Re: Robin Trower Band from a bass player's perspective.

   I had been waiting for this concert for over five months. Glenn and I had communicated by email in late 2008. At that time I learned that he was touring again and was with Robin, Davey and Pete. We began to look at the schedule and were fortunate enough to find that Robin and the band would be coming to Scottsdale, Arizona where we now live.

  To back up and put this into perspective, I started playing guitar in 1969. Robin became one
of my guitar favorites at an early age. In 1992 I made the change from playing guitar as my primary instrument to a passion for playing the bass. In 1993 I was fortunate enough to have moved to Northern California and through a mutual acquaintance, meet my good friend and bass mentor, Glenn Letsch.

   So here we are at the Martini Ranch. It's a double treat, Robin and Glenn plus Davey and Pete.
First of all there are few venues to match a live Trower concert. I have been to a lot of live performances over the years but the thing that first grabbed me at this concert was how solid and tight this band is together. To put that into perspective you have a "Blues" virtuoso in Robin and a band that is in complete lock step with him. Typically every blues band that I have seen
has been good but the arrangments are loose and are largely long solo's with little definitive arrangment. Not so here, Robin's solo's are masterpieces in themselves and have room for him to improvise but are always in the context of the song and arrangement.

Moving on to my review from a bass player's perspective. I began a serious pursuit when I met Glenn to become a "credible bass player".
If you are fortunate enough to either study with Glenn in California or via his internet classes. DO IT! Glenn is all about the groove! He will take you back to the beginnings, strip off the bad habits and emerse you in the masters: James Jamerson, Jaco, Bootsy.
He will take you to the heart and soul of R&B............

  As I listened to the concert you could see and hear Glenn's influences as well as his signature licks, but let's start with the foundation. Glenn instilled in me a great appreciation for "time". Glenn and Pete Thompson were locked in the groove like a precision watch. It's hard to explain in words what a beautiful thing that is unless you play bass or drums. When you are in groove it is magic.
  The next thing I keyed in on was the tone of the bass. Glenn has a custom line of basses he designed called "Pipemasters". Glenn has taken the best of a P-Bass and a Stingray and combined that to create a tone monster. The "bottom end" at the concert was perfect. Deep full tone, clear and not muddy. It filled the room along with Pete's kit and laid an incredible foundation for Robin.

  Glenn's playing is at the virtuoso level. Not saying that because he is my friend. This is an undisputed fact acknowledged by his peers in the industry. He approaches a song from the standpoint of "what does this rendition need". It is not about how many notes, riffs or scales you play but what is the song telling you? What do you feel? Does it fit with the rest of the band?
Simple roots, bring the Funk, four-in-the-floor rock and roll, jazz? These are all in his arsenal but only used to elevate the song.

As the concert went on you could hear Jamerson and Bootsy in Glenn's style but more importantly you could hear Glenn. His signature climbs, finger style funk, turnarounds, chords, it was all there.

Lastly Glenn never, never plays a note by accident. His contribution to the song is always thought out and rehearsed to perfection. Glenn's moto is to show up prepared, on time and with a good attitude. Nine times out of ten you will get the gig.

In closing. It was an incredible night. I wish all of you could have been there. If you ever get a chance to meet Glenn and/or study with him you will find him to be an incredibly nice and caring human being. When you study with Glenn it's not about him, it's all about imparting to you the great gift of music. I am fortunate to have him as a close friend.

Sincerely,

Bill Housley
Bass player for Wayne Rogers, Heads Up Music