Bilbo

A complete transcription of Jonathan Davie's bass part for the tune 'First Steps' from the 1980 2nd Vision album of the same name. Nice littel chart that is only 1:36 long and he doesn't play on one third of it https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/first-steps-2nd-vision/

It's the finger in your ears, my friend. They are stopping you hearing the majestic beauty of the stuff

It's all perfectly logical, Dad. You just need to pay attention. As my Dad always said 'I like it when they all stop at the same time'. 'Emeril Kicks It Up' is a shuffle with some great melodies. What's not to like?

Listen to what AJ is doing at 6:28. There is an alto solo playing but listen to what AJ is doing in response!!

PS - I love this thread - some great memories. JJB sounds 'kin brilliant, Jimmy Johnson's solo is stunning, Manring, Jaco, AJ with Michel Camilo (that is also transcribed on my website) - all such wonderful players whose work I have enjoyed over the years.

I used to always say that my Big Four were Jaco, Jeff Berlin, Jimmy Johnson and Percy Jones - each for different reasons. I have also grown to love Anthony Jackson whose work with Michel Camilo and Hiromi Uehara and others can be absolutely thrilling (the whole Camilo album 'Caribe' is a rollercoaster of absolute delight). If I have to say which one of these was the one who had the greatest impact on me personally as a player, it would have to be Jeff Berlin. Our shared love of Jack Bruce, his work with Bruford, Allan Holdsworth's 'Road Games', his solo albums. I have since found flaws in his concept that often make me doubt myself (I have found the same with Jaco and Percy Jones, if I am honest, although I still love both) - his chorus sound I find irritating and his obsession with featuring the bass when it doesn't actually work very well (his Low Standards and High Standards cds are a it icky - I don't think he understands the Art of it as much as he does the Craft), his obsessions over bass pedagogy (just let it go, JB) but I keep going back to his back catalogue of recordings and many of them are just absolutely fantastic. It is appalling how little performance footage there is of JB where the sound is decent (a lot of it is mobile phone footage that sounds terrible). Here is a something I just found that gives a sense of where he comes from - the tune is 'Solar' by Miles Davis. I add a second track (recorded) just to show JB when he is smokin'. The tune is 'Emeril Kicks It UP' from the 2009 CD 'In Harmony's Way' - I also attach a link to a complete transcription I did of the tune. Transcription link - https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/emeril-kicks-it-up-jeff-berlin/

Tough little nut to crack, this one, and I am not convinced I have got it right. There is something going on with the bar lengths that is throwing me and I cannot find where it is and the lines are all over the bass so I am not even certain that I have it in the right octave at times! If you can see the odd bar length or disagree on the specific note choices, let me know so I can revisit the chart. In the meantime, this is the complete Dave LaRue bass part for the tune 'Slice Of Time' from the 1995 Steve Morse Band album, 'Structural Damage'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/slice-of-time-steve-morse-band/

Another relatively simple one, this is Victor Bailey's complete bass performance on the tune 'Confians' from the 1985 Weather Report album, 'Sportin' Life'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/confians-weather-report/

A simple but exquisite part from the hands of Charlie Haden, this is the tune 'Etudes' from the 2011 Haden release 'Private Collection'. Simple to read and simple to play but, as is always the case with Haden, it is all about the feel and the sound. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/etudes-charlie-haden-quartet/

Will Lee's complete performance of the tune 'It's Your Thing' from the 2015 Bob Mintzer Big Band album, 'Get Up'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/its-your-thing-bob-mintzer-big-band/

That's what it is there for, Dave.

I wasn't paying attention but the website hit 150k over the weekend. That's around 2k hits a week currently.

In my experience, the 'rules' have been created within the context of Classical music forms and don't always travel that well into 'secular' music. I always try to keep all flats or all sharps in the same bar but, even then, there are passages where this is compromised. Chromatic lines are one area where the ideals are often difficult to maintain. I have to admit that, as someone whose is essentially self taught as a reader, I may be getting things wrong sometimes.

Just a head this time. This is the legendary bass part for the opening head of the Jeff Watts arrangement of 'Autumn Leaves' that featured on the 1987 Wynton Marsalis album 'Standard Time: Volume One'. Anyone who knows this arrangement will understand the challenges in terms of playing, reading or even transcribing the line! https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/autumn-leaves-head-wynton-marsalis/

I have knocked this one up if you want to have a look at it. Much more interesting than I thought it would be. If anyone wants to redo this as a tab chart, be my guest. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/I-Wanna-Know-What-Love-Is-Rick-Will-Bass.pdf

Someone asked about the one; Rick Wills' bass part for the tune 'I Wanna Know What Love Is' from Foreigner's 1984 album, 'Agent Provocateur'. A lot more interesting a part than I though it would be. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/i-wanna-know-what-love-is-foreigner/

Yes 😄

Another wonderful bass part from Reginal Veal, this is a complete transcription of the tune 'Habanera' from the 1997 album, 'Jump Start And Jazz: Two Ballets by Wynton Marsalis'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/habanera-wynton-marsalis/

I am sure this has been done before but hasn't everything? For me, the one band that pops up on my ipod with delightful regularity is The Dixie Dregs (particularly the early albums with Andy West). Every time I hear them I wish I could have had that gig. Other bass chairs I would have loved would be the Pat Metheny Group, Weather Report, Return To Forever, Al DiMeola, Michel Camilo and a few others but I do believe that, give a choice, The Dregs are the one that floats my boat every time. What gig would you like to have if you ever got to choose?

Not one I have looked at. I can do it if you want but not sure when I will be able to get to it. Plus, I don't do tab.

A long overdue request from the website, this is Doug Ferguson's bass part to 'Never Let Go' from the first Camel album, released in 1973. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/never-let-go-camel/

This is a Carlito Henriquez performance on the tune 'Awakening' from the 1999 Wynton Marsalis ballet recording 'Sweet Release & Ghost Story'. Some really lovely ideas in there. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/ghost-story-awakening-wynton-marsalis/

Jimmy Garrison's simple bass part for the ballad 'Violets For Your Furs' from the 1960 J.R. Monterose album, 'The Message'. Nothing too taxing here, just a simple exercise in note recognition. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/violets-for-your-furs-j-r-monterose/

Another Nick Beggs transcription, this is the complete bass part for the tune 'Drive Home' from the 2013 Steven Wilson album, 'The Raven That Refused To Sing (and Other Stories)'. Some great ideas in there. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/drive-home-steven-wilson/

A complete transcription of Dave LaRue's bass part and solo from the tune 'The White Light' from the 2000 Steve Morse Band album, 'Major Impacts'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-white-light-steve-morse-band/