Love, Gratitude and Other Distractions

Best known for his presence in Paul Shaffer\'s CBS Orchestra on the *Late Show with David Letterman*, Will Lee began his musical life as a drummer before switching to another side of the rhythm section on bass guitar. Lee\'s ability to play anything put in front of him and to play it well has been his blessing and his curse. It\'s kept him fully employed but rarely working on his own music. This is his first album in 20 years, and the guests come out to welcome him back, with Shaffer, ZZ Top\'s Billy Gibbons, Steve Lukather, Pat Metheny, Steve Gadd, Narada Michael Walden, Bob James, Chuck Loeb, and Allen Toussaint all working alongside Lee. But to hear a pop song as easeful as \"Miss Understanding\" is to know that a first-rate singer and tunesmith lurks under the session man\'s role. A version of Toussaint\'s \"Get Out of My Life Woman\"—with Toussaint, of course—is strong and vibrant. \"Papounet\'s Ride\" lets him play incredibly active bass lines among the smoother guitars chords that swirl around the instrumental track.