Phish Bassist Mike Gordon Shares Memories Of Instructor Jim Stinnett
By Scott Bernstein Feb 9, 2021 • 8:49 am PST
Acclaimed bassist and longtime Berklee College Of Music instructor Jim Stinnett died on Sunday after suffering a heart attack two days prior according to a note from his family. One of Jim’s most famous students was Phish bassist Mike Gordon. Mike shared a remembrance of Stinnett in a video posted on his social feeds.
Mike sports a bass he played in the 1980s during the video. “He really did a lot for me and my playing,” Gordon said of his “first big bass mentor.” Gordon explained how he connected with Stinnett and some of what he learned from Jim. “When I went to his house it was like life lessons, discipline and being centered and grounded and to work hard,” Mike said.
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“Pick up your bass and practice, whatever you played yesterday, don’t play that or play it in a new way,” Stinnett told Mike. Gordon then showed off some of the techniques Stinnett taught him. “Condolences to his family and thank you for all you did to inspire me and help me, Jim Stinnett,” Gordon concluded.
Watch Mike Gordon’s tribute to Jim Stinnett below:
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Jim Stinnett was Phish’s special guest on December 29, 1995 at The Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts. Stinnett emerged towards the end of the second set to engage in a bass duel with Mike that incorporated portions of Bach’s “6th Brandenburg Concerto.” The jam led into the first Phish cover of ZZ Top’s “La Grange” in 216 shows.
Stream an audience recording of Phish’s December 29, 1995 show queued up to the bass duel below taped by Chad Clark-Amonra and shared by FromTheAquarium:
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Mike Gordon
Set 1: My Friend, My Friend > Poor Heart > Down with Disease > Taste That Surrounds > NICU > Stash, Fluffhead, Llama, Sweet Adeline
Set 2: Makisupa Policeman > Cars Trucks Buses, Bathtub Gin -> The Real Me -> Bathtub Gin -> McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters > Big Black Furry Creature from Mars > Jam [1] -> La Grange, Bouncing Around the Room, Fire
Encore: Golgi Apparatus
The Jam was a bass duet featuring Mike and his bass instructor, Jim Stinnett, as well a tease of Bachâs 6th Brandenburg Concerto (better known as the theme to Masterpiece Theatre). La Grange made its first appearance since August 14, 1993 (217 shows).
