We’d play through a tune, try it a few times, and if we came up with good ideas, he was willing to listen. You hope to get a good vibe on a song and build on it.

How would you describe the onstage communication that goes on between Ron and the rest of the band?
Well, that communication was really apparent between him and Keith from the moment I joined, even to the extent that sometimes it almost seems like there’s one guy with four hands playing the guitar. They definitely have something special together.

What was the first thing that impressed you about Ron’s guitar style?
One of the first things I noticed about Ron’s playing – and I would say this is also true about Keith Richards, as well, but more so with Ronnie – is that I immediately recognized how some of the musical choices he makes remind me of a bass player. He’s not playing bass lines, but there is something reminiscent of it in his and Keith’s playing.

Do they sometimes veer from the original recordings, or the way they usually perform them, that it throws you off?
I’ve been standing next to Keith onstage for so long, that I’ve learned that he never plays the same thing twice. Keith is one of the most improvisatory rock rhythm guitar players I’ve ever played with, and Ronnie’s pretty much the same. They’re always playing off each other.

What was your first personal impression of Ron?
He really loves people. That was one of the first things I learned about him the day I auditioned for the band. Ronnie came right up, shook my hand, smiled at me, and said, “Darryl, do you want a Guiness?” That was kind of his way of welcoming me to the band. He also definitely has some very childlike qualities that are really beautiful. He’s just a really sweet man.

What do you consider Ron’s most vital asset to The Rolling Stones?
He is just a very uniquely gifted musician. I don’t know anyone else who plays quite the way he does, and can also do all those different things, like play a lap-steel as easily as a B-bender guitar. He incorporates all of his instruments and everything he does into his own voice and musical style.

Source: http://www.vintageguitar.com/8472/darryl-jones/ accessed 1st July 2013


Biography

Darryl Jones (born December 11, 1961), also known as "The Munch", is an American bass guitarist. Jones began his notable career as a session musician, where he gained the experience and confidence to play with some of the most highly regarded recording artists, in jazz, blues, and rock music. Most recently, he has been best known in his role as bassist for The Rolling Stones since Bill Wyman's departure in 1993.

Jones was born in Chicago, Illinois. As a youth, his father, a drummer, supported his musical interests and initially taught his son to play the guitar. A neighbor who was a bassist convinced Darryl to switch to playing the bass instead. Jones attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale. One musician that Jones first played with in his studio sessions was the nephew of noted jazz musician Miles Davis, Vince Wilburn Jr. He told Jones that Davis was looking for a new bass player, and vouched for him. Jones called Davis, who gave him his first touring gig,[3] and for some years he was mentored by Davis, having joined his band in 1983. As a young protégé, Jones played bass guitar on the Miles Davis albums Decoy (1984) and You're Under Arrest (1985). Jones has worked with jazz recording artists who include Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Mike Stern, John Scofield, and Steps Ahead, as well as touring pop and rock artists Cher, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Madonna, Eric Clapton and Joan Armatrading.
Jones has performed and recorded with The Rolling Stones since founding bassist Bill Wyman's retirement in 1993. In the manner of other tour and recording sidemen for the band, such as saxophonist Bobby Keys and keyboardist Chuck Leavell, Jones' stage movement and audience interaction is low-key and he generally wears understated apparel on stage. He is a salaried employee and does not share financial participation in the band's worldwide publishing, recording and concert touring revenues. He is also a member of the Stone Raiders musical band.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darryl_Jones accessed 1st July 2013