speaking, how do you decide
which projects to take on, and
whether or not it’s a good fit on
all sides?
RS: I’ve always wanted to be an
equal opportunity musician, sty-
listically speaking, because I think
the more styles you play, the better
your overall feel becomes for ev-
erything. I listen to the music and
see if it’s something that I can con-
tribute to and/or learn from.
CM: You’ve performed with some
of the world’s best drummers
and percussionists throughout
your career. In your experience,
what are the key ingredients for
a killer collaboration between
drums and bass – and anyone
else in the rhythm section, for
that matter – and how do you
approach those collaborations to
ensure the best possible results?
RS: I always try to respect the music
first – know the song and respect
the arrangement before I embel-
lish it or am asked to. I think great
rhythm sections are about listening
to each other, not just yourself, and
respecting space and the other
players.
Rhonda Smith
Over the course of an
enviable career spanning
decades, Rhonda Smith
developed a stellar reputation
for her low-end prowess. A
longtime collaborator of the
late and legendary Prince,
she has also performed with
the likes of Beyonce, T.I.,
Erykah Badu, Chaka Khan,
Lee Ritenour, Patti Labelle,
and George Clinton. She has
two solo albums to her name
with more on the way, and
lately has been the go-to
bassist for guitar icon Jeff
Beck.
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PRS Private Stock Gary
Grainger 4-String Bass
PRS Private Stock 5-String Bass
Aguilar Amplification DB 751
Head
Aguilar Amplification DB 810
Cab
Aguilar Amplification AG 700
Head
Aguilar Amplification 112 &
212 Cab
Aguilar Amplification Agro
54 CANADIAN MUSICIAN
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Bass Overdrive
Aguilar Amplification Octamizer
MXR Chrous Pedal
MXR Envelope Filter
MXR Volume Pedal
MXR ISO Bricks
Dunlop Deja-Vu Delay
DigiTech Whammy
Rodenberg GAS-707 Boost
TC Electronic Ditto
CM: What’s the most recent
piece you’ve added to your rig
and how did it earn the spot?
RS: An F-Bass AC5 fretless that
is totally amazing – and made in
Canada, by the way! They make the
best fretless basses that I’ve tried
so far, so they own the spot!
CM: Though you’ve been per-
forming steadily alongside Jeff
Beck of late, you’ve shared the
studio and stage with a very di-
verse group of artists. Generally
CM: It’s been over a decade since
RS2, your last collection of origi-
nal material. Are you doing much
composition these days, and are
there any plans to release more
under your own name down the
road?
RS: I’m just about to mix as we
speak, so yes, I will have new re-
leases of my original material this
year!
CM: To close us off, is there
anything technical you’ve been
working on lately, or that you’d
like to start working on in order
to further your playing?
RS: Never just one thing. Bass
and music are always a constant
challenge for improvement in my
world. Whether it’s listening, play-
ing, practicing, writing, or editing,
it all affects the same outlet in the
end! It’s just a beautiful black hole
that never ends...