Foley (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Foley
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Foley performing at Jazz à la Villette, France 2017
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Joseph Lee McCreary, Jr. |
| Also known as | Foley |
| Born | November 6, 1962 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Origin | Columbus, OH |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, post-bop, Funk, Funk Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, photographer |
| Instruments | leadBASS, bass, drums, guitar, singing |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Labels | Motown, SmartAlecRECORDS |
| Associated acts | Miles Davis, Lenny White, George Clinton, Prince |
Foley (born Joseph Lee McCreary, Jr. on November 6, 1962) is an American musician. He is known for playing the bass guitar, drums, and singing. He became famous as the "lead bassist" for the legendary jazz artist Miles Davis. Foley played with Davis from 1987 until 1991.
Contents
Music Journey
Foley was born in Columbus, Ohio. As a kid, he enjoyed listening to the band Sly and the Family Stone. When he was 12, his mother bought him a bass guitar. He started playing with local bands.
Joining Miles Davis
In 1987, Foley talked on the phone with Marcus Miller. Miller was Miles Davis's bass player at the time. Foley sent Miller a tape of his music. A few weeks later, Miles Davis himself called Foley. Davis had heard the tape and asked for his own copy. Miles Davis was looking for a guitarist. However, Foley had been working on making his bass sound like a guitar. By May 1987, Foley was touring with Miles Davis. He continued to play with him until late 1991.
Other Music Work
In 1993, Foley played a special "lead bass" solo. This was on the song "So Fine" by the R&B group Mint Condition. This song became a Top 40 hit. He also played on their album From the Mint Factory.
Later in 1993, Foley released his own album. It was called 7 Years Ago...Directions in Smart-Alec Music. This album came out when he was working with Motown Records.
Foley's unique "lead bass" was featured in an exhibition. This was at the Cité de la Musique in Paris, France. The exhibition celebrated Miles Davis.
How He Plays
Foley developed a special way of playing the bass. He tuned his bass guitar much higher than a normal bass. He used thin strings called piccolo bass strings. He also used different sound effects. This made his bass sound like a lead guitarist's instrument. This is why he is called a "lead bassist."
Music He Released
As the Main Artist
Foley has released several albums as the main artist:
- 7 Years Ago ... Directions In Smart-Alec Music (1993)
- Smart Alec Music? (1997)
- Life without Dat Vol.1 (2001)
- IN My Life (2002)
- Tryin Mai Nerves (Single) (2004)
- The Lost Sessions: LA (2017)
Playing with Other Artists
Foley has also played with many other famous musicians. He played on albums for:
- George Clinton
- Miles Davis (on many albums, including Amandla and Dingo)
- Paolo Rustichelli
- Keith Staten
- Lenny White
- Arrested Development
- Kenny Garrett
- Mint Condition
- Parliament-Funkadelic
- Mavis Staples
- Talib Kweli
- Vanessa Williams (as an engineer on The Comfort Zone)
