Tal Wilkenfeld

[Pete Academy]

I remember posting clips of Tal some time ago and receiving responses that were extremely sexist, and referred to her success as being mainly a result of her alleged relationship with drummer Vinnie Colahouta. I'm struggling to uupload clips, but search her out on Youtube. She is absolutely world class.

[BassBus]

I think her success might also have something to do with her ability at playing the bass. I might be wrong though. [size=4] [/size]

[Japhet]

I think she is a very fine bassist. Live music is 'showbiz' and she brings more to the 'show' than bass playing alone. Not being sexist - that's just the way it is. She obviously caught Jeff Beck's eye.

[Pete Academy]

She's an amazing player.

[L_Bass_Dog85]

I don't want to come across sexist either but she is a stunner. To be honest, I did first hear her stuff on my drummers MP3 player. Didn't know what she looked like. Didn't care. Tal is a genius no matter how she looks.

[Mr. Foxen]

Larry knew it was coming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YO4rC3ZB7g

[chrismuzz]

She is an awesome player and musician, and proof that the bass is not just a boy's toy!

[Prunesquallor]

She has talent in spades. This keeps getting taken down, but we'll see how long this link lasts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2eOd4OcbFs

[Conan]

I think she's great. I also fancy her. Does that make me a bad person?

Oh sorry - is she the one on the right? I must have been looking at Jeff Beck then...

Edited March 19, 2013 by Conan

[Lynottfan]

Tal is something special, that is for sure. I must admit I preferred Rhonda Smith with Jeff Beck, she got more of a filthy funk thing than the Jazz thing for me, I notice that a lot of really good women players all seem to gravitate towards the J style bass to.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Lynottfan' timestamp='1363688913' post='2015747']
I notice that a lot of really good women players all seem to gravitate towards the J style bass to.
[/quote]

May have something to do with the top contour...

[KevB]

Lots of people are taken on in bands for their looks in addition to what they bring in musically, sometimes it overrides the musicality (though I doubt it is the case here due to the type of act Jeff Beck is). I don't think we need to get our knickers in a twist just because on this occasion it happens to be a young woman.

[hubrad]

I think that looks alone don't generally get you the gig with a decent band (thank goodness! ), although I vaguely remember a Bassist mag interview with the guy who was, at the time, Terence Trent D'Arby's bass player. He said he turned up for the audition, walked in the room, and the management said 'yes, you'll do nicely'. 'Don't you want to hear me play?' says he.. 'Nope, you look the part and you wouldn't be here if you couldn't play.'

[stingrayPete1977]

Is she really fit or is it just that she is a bass player? If I showed a picture of her to my none musical friends they would probably say she was ok but not super hot, Esperanza on the other hand

[chrismuzz]

I'd give her a go...

...on my bass She'd make it sound better than I ever could!

[BassBus]

Anyone who keeps the bass line to Stratus going without a mistake gets my vote. Don't care if they are good looking or not.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1363700208' post='2016047']
I think that looks alone don't generally get you the gig with a decent band (thank goodness! ), although I vaguely remember a Bassist mag interview with the guy who was, at the time, Terence Trent D'Arby's bass player. He said he turned up for the audition, walked in the room, and the management said 'yes, you'll do nicely'. 'Don't you want to hear me play?' says he.. 'Nope, you look the part and you wouldn't be here if you couldn't play.'
[/quote]

That would be Cass Lewis... also of Skunk Anansie and Gary Moore fame. He can play a fair bit.

[hubrad]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1363701112' post='2016068']
That would be Cass Lewis... also of Skunk Anansie and Gary Moore fame. He can play a fair bit.
[/quote]
Yes, I remember him going into detail about his FOUR finger plucking technique!!

[cytania]

Jeff Beck's playing seems to respond to a female bass player. Is she his on stage muse? Well, the relationship obviously works.

[4 Strings]

No question Tal's looks and seeming pleasant disposition helps to generate popularity among the men folk, but, like everyone(?) on here, I believe she's earned her place through hard work and being up to the job. She is amazingly talented but there are no short cuts to being able to play as well as she does.

I suppose it may be considered sexist to admit that all contributes to a bit of a soft spot, but how could it not? Bit of a different image to those who accompany Cee-Lo Green. No idea what the bass player's name is, never bothered to find out.

[thodrik]

This debate has been done before. Connections and appearance can be everything in the music industry, or any industry, irrespective of whether you are male of female. She is a very good player and doesn't deserve some of the flak she gets. However I don't think she deserves the over-the-top extra praise she seems to get on the basis of her being an attractive female. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

Personally I find her playing to be a too 'middle of the road' to warrant my attention, but that places her alongside many other very good players that do not interest me in the slightest.

[JTUK]

I think she is a lesson in slides and vibrato... sounds great..

[louisthebass]

Tal's a good player, and to echo a previous poster, it's sad that she gets a lot of flak. She's getting a lot of really good gigs with some top notch band leaders and fair play to her.

IMO this showcases her playing ability (thankfully this clip does not contain the cheesy tv interview):

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLEGQ4VO4Uo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLEGQ4VO4Uo[/url]

[White Cloud]

Tal is a great player, irrespective of sex, looks or anything else. Its a shame that she attracts flak

[icastle]

I was going to say that I've never heard of her then realised I must have because I seemed to remember saying that before...

Having watched the clip above, she's obviously a good player - she's fluid, she has good timing and counterpoints the rhythm nicely.
The musical style isn't for me though so I'm not really able to enthuse about it as much as she perhaps deserves.

As for the sex\looks part, she doesn't really tick any of my boxes and I'm absolutely certain that she'd say the same about me if the opportunity to say so arose.