(audience yelling)
- [Saxophone player] What do you think of Sam Sims!
(funk music)
(saxophone)
- [Sam] Man, you know, I've been really fortunate to play
with a lot of great artists over a 25, 30 year span.
(funk music)
I've been on stages all over the world,
and built relationships with these artists
that I truly respect.
Almost too many to count.
(funk music)
You know, I've backed them up musically,
to hopefully have them sound their best.
And all the while, I was just doing what I love.
(funk music)
(slapping the bass)
- I guess if I had to describe my relationship with music,
"student" would be my first term.
You know, just tryin' to develop my skills
in order to be the best that I can be.
I think after that I would say, "faith."
You have to jump out there on faith
and see if you can make a living doing it.
Now, the next word I would use, would be "destiny."
Because after being on a few tours
and doing some recording sessions,
and basically being in the business,
it became apparent that I'm meant to do this.
And I've always been a side man for the most part
but that's changing now.
(slapping the bass to recorded beats)
That's an idea that I wanna do, is that style of playing,
you don't really hear on pop R&B radio that much these days.
Everything's pretty smooth and synth-based,
so I'm tryin' to bring the funk back.
(slapping the bass)
Music in the 60s and 70s and 80s,
their records continue to sell,
and they continue to have extended careers
because for a lot of these young kids today,
these are new artists, this is new music to their ears.
(beats)
Back in the day, everybody was playing, back in the 70s,
everybody, it was no machines, it was all live.
(plucking the bass)
The way a song comes together,
it can be a number of different ways.
I try to write melodies that people can sing along to,
not too difficult.
Touches somebody.
Touches me. (laughing)
(funk music)
You know, I believe that I was put on this earth
to do exactly what I've been doing
for the last 25, 30 years.
And music has always been one of those things for me.
And it's a path that makes me feel alive.
A path that is always evolving,
with new chapters opening all the time.
So, I'm excited to write this next chapter.
Or should I say the soundtrack.
(funk music)
(audience yelling)