Bilbo

Get what you can afford and make music. It's no more complicated than that. Everything else is a trap. Anyone who judges your worth as a player based on your gear is a tit. I work regularly with a great little player who only had a 335 copy. Another guitar player locally passed away and left him a Gibson ES175. He still a nice little player

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1407499294' post='2521167'] women tend to have smaller hands [/quote] I have never believed that big or small hands make any discernable difference to an individual's ability to play a bass. The one finger per fret thing is obviously a problem but tens of thousands of players use the three fingers thing without any discernable detriment in their playing (can you 'hear' a four finger per fret player'? - discuss). Most double bass players use three finger s and I don't think there is much to be said about the inadequacies of the technique. In short (see what I did there), little people can be great bass players too!

Linda Oh seen here with Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas. For her electric chops go to Spotify and look up Linda Oh, 'Deeper Than Happy' from her CD 'Initial Here' which features a bass solo that sounds to me like Bruford/Holdsworth era Jeff Berlin. http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=A0JVeKKI7io

Any playing is a mixture of instinct, practice, thinking, intuition, spontaneity, rehearsal, improvisation etc. It is all of these things and much more. You prepare as much as you can but not over prepare. You practice everything but sometimes play new stuff on the gig. You improvise on tunes you know easily but struggle when someone calls a tune you are less familiar with. You know Jazz inside out but struggle with Latin grooves. YOu are instinctine with reggae but have to think harder when playing ska. Its a dynamic process and that is what makes it all so wonderful.

......Communards recorded it.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1406977922' post='2516382'] Many of that repertoire come, not from any ephemeral 'chart toppers' list, but rather from very popular musical shows or films; [/quote] Not as many as you (and I) would think, Dad. Most are 50s and 60s hits. Come Fly With Me - was written for Frank Sinatra, and was the title track of his 1958 album of the same name. I’ve Got You Under My Skin - is a song written by Cole Porter. Written in 1936, the song was introduced in the Eleanor Powell MGM musical, Born to Dance That Ole Devil Called Love - is a song written in 1944 by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher. It was first recorded by Billie Holiday, who released it as the B-side of her hit "Lover Man" in 1945. Love letters – is a 1945 popular song with music by Victor Young and lyrics by Edward Heyman. The song appeared, without lyrics, in the movie of the same name, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song for 1945. Fly Me To The Moon - originally titled "In Other Words", is a popular song written in 1954 by Bart Howard. Kaye Ballard made the first recording of the song in 1954 Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You - is a 1967 single by Frankie Valli (the title is actually ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Of You’) Up On The Roof – is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King (once James Taylor's partner) and recorded in 1962 by The Drifters: released late that year, the disc became a major hit in early 1963, reaching #5 on the U.S. pop singles chart and #4 on the U.S. R&B singles chart.[1] Will You Love Me Tomorrow", also known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is also a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded by The Shirelles. It has been recorded by many artists and was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at No.126. The song is notable for being the first song by an all-girl group to reach No.1 in the United States. Big Spender - is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity, first performed in 1966 (much later than I expected). It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film. It was not written for Shirley Bassey. Never Can Say Goodbye is a song written by Clifton Davis and originally recorded by The Jackson 5. The song was originally written and intended for the Supremes to record; however Motown decided the song would be better for the Jackson 5. Released as a single in 1971, it was one of the group's most successful songs. The

I can't tell the difference and have neither. That's me done.

Barry Green - The Inner Game of Music http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inner-Game-Music-Timothy-Gallwey/dp/0330300172/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407419544&sr=8-1&keywords=the+inner+game+of+music

I have always loved Beardsley's stuff and have a book of his illustrations somewhere. Good choice. Hopefully I can get something happening this month.

The above is by no means the best Maria Schneider arrangement but I added the video on the fly and didn't really get a chance to find the best ones. I would recommend anyone who is interested in large ensemble writing to listen to Maria's work. She learned her craft at the feet of Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer but has long since found her own voice as an arranger so any of her stuff is worth seeking out. She is one of those artists who has got the measure of the 'industry' and runs her own lebel/distributes her own stuff via her website. The Pretty Road is a favourite of mine from her 'Sky Blue' album. Her use of voice and accordian are a specific texture that marks a lot of her recent work. If I wrote one piece as good as any of hers, I would die happy. http://www.mariaschneider.com/

Aubrey Beardsley, huh? This could go anywhere!!

I did a gig recently where I had to reproduce some Laurence Cottle lines and I nailed 90% of it but the 10% has revealed some shortcomings in my playing (as well as my reading). The question is, do I now spend months trying to get the chops I need to nail that three bars I blew on the gig? Frankly, I doubt it. I woudl love to nail it and all that but the investment required may be too much, given the other things I could do with that time. It's always a tough call.

If I knew what this was about, I would moderate it's ass!!

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1406729848' post='2514153'] So you just play the opening riff to 'Watcher of the Skies' on C for the entire gig? [/quote] It kinda works.....

There is an interesting point here that is seldom talked about. The general view is that we all need to be fully rounded players who have mastered all aspects of bass playing, be that electric or double bass. There are a few who seem able to do anything (John Patitucci comes to mind but there are many others) but, depending on your preferences, areas of interest and personal motivations, it is easy to see why people no longer seem generally able to 'keep up'. I am thinking about those players who cannot slap, who cannot improvise, who cannot use a bow, who cannot really play in thumb position, cannot do the two-handed tapping thing, cannot play with a pick, cannot play without a pick etc. The reasons for this may be many and varied; a late start on your instrument, a lack of opportunities to explore certain genres, very narrow set of preferences for a certain genre etc. I think this is a particular issue for non-pros as they have less time for music and maybe need to focus their efforts and to prioritise. As a non-pro myself, I learned a long time ago that it is perfectly sensible to 'leave things' out of your basket of skills, particularly if you are not likely to use them. I can slap on electric but quite poorly as I have never really got into the music where it is appropriate and, as a dedicated fretless player, it doesn't sound that good anyway. I cannot slap a la rockabilly etc. I don't do two-handed stuff although I did spend some time on it around the time Stu Hamm and Billy Sheehan appeared on the scene and have a couple of 'party pieces'. I don't really play reggae, bar a few Bob Marley covers here and there, don't play with a pick (although I can because I play guitar), don't play punk or ska etc and my bowing is shocking. Like many of us, I have not got time for all of it and have to target my efforts on those aspects of playing that are pertinent to my gigs/composing/studio work. Everything else is just not a priority.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYHQpjs8kkc

From last weekend's gig with pianist Ivo Neame (from Phronesis). It is always a strange experience enjoying playing as well as you can and really getting that buzz whilst also knowing your not even close to the level of Jasper Holby or many of the other people your frontline players regularly play with.

Depends on the band. I have long enjoyed larger ensembles including Kenny Wheeler's stuff, Maria Schneider, Gil Evan's stuff with Miles, some of Bob Mintzer's stuff, Loose Tubes, Delightful Precipice, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bob Brookmeyer etc etc but some of the older swing band stuff leaves me a bit cold. Big Band is like any other genre, chock full of good and bad. I have played with big bands in the past and really enjoy it but it's been a while.

NBD!! NBD!!

There is a monster player born in Malaysia, riased in Australia and now based in New York called Linda Oh. I have two of her cds downloaded ('Entry' and 'Listen Here') and she is a great player with great ideas and great compositions. As a player, she towers over Tal but is less well know because she has no high profile gig. Her website is www.lindaohmusic.com. It is also unnecessary to pre-fix her with 'female' bass player. She is a top drawer Jazz musician with chops, ideas and soul. Also worth checking out is Melissa Slocum who (quoted from her website) 'has worked with such legends as Art Blakey, Lionel Hampton, Cab Calloway, Clark Terry, Wynton Marsalis, Woody Shaw and Hank Jones. Comfortable in genres ranging from duo to big band, traditional to avant garde, she has performed and recorded with Charli Persip and Superband, Ralph Peterson and the Fo'tet, Avery Brooks with Craig Harris, Howard Johnson and Gravity, Dakota Staton, Kevin Mahogany, the Firey String Sistas and the all woman big band DIVA, among many others. She has worked with bandleaders Eddie Chamblee, David "Fathead" Newman, Frank Wess, Hamiet Bluiett, Don Byron, Jay Rodriguez, Frank Lacy and Nioka Workman; pianists Walter Davis, Jr., James Williams, John Hicks, Kirk Lightsey, Cyrus Chestnut, Roy Merriwether, Henry Butler, James Weidman and Darrel Grant to name a few. She has played for numerous vocalists including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nnenna Freelon, Michelle Lee, Maurice Hines, Jeannie Bryson, Leon Thomas, Jon Hendricks, Michelle Hendricks, Ann Hampton Callaway and Dianne Reeves. Television appearances include Newport Jazz Festival 1999, Kennedy Center 25th Anniversary Gala, BET Interview, CBS Sunday Morning, CNN with the Kevin Mahogany Quintet and CBS News with Lionel Hampton. Ms. Slocum holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the Manhattan School of Music. She studied jazz bass with Lisle Atkinson, Stafford James, Milt Hinton, Rufus Reid and Ron Carter. She received an NEA grant for jazz study in 1986'. www.melissaslocum.com

I now have an ear-worm. Thanks for that.

2 x 5:4 bars and a 7:4 bars 12345, 12345, 1234567

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1406819343' post='2515011'] Search 'Daniel Romeo - Getting Into The Details' at YouTube [/quote] Will do! Thanks.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1406819249' post='2515009'] Can you see this..? [[/quote] Nope

What is it (link on my computer doesn't even show an image, let alone play any video)?