Hank Van Sickle

Hank Van Sickle
Van Sickle with John Mayall, performing in Hilo, Hawaii February 4th, 2006
Background information
Born	31 December 1961 (1961-12-31) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania United States
Genres	Blues rock, Jazz fusion, Americana, Blues
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Bass guitar, Upright bass
Labels	Eagle, Rounder, Cleopatra, Storyville, Del-Fi, Private Stash Records
Associated acts	John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
Website	Hank Van Sickle website

Hank Van Sickle (born December 31, 1961, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an electric and upright bassist currently living and working in Los Angeles, California. He is a session musician who has worked in a variety of genres, but primarily draws from Americana, blues rock, jazz, and rock music.

Biography

Van Sickle was raised in a family of musicians. His father, Rodney Van Sickle is a classically trained double bassist who graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and played in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. His sister Lucy Van Sickle is a singer and blues harmonica player living in Pittsburgh.

Van Sickle recorded and toured as a member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers from mid 2000 through the end of 2008. According to John Mayall, he has the longest tenure of any other bass players to perform with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers' long and storied past.

Other artists Van Sickle performed with include Jimmy Smith, Mick Taylor, Robben Ford, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Taj Mahal, Candye Kane, Guitar Shorty, Smokey Wilson, American Idol stars tour, Denny Freeman, Don and Dewey, Kirk Fletcher, The Drifters, Rosie Flores, Wanda Jackson, James Intveld, Billy Swan, Yma Sumac, Judy Tenuta, Ray Campi, Floyd Sneed, Beach Cities Symphony, and Friends of Dean Martinez.

Discography

With John Mayall

• "In the Palace of the King" (Eagle Records)
• "Essentially John Mayall" (Eagle Records)
• "Road Dogs" (Eagle Records)
• "70th Birthday Concert featuring Eric Clapton, Chris Barber and Mick Taylor" (Eagle Records) (DVD and CD)
• "Stories" (Eagle Records)
• "Cookin' Down Under" (Private Stash Records) (DVD)
• "No Days Off" (Private Stash Records)

Hank Van Sickle (background) and John Mayall (The Bluesbreakers at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge, November 2006)

With other artists

With Friends of Dean Martinez:

• "Retrograde" (Sub Pop).
• "Keep Left, Vol. 1: A Benefit for David Barsamain and Alternative Radio" (Go Big)

With Skip Heller:

• "Couch, Los Angeles (Couch 2.0)" (Jewbilee)
• "Career Suicide: The Essential Skip Heller" (Dionysus)
• "Couch, Los Angeles" (Mouthpiece/Rounder)
• "St. Christopher's Arms" (Mouthpiece/Rounder)

With Steamin' Stan Ruffo and the Instigators:

• "Jump On This!" (Sho' Nuff)
• "Blues On Tap, Volume One" (Sho' Nuff)
• "Santa Cruz Blues" (Bluestraxx)
• "More Desaster City Blues" (Taxim)

With others:

• Rod Piazza and The All Mighty Flyers: "Almighty Dollar" (Delta Groove)
• Todd Rundgren: "Todd Rundgren Reconstructed" (Cleopatra)
• Wyland Blues Planet Band: "Blues Planet" (Wyland Records)
• Ian Whitcomb and Skip Heller: "Barenstark Bear Essentials" (Bear Family)
• Barry Levenson: "The Late Show" (Rip Cat Records)
• Barry Levenson featuring Johnny Dyer: "Hard Times Won" (Storyville)
• The Blue Dahlia: "A Tribute to Frank Sinatra" (Cleopatra)
• Sugaray: "Blind Alley" (www.sugarayblues.com)
• Lisa Finnie: "Lisa Finnie" (Chirp)
• Dennis Herrera Blues Band: "Blues Well Done!" (JulDen)
• Rocky Jackson: "Testify!" (High Life Records)
• Bob Pacemaker Newham and the Blue Vanguards: "So Cal Barbeque" (Self Produced)
• Gedina Jean Bergstrom: "Introducing Gedina Jean" (Self Produced)
• Indigo Triangle: "Code of the Heart" (Mountain Castle Music)
• Claudia Russell: "Ready to Receive" (Radio Rhythm Records)
• Anny Celsi: "Little Black Dress & Other Stories" (Ragazza Music)
• Rip Masters: "Big Red '57" (Rattler)
• Rudy Rotta: "Some of my favorite songs for..." (Sling Slang)
• Billy Sheets: "Please Tell Me Why" (Big Clock)
• Dennis Spencer: "They Call Me The Tall Guy" (Tall Guy Music)
• Farina: "Shots in the Dark" (Del-Fi)
• Edwing Sankey: "Trapdoor" (Positone)

External links

• Hank Van Sickle website
• Hank Van Sickle Myspace site