Scorpius

1+ to Timbass for finally mentioning Esperanza... Great player, composer and singer. I was lucky enough to catch her show at the Southbank Centre last year and was 'blown away'. Hot bassist... and hot mama. I'd like to mention another talented player I came across recently: Adam Ben Ezra from Israel. Great solo work, intonation and reference to earthy eastern passages. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xjhZhI2Zthg and: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0N2UOxkcs8w

Ah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. All designers and luthiers are trying to make instrumental statements that would lift them above the hey stalks. In the end, every bass has its place according to music genre, stage set-up, production requirements and transitional disposition. What is important here is that the instrument will not work against you and inhibit your musical expression. If you have to fight it, no matter how great it looks, then its a sh*te instrument. A good design should aid you in expressing yourself and allow you to externalise through your hands what your mind and soul are hearing, and it doesn't have to be "boutique" to allow for that. Like Marcus Miller once said, an upmarket instrument won't necessarily make you a better musician, but it should help you get there sooner!

Well, Britain's Got Talent occasionally hosts musicians, but it's a variety show... I believe that X-Factor needs to have huge viewing and participant application numbers in order to compensate for the high salaries and big production costs while maintaining global appeal. The world's Joe Public is quite familiar with "songs", can relate to them much easier through life experiences and therefore much more attracted to these sort of competitions. Also, there's a proportionally higher number of people who can passably sing, than play an instrument. Well, they think they can. A show based on musical performance - which would basically entail instrumentals - would mostly appeal only to musicians, their friends and families, and maybe some "guitar god" wannabes who feel they have lost their opportunity of becoming some sort of a musician on their turn... It would simply not have the mass appeal that a pop song performance could attract, whether terrible, mediocre, or great. You must keep in mind that this, and other similar shows, are Not really about the existence and nurturing of talent, but about the money. Simon says: "Show me da money!"

[attachment=150517:ConsatCustomA.jpg][attachment=150518:ConsatCustomB.jpg][attachment=150519:ConsatCustomC.jpg][attachment=150520:DivaCustom.jpg]I just felt compelled to add to the list of the weird and wonderful earth shakers listed here, as they are seldom mentioned... Germany's Marleaux basses, with the Diva presenting stunning design & workmanship and the Consat being a well-balanced deviation from the long-established J's & P's...