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Hi, I'm Hank Van Sickle. I play both electric and upright bass. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pa., I currently live in Southern California.
I got a good start from my dad
Rodney, who graduated from the
Curtis Institute of Music
and played double bass with the
Pittsburgh Symphony, the
Cleveland Orchestra
and
Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
I'm well schooled in blues, jazz and americana.
I'm experienced in folk, rock, rockabilly, symphonic, theater/pit orchestra, soul/funk/R&B, country, punk, world, pop, etc. etc.
I love lots of different music, and I'm open to playing just about any kind of music.
From August 2000 thru December 2008 I played all over the world with
John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. During that time I got to play with some genuine icons:
Eric Clapton,
Steve Miller,
Larry Coryell,
Gary Moore,
Peter Green,
Kim Simmonds,
Mick Fleetwood, and many more. At the end of 2008, John stopped using the Bluesbreakers, so I'm the last Bluesbreaker bassist and according to John, had the longest tenure of any Bluesbreaker bassist. I'm honored to have shared the bass chair with greats
Jack Bruce,
John McVie,
Larry Taylor,
Victor Gaskin, and all the others. I've got huge respect for all the Bluesbreakers alumni. All top notch musicians.
Other tours include:
Mick
Taylor,
Robben Ford,
Candye Kane,
Rosie Flores,
Sugaray Rayford,
James Intveld,
Kirk Fletcher,
Friends of Dean Martinez, and American Stars of American Idol.
Other noteable folks I've worked with include:
Jimmy Smith,
Yma Sumac,
Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers,
Taj Mahal,
Debbie Davies,
Gary Myrick,
Wanda Jackson,
Judy Tenuta
and the
Beach Cities Symphony.
I've played in every country in Western Europe, Scandinavia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Lebanon, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and 47 of the 50 states in the USA.