![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://bollspel.com/carmine-rojas-the-stories-behind-recording-lets-dance-and-working-with-stevie-ray-vaughan/&media=https://bollspel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/17836-carmine-rojas-the-stories-behind-recording-lets-dance-and-working-with-stevie-ray-vaughan.jpg&description=Learn about the legendary bassist Carmine Rojas and his experiences recording "Let's Dance" with David Bowie and working with guitar icon Stevie Ray Vaughan. Gain insight into the stories behind these iconic recordings.){kind=link}
- Features
“I got a call from David Bowie’s people to record Let’s Dance. I became a big advocate of Stevie Ray Vaughan in the studio. Nobody else could play like him”: Session bass great Carmine Rojas shares the stories behind his awe-inspiring resume
(Image credit: Getty Images)
If you’re looking for a bassist capable of injecting doses of R&B, rock, blues and more into your musical cocktail, look no further than Carmine Rojas.
Born in Brooklyn in 1953, Rojas came of age in the ‘60s as music exploded into a kaleidoscope of differing genres. He traveled to Europe to hone his bass chops before heading back Stateside to grab the gig of a lifetime with David Bowie, who was about to record landmark 1983 record Let’s Dance.
“By that point, I had learned that as a musician, you need to be ready – no matter what – for when the calls come in,” Rojas tells Bass Player. “Otherwise they’ll call somebody else.”
Thankfully, Rojas was available, secured the gig without an audition, and was thrown into the studio alongside Stevie Ray Vaughan en route to one of David Bowie’s best albums.
“Criminal World is a great example of what I did there,” he says of his approach to the work. “At that time, I was all about blending English-based rock with American R&B. China Girl is another example of how I could experiment that way. I loved that David never repeated himself, which was an interesting experience.”
Rojas later lent a hand to Alphaville, Julien Lennon, Rod Stewart and Joe Bonamassa. He’s hung around with Richie Sambora, Keith Richards, and most recently, Billy Gibbons. But as glamourous as it sounds, he says life in music is often about survival.
“The big thing is staying fluid, and avoiding the superficial bullshit,” Rojas argues. “Sticking to who I am, staying true, and being at the right place at the right time has been my gospel.
“I stay professional, be on time, do my homework and stay supportive. That’s what true greatness in music is all about. The other angular stuff you can mention has nothing to do with moving forward.
“Life will test your shit to see if you’re strong enough. You must be tough to navigate it all. But more importantly, you must be sincere. Being that has probably saved my life.”
What inspired you to pick up the bass?
“I originally wanted to be a drummer, but that didn’t go well! So I gravitated toward bass because it sounded soothing – kind of like a warm blanket. I wasn’t too sure about it; I quit like three times. I got pushed back into it because a local R&B band needed help. But early on, I didn’t understand it; it wasn’t until I stopped trying that it came to me organically.