Editing Stuart Zender

{{Short description|British bass guitarist}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{multiple issues|{{BLP sources|date=May 2008}}{{cleanup list|date=December 2018}}}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name                = Stuart Zender
| background          = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| image               = 
| image_size          = 
| landscape           = yes
| caption             = 
| birth_name          = Stuart Patrick Jude Zender
| alias               = Stu, SZ
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1974|3|18}}
| birth_place         = [[London]], England
| origin              = [[Sheffield]], England
| genre               = {{flatlist|
* [[Acid jazz]]
* [[funk]]
* [[Pop music|pop]]
* [[hard rock]]
* [[alternative dance]]
}}
| occupation          = Musician
| instrument          = Bass
| years_active        = 1993–present
| past_member_of      = {{flatlist| 
* [[Jamiroquai]] (1993–1998)
}}
}}
'''Stuart Patrick Jude Zender''' (born 18 March 1974) is an English bassist. He is best known as a former member of the band [[Jamiroquai]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2011 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=9780857125958 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&q=stuart+zender&pg=RA2-PA1986 |accessdate=12 July 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

==Biography==

=== Early life ===
Zender was born in Sheffield, England. He comes from a family with a musical background: Zender's father was a musician, his uncle was a flamenco guitarist, and his older sister participated in [[Punk rock|punk bands]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Duff|first=S. L.|date=May 1997|title=Can Jamiroquai Take Over the World?|journal=[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]]|pages= 28–33}}</ref> His family relocated to [[Norristown, Pennsylvania]], when Zender was seven years old.<ref name=":0" /> He moved back to England at age 15,<ref name=":0" /> where he attended [[Leighton Park School]] in [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]], UK, for a year in 1988–89 before being expelled. Zender played the [[snare drum]]s for his school's marching band before he started to play bass at age 16. He practiced the instrument playing by ear to ''[[Black Market (Weather Report album)|Black Market]]'' by [[Weather Report]], and he was able to play all of the bass parts in two weeks.<ref name=":0" /> Before leaving his home at age 17, Zender's mother had saved for him £2,000 ({{Inflation|UK|2000|1991|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}) for the occasion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2009/10/an-interview-with-bassist-stuart-zender-progressive-rock-update-with-brad-houser/|title=An Interview With Bassist Stuart Zender: Progressive Rock Update With Brad Houser|website=bassmusicianmagazine.com|date=October 2009|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref> Zender initially played in pubs with a punk rock band, but he had creative differences with the band. He recalled being "stuck onstage, playing these little four-chord songs. I would always jazz the whole thing up and start doing solos and things like that, and they would just tell me to shut up."<ref name=":0" />

Zender admitted that he never had good business acumen, so instead of investing his mother's parting cash gift in a traditional way, he visited a music store and bought a [[Streamer Bass|Warwick Streamer]] bass guitar, which cost nearly the whole amount given to him by his mother. Before picking up a Warwick, Zender played a [[Music Man (company)|Music Man Stingray]] bass guitar. Of his early bands, the most famous was the prank rock group Fabulous, a 1991 outfit chiefly made up of ''[[NME]]'' writers and photographers.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

=== Jamiroquai (1993–1998) ===
Zender met Jamiroquai's original drummer Nick van Gelder through his sister.<ref name=":0" /> He auditioned for the band in 1993 as the band's bassist,<ref name=":1" /> and he played on studio albums from ''[[Emergency on Planet Earth]]'' (1993) to ''[[Travelling Without Moving]]'' (1996). From there, Zender was asked to become an official [[Warwick (bass guitar)|Warwick basses]] endorser.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} He received a number of unique customised [[Streamer Bass|Streamer]] models.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

Zender left Jamiroquai in 1998 during the recording of their fourth album, ''[[Synkronized]]'', primarily because of conflicts with the band leader [[Jay Kay]].<ref name=":38">{{cite journal |last=Mehle |first=Michael |date=9 July 1999 |title=Musical Two Rock Festivals Herald The Sounds Of Summer Mayhem Jamiroquai |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67486971.html/ |journal=[[Rocky Mountain News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121120328/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67486971.html/ |archive-date=21 November 2018}}</ref> A spokesperson for the band said that Zender also expressed his desire to spend more time with his then-girlfriend [[Melanie Blatt]] and their new baby.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Bassist Stuart Zender Leaves Jamiroquai |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/j367ci/bassist-stuart-zender-leaves-jamiroquai |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916003146/https://www.mtv.com/news/j367ci/bassist-stuart-zender-leaves-jamiroquai |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2022 |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=MTV |language=en}}</ref>

===1998–present===
After Jamiroquai, Zender had his own project with the British soul artist [[Don-E]] called ''AZUR'', which signed a record deal with [[D'Angelo]]'s label.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/321/don-e__right_down_to_the_letter|title=DON-E: Right down to the letter|website=Bluesandsoul.com|accessdate=21 September 2014}}</ref> However, the project was shelved and was then available on the Internet for a short time. He has also played bass guitar with other artists, including [[All Saints (group)|All Saints]], [[Omar Lye-Fook|Omar]], [[Lauryn Hill]], [[D'Angelo]], [[Gorillaz]], Samuel Purdey, [[Ms. Dynamite]] and [[Stevie Wonder]].

In summer 2006, Zender became the musical director and bass guitar player for [[Mark Ronson]]. The release of the album ''[[Version (album)|Version]]'' in 2007 proved to be a larger success than first expected. He has played bass guitar for Ronson at events such as [[BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend]], [[Wireless Festival]], [[Global Gathering]], and [[Glastonbury Festival|Glastonbury]], and festivals all over Europe, including [[Montreux Jazz Festival]] in Switzerland and [[North Sea Jazz Festival]] in Rotterdam. They were also special guests on [[Jay-Z]]'s UK tour.

Having left the Mark Ronson band in 2011, Zender started his own record label, White Buffalo Recordings, and formerly ran the [[music publishing]] company Made Youth Inc.

Some of Zender's most recent work was with the band Leroi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leroi - Stuart Zender music, videos, stats, and photos |url=https://www.last.fm/music/Leroi+-+Stuart+Zender |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=Last.fm |language=en}}</ref> Zender explained they were signed to [[Geffen Records]] in Los Angeles but that the deal fell through after the heads of the company, Polly Anthony and Jordan Shurr, who signed them, were made redundant.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

In March 2023, Zender released the song "Happy Feelings", featuring [[Omar Lye-Fook|Omar]] and [[Ana Tijoux]], on all major streaming platforms.<ref>{{Citation |title=Happy Feelings (feat. Omar & Ana Tijoux) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q43m8SrOUAo |access-date=2023-04-04 |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2024, Zender released the song "Run" (originally recorded in 2000) on all major streaming platforms under the alias '''LeRoi74'''.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyFWrDFHJQk |title=Run |date=2024-11-07 |last=LeRoi74 - Topic |access-date=2024-11-10 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>https://x.com/STUARTZENDER/status/1855017436552348077</ref>

==Artistry==
Zender has cited players such as [[Pleasure (American band)|Nathaniel Phillips]], [[Stanley Clarke]], [[Alphonso Johnson]], [[Chuck Rainey]], [[Larry Graham]], [[Bootsy Collins]], [[Verdine White]], [[James Jamerson]], [[Bernard Edwards]], [[Paul Jackson (bassist)|Paul Jackson]], [[Hellmut Hattler]] as his influences.<ref name="zendermusic">{{cite web |title=Biography |url=http://www.zendermusic.com/biography |url-status=live |publisher=Zendermusic.com |access-date=15 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215080150/http://www.zendermusic.com/biography |archive-date=15 December 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Zender and [[All Saints (group)|All Saints]] singer [[Melanie Blatt]] were in a relationship from 1998 to 2006. They had one child together, Lilyella, born on 20 November 1998.<ref name="birth">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/218465.stm New member for All Saints] Accessed 2 January 2006</ref> The couple split in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baxter-Wright |first1=Dusty |title=Celebrity Race Across The World: Who is Melanie Blatt? |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a45407322/melanie-blatt-age-career-timeline/ |website=[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]] |access-date=23 June 2024 |date=2 October 2023}}</ref><ref>[https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2001052460667/melanie/ FORMER ALL SAINT MELANIE BLATT SAYS SHES STRAPPED FOR CASH AND WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE RECORDING SOLO (Hello magazine, 23 May 2001)]</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Barbara |last=Ellen |title=Saintlier Than Thou |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/nov/05/popandrock4 |date=5 November 2006 |access-date=9 March 2025}}</ref>

==Equipment==
* 1x [[Warwick (bass guitar)|Warwick]] SZ Signature Bass 4-string.
* 1x [[Warwick (bass guitar)|Warwick]] SZ Signature Bass 4-string (Red one, saw live in Paris and Amsterdam for Mark Ronson).<ref>[http://lockerz.com/s/55281954] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406042849/http://lockerz.com/s/55281954|date=6 April 2012}}</ref>
* 1x [[Warwick (bass guitar)|Warwick]] SZ Signature Bass 4-string (White one, Zender posted the picture on Facebook).
* 1x Warwick "Iroquai Rug Bass" Streamer 5-string.
* 1x Warwick "The Chrome Ender Bass" Streamer Stage I 4-string.
* 1x Fender 1964 [[Fender Precision Bass|Precision Bass]].
* 1x Warwick Streamer Stage II 5-string (used in 1995 live).
* 1x [[Alembic Inc|Alembic]] Epic 4-string (onstage backup bass guitar).
* 1x Warwick Streamer Stage I 4-string.
* Ashdown Engineering ABM Amplification.
* Ashdown Engineering SZ Funk Face Twin Dynamic Filter Pedal – Stuart Zender Signature Auto-Wah Pedal

==Discography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ 
! Release
! Accompanying artist
! Role
! Membership
! Year
|-
| ''[[Emergency on Planet Earth]]'' (except "[[When You Gonna Learn|When You Gonna Learn (Digeridoo)]]")
| [[Jamiroquai]]
| Bass
| Ex-Member
| 1993
|-
| "Serengeti"
| Jessica Lauren
| Bass
| Guest
| 1993
|-
| In Concert-582
| [[Jamiroquai]]
| Bass
| Ex-Member
| 1994
|-
| ''[[The Return of the Space Cowboy]]''
| [[Jamiroquai]]
| Bass, [[Music composition|Composer]]
| Ex-Member
| 1994
|-
| "Lost Souls" – ''[[Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality]]'' / ''Feel The Music''
| [[Guru (rapper)|Guru]]
| Bass
| Guest
| 1995
|-
| ''[[Travelling Without Moving]]''
| [[Jamiroquai]]
| Bass guitar, Writer
| Ex-Member
| 1996
|-
| ''[[19 (Adele album)|19]]'' ("Cold Shoulder")
| [[Adele]]
| Bass guitar
| Guest
| 2008
|-
| ''Live from 6A – Late Night with Conan O'Brien''
| Various
| Bass guitar
| Guest
| (unknown)
|-
| ''[[The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill]]''
| Lauryn Hill
| Bass guitar
| Guest
| 1998
|-
| ''Black Angel''
| Mica Paris
| Bass guitar
| Guest
| 1998
|-
| ''[[Signs of a Struggle]]''
| [[Mattafix]]
| Bass guitar, Keyboards
| Guest
| 2005
|-
| ''Best by Far''
| Omar
| Bass guitar, Percussion, Electric guitar, Keyboards, Programming, Co-writer, Producer
| Guest
| 2000
|-
| ''Saints and Sinners''
| [[All Saints (group)|All Saints]]
| Writer, Producer, Mixer, Keyboards, Bass guitar, Percussion, Strings, Programming
| Guest
| 2000
|-
| ''[[Laika Come Home]]''
| [[Spacemonkeyz]] vs. [[Gorillaz]]
| Bass guitar
| Guest
| 2002
|-
| ''[[Version (album)|Version]]''
| [[Mark Ronson]]
| Bass guitar
| Guest
| 2007
|-
| ''[[Record Collection (album)|Record Collection]]'' ("Somebody To Love Me")
| [[Mark Ronson & The Business Intl.]]
| Bass guitar
| Guest
| 2010
|-
| ''[[In Search of Better Days]]''
| [[Incognito (band)|Incognito]]
| Bass guitar
| Guest
| 2016
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://myspace.com/stuartzender Stuart Zender] on [[Myspace]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090502141226/http://forum.warwick.de/14-maddrakketts-caffe/8626-stuart-zender-forum-interview-new-pt-2-added.html Interview with Stuart Zender on Warwick Forum]
* [http://ashdownmusic.com/products/6/Pedals/17/Signature-Series-/166/SZ-Funk-Face-Twin-Dynamic-Filter-Pedal/#sthash.3UiltboU.dpuf]
{{Jamiroquai}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zender, Stuart}}
[[Category:English bass guitarists]]
[[Category:English male guitarists]]
[[Category:British male bass guitarists]]
[[Category:English people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:English people of German descent]]
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People educated at Leighton Park School]]
[[Category:Jamiroquai members]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:21st-century British bass guitarists]]