Foley (musician)

Foley (born Joseph McCreary, Jr. 1962) is an American bassist and drummer who is best known as the "lead bassist" with Miles Davis from 1987 until 1991.[1]

Music career

Foley was born in Columbus, Ohio, where he began composing and recording his own music.[2]

Miles Davis came into contact with Foley via Marcus Miller.[3] Davis hired him after hearing a demo cassette in 1987.[4] He played 650 shows as a member of Davis's band [3] and appeared on the albums Amandla, Dingo, Live Around the World, and The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux.[5]

According to author George Cole, Davis gave Foley advice late in Foley's tenure with his band that changed the bassist's musical approach:

Ironically Miles died at the time when Foley was beginning to feel happy about his playing in Miles's band. "I didn't enjoy any performance with Miles for the most part until the last seven gigs before it was over – I started playing that gig," he says, "we were at Venice airport one night and he told me to play half of what I normally played. It really fucked me up the whole day and then I went on-stage and tried it and I began to realize that's what would make me phrase. That was the night I started to learn how to play."[6]

In 1993 he played a lead bass solo on Mint Condition's R&B Top 40 hit "So Fine" and the interlude track "Gumbo" from their album From the Mint Factory.

In 1993, during his time at Motown, Foley released 7 Years Ago...Directions in Smart-Alec Music. The album included "If It's Positive"[7], a song written to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. He performed this song live on BET's show Teen Summit in which host Belma Johnson took an HIV test and revealed the results on the air. That episode helped BET win their first NAACP Image Award. The video features guest appearances by Speech and Aerle Taree of Arrested Development. The video had heavy rotation on BET as well. Foley joined Arrested Development and can be seen in the group's "Ease My Mind" video and their appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show in which he served as music arranger. He toured with Arrested Development from 1993 to 1994, alternately playing bass with Arrested Development and drums with Fishbone, during Lollapalooza '93.

The Cité de la Musique showed a Miles Davis exhibition from October 16, 2009, to January 17, 2010, that included Foley's "lead bass".

He has shared the stage with Sly Stone, George Clinton, Santana, Herbie Hancock, Prince, Chaka Khan, Patrice Rushen, El DeBarge, Al Jarreau, Alice in Chains, Foreigner, Bootsy Collins, Fishbone, Arrested Development, David Sanborn, Jungle Bros., Macy Gray, Mint Condition, Monica, Davina, Larry Dunn, Lenny White, Marcus Miller, Res, Khaleel, and Primus.

He played drums on tour with George Clinton. In 2008, he served as music arranger for performances with George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love on The Tonight Show and The Late Show.

Technique

Foley tuned his bass nearly an octave higher than a standard bass guitar and processed it through various effects, allowing him to sound like a lead guitarist.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Franck Bergerot: Miles Davis de A à Z. Castor Music 2012, p. 140f.
  2. ↑ last.fm: Foley
  3. 1 2 thelastmiles.com: Interview: Foley
  4. ↑ John Szwed So What: The Life of Miles Davis Simon & Schuster 2001, S. 385
  5. 1 2 Cole, George. "Miles's Musician Profiles: Foley," The Last Miles, 2005. Last accessed March 6, 2006.
  6. ↑ books.google.de: The Last Miles: The Music of Miles Davis, 1980-1991
  7. ↑ "If It's Positive" music video on YouTube
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