Missionaria Protectiva

     It can be easy to overlook McCartney's skills as a bassist for two excuses:           a) he was in the Beatles,their myth still writ so large deconstructing it seems counterproductive           b) Paul plays basically all instruments ever made,most of them quit well      But if one sets the mania aside and pays close attention to certain Beatles and Wings songs,McCartney's bass moves are almost blindsiding.He approaches the instrument from a composer's perspective:McCartney knows the essence of melody better than any of his peers,and his incredibly mobile bass lines for tracks like 'Something' and 'Taxman' casually take flight off harmonies most players would have to flight to locate. BEATLES Abbey Road Apple,1969 https://www.sendspace.com/file/rp9inx

     Wearer of many hats,Knopfler is not only a guitarist,but also a record producer,film score composer,singer and songwriter...An impressive performer on his own,he has also joined the stage with artists including Sting,Bob Dylan and James Taylor.Known best as lead guitarist for Dire Straits,Knopfler's solos are so impressive and intricate that listening to them can leave the listener a bit exhausted themselves.With four Grammys under his belt,and three (!) honorary doctorate degrees in music,it's safe to say that Knopfler is pretty well rounded,not just as a guitarist but a musician. LOCAL HERO Vertigo,1983 https://www.sendspace.com/file/lkrb99

      Kelly was studying electronics and playing with local Essex prog rock band Chemical Alice when Marillion came calling in 1981. He’s been with the band ever since, his trademark swirling keyboards very much informing the early Marillion sound. Alongside founder member Steve Rothery, he is Marillion’s longest serving member. He’s also performed with Travis, Ayreon, DeeExpus and Edison’s Children, and is credited as being the man behind the crowdfunding proposal for the band’s Anoraknophobia album, which inspired Pledge and other business models.      MARILLION       Real To Reel       EMI,1984 https://www20.zippyshare.com/v/0iCmaw5b/file.html

     Dapper,less visibly ravaged by chemical abuse and above all classy,Charlie Watts is the easiest member of the band to spot on stage,which means he's the one who blends in most easily offstage.Aside from a period of heavy drinking,Watts never lived much like a rock star and actually tends to be more of a jazz fan than a rock'n'roller.Interesting irony that,given he's drummed for five decades in one of the most massively successful rock bands of all time,Yet Watts plays some pretty mean rock'n'roll drums.For a jazz guy,he tends to exercise restraint,and tends to play in the service of the song,and on stage,he's incredibly refined,never becoming the embodiment of the wild,hairy Muppet that graces the top of this feature.So it's a  wonder those drums have so much kick.Plenty of drummers fall miserably at trying to be Buddy Rich,not enough succeed at trying to be Charlie Watts. CHARLIE WATTS QUINTET Warm & Tender Continuum,1993 https...

     Robbie Shakespeare straddles two distinct eras in Jamaican music.In the '70s he was an indispensable session player,his mark left on records by Bunny Wailer,Dennis Brown,Black Uhuru and countless others.His place in history was perhaps secured,though,by his work as one half of production duo Sly & Robbie.They were at the vanguard of the 'rub a dub' style which placed digital programming and computer assistance at the heart of reggae production.Records by Grace Jones,Herbie Hancock and Ini Kamoze were unfamiliar and challenging in their day.Shakespeare and Dunbar would move on to spearhead dancehall in the '90s,producing Chaka Demus & Piers' breakout recordings. SLY & ROBBIE Language Barrier Island,1985 https://www.sendspace.com/file/fpgbi6