Veteran LA session musician Jason Sinay has played alongside with Keith Richards, Neil Young, Bob Weir and Joe Bonamassa. He’s best-known for his 20-year tenure with Mike Campbell’s Dirty Knobs. Now that’s done, he’s paying homage to Jerry Garcia in song and as a board member of Grateful Guitars.
As someone with a philanthropic aspect to his life, Sinay explains, he felt it was important to become part of the organization that obtains high-quality instruments for talented musicians, aiming to continue the tradition of jam bands.
“I was like, ‘How am I not already involved with this?’ I'm going to do all I can. I have a Gibson Les Paul that I never play – I’d love to see it in the hands of the right player.”
Along with being influenced by Jimmy Page, you had a jazz-leaning guitar teacher early on. How did you merge those styles?
“The key was when I discovered Jerry Garcia. The two worlds came together because of the [Grateful] Dead. One of my happiest days was when I opened a piece of sheet music, there was an Emaj7 chord in it, and I knew how to play it!”
You’ve played alongside several incredible players. What was it like jamming with Keith Richards?
“In LA, there was a Monday night jam that a lot of session guys were doing, run by Waddy Wachtel. You never knew who was going to come through. One night it was at capacity; I knew the Stones were in town, but I didn’t know Keith would be there.
“It was a complete and utter shock to my system – I’m such a huge Keith freak. We did Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Wild Horses and a few other Stones classics. I had known his guitar tech, Pierre de Beauport, for years; Pierre was like, ‘Keith’s using your rig!’ So that was really great.”
You’ve also played with Bob Weir.
“I got to play with Bob a few times, mostly through Mike Campbell during my tenure with The Dirty Knobs. We opened for a lot of great bands. I ended up on some really cool concerts that Bob was a guest at. It was a dream to play Jerry Garcia’s parts next to Bob Weir.”
How about Joe Bonamassa?
“I met Joe through Norman Harris. We were both at a benefit show and when I got in, Joe was sitting in with the band onstage. Norm was like, ‘Dude, you have to go on next.’ I’m like, ‘I’m following him? You can’t do that to me! Let a few other people go first!’
“Then Norm was like, ‘Do you want to play with Joe?’ Before I could say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ Norm brings Joe over, introduces me, and tells him, ‘Jason wants to play a set.’
“I’m like, ‘I don’t even know what we’re doing!’ but Joe was so gracious and sweet. It didn’t matter what we played – he fit right in it. From there, we formed a really nice relationship; we’ve done a couple of shows together.”
How about jamming with Neil Young?
“I was doing a show in LA and we were rocking. I looked out into the audience and saw Neil in the middle, and I froze! It’s all on video. You can see where I play the wrong note when I recognize him!
“On break I went backstage, and Neil comes in and he’s talking to me. I’m just standing there like an idiot, totally starstruck – Neil and Bob Dylan are the two that just freaked me out.
“He wasn’t planning to play that night but he was like, ‘Do you want to play Down by The River?’ It’s one of my favorite songs. He went onstage and just schooled us. Part of it was the way he set up the groove.
“He didn’t start singing until we were really in the pocket. Everyone was so excited that we were rushing, and he just held it down. We ended up playing a good hour-and-a-half set with him.”
I had a lot of studio experience, but I was barely equipped to handle what was being thrown at me
You played on Toots & the Maytals’ Light Your Light with Derek Trucks. How did that shake out?
“That was a really interesting session. They had a tune that needed slide guitar and they thought, ‘Jason plays great slide.’ I went in and played slide, but unfortunately Toots wasn’t there; it was a cool, quick session.
“Then I got a call and they said, ‘We’ve got Derek Trucks.’ I’m like, ‘Okay… I’m no longer on the record!’ It happens. Sometimes we end up on the record, and sometimes we end up replacing other people. So they took me off and put Derek on.
“But Toots was like, ‘I like both slide parts. Can we have them played at the same time?’ So without Derek ever even hearing my part, he played totally around what I played, and it created this really cool texture. I was thrilled. I think Derek is the greatest slide player in the world. To be on a track with him was a huge boost for me.”
How did you meet Mike Campbell, leading to your tenure in the Dirty Knobs?
“I became close with Don Smith, who produced my band Five Easy Pieces. Don and Mike were tight friends, and Mike even played on a Five Easy Pieces record – we weren’t in the room but he laid down these crazy guitar parts… that I ended up having to play live for two years!
“One day Don said, ‘I want you to come to this session at a house. Bring a Gretsch and a small amp.’ I had a really crappy Gretsch at the time, so I brought that and a little Princeton Revery. When the door opened at the house it was Mike Campbell.
“I’m looking at Mike, like, ‘What am I doing here?’ He’s like, ‘Can I help you?’ I’m like, ‘I’m Jason…’ He’s like, ‘Oh, yeah – come on in, man!’ I’m like, ‘Am I being punked? What is this?’
“The Heartbreakers were on a break at the time, but Mike can’t stop writing songs. He wanted a full band, even though he could play the instruments himself. He needed a rhythm guitar player; I guess he’d told Don, ‘I don’t want some flashy dude.’ So there I was.
“We starting tracking songs very, very quickly. Mike was teaching me on the spot – ‘here’s the verse, here’s the chorus’ – and these guys don’t work like normal people; they work at light speed. I had a lot of studio experience, but I was barely equipped to handle what was being thrown at me.
Having to take a solo after that guy is hard. People don’t know Mike is one of the most proficient players out there
“I got through the day. It wasn’t fun; it was exciting to be around those guys but it was hard work. Don and I went to dinner, and I’m like, ‘I’m so sorry I let you down.’ He’s like, ‘You did great, dude! You didn’t overplay. You were in the pocket. If you weren’t, Mike would have thrown you out after two songs. That’s how these guys are – they’d just close the sessions down.’
“Two days later Mike called and was like, ‘Would you like to come back and do more?’ That’s how it started.
“Sometimes we’d do up to 15 tracks in a day – good, solid takes. Going to Berklee, all the lessons I’d taken and all the stuff I’d worked on before barely prepared me for how much I learned from Mike. It was a different level.”
How did Mike change you as a guitarist?
“For one, I’d sometimes question a lot of the organic stuff I came up with. But Mike is so part-oriented – there’s not a wasted note. I learned very quickly how to fit in not only with his guitar parts but with the whole track. I found that a lot of what I was doing organically was working, and that’s why Mike liked playing with me.
“Having to take a solo after that guy is hard. I learned a lot about forming solos, motifs, beginning, middle, and end. People don’t know Mike is one of the most proficient guitar players out there. He can play any style up and down the neck.
“So you not only have to be proficient, but creative and organic. I’m 10 times better a guitar player after working with him.”
Where do you go from here?
“I’m working on this really cool project – a lot of Grateful Dead music, so it’s really challenging. I’m doing sessions as they come, but right now I’m really trying to take my guitar playing to the next level by working on my dexterity.
“I’ve been playing for close to 50 years and it takes a toll on your hands after a while. Some mornings I’ve gotta play an extra half hour just to start playing. But I’m really excited.”
- Sinay’s new solo album The Mountain will be released in the near future. Check his website for updates.
