Bilbo

Are you serious? Have you missed the other massive thread on the youtube version of this? Its stunning....

There are already books on Carter and LaFaro (both fairly recenr releases). Dave Holland not old? He's 66 this year, not ancient, I'll give you, but certainly twice as old a Paul Chambers was when he died

Jazzers almost never use clicks.

Wall hangers for the basses?

Ladies Night In Buffalo - Dave Lee Roth Higher and Higher - the bloke that sings Higher and Higher (load of old tosh)

[quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1330677623' post='1561273'] I remember Cubase having a 'humanise' option to it's quantise. it simply adds more feel by imitating a human drummer [/quote] I pressed that button once and my PC got off with the guitarist's girlfriend and was sick in my gig bag. Never again.

NHOP!!! Didn't think of him!!

Some of the 'starter fodder' ones that were around in my day were: Peaches - The Stranglers The Chain - Fleetwood Mac (theme from Grand Prix) Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins Dallas 1 P.M. - Saxon

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1330607457' post='1560226'] As someone who worked with Frank Zappa material and Alumni in the 2 years following his death I would say keep one eye on the owners of the estate!!! [/quote] Very true. Fortunately, few Jazz musicians HAVE any form of estate!!

True but there are always stories to tell (and like the world needs another jazz and drugs 'crash and burn' story).

[quote name='daz' timestamp='1330604750' post='1560121'] Never heard of any of them, sorry. Surely you cant make money on selling books that the majority of the population have never heard of ? [/quote] Money is not the only driver, Daz.

I am not aware on anything being done on Ray Brown. Percy Heath was bass player with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Miles, Dizzy, Milt Jackson and the Heath Brothers. 'kin heathens.....

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1330601750' post='1560019'] Matt Freeman [/quote] Is there a 'shudder' emoticon?

The various artists route has done several times, Len. It would disappear into the ether and be competing with loads of other publications. A stand alone biography has the potential to find its niche more readily (I should add that I have no real ambitions to sell millions of copies; if I did I wouldn't write about jazz bass players ). There is another aspect to it, Jake. Writing about living people means you can offend them and get sued. Its is harder to offend someone who is no longer with us and they tend to be less litigious !!

The imminent publication of my Paul Chambers biography leaves me wanting to start my next piece of research and I have not yet decided who to look at. I did want to write Steve Swallow's story but, having discussed it with him, I discovered that someone else has that in hand. So, who do I look at? Haden would be my first choice and Holland my second. I am also interested in Pettiford, Watkins, Lopez Sr and Clarke as subjects. Hinton is a possibility but some of the others are less likely to gain commercial attention? Anyone got any preferences? Who would you like to read about? PS Mingus has been done several times and far more comprehensively than I coudl hope for.

True but in 1986, Wal was a new company and their basses were not being given away as part of a sponsorship deal (never were, if I am correct). Same with Eden; they were a new company back when I got my Eden. I say look at what your people actually use rather than the adverts. When I say 'if its good enough for them...' what I am actually suggesting is that mastering your instrument is only partially about the kit and more about your ears and mind. If your bass is, for want of a better word, 'good enough', why stress about that detail; spend some time on the music.

Commitment. That's all it takes. Buy a decent professional quality bass of a similar type to the ones your favourite players play (could be a Jazz, a Fodera or a Wal or whatever; its your call) and stop looking at everything else until you learn how to play the one you have properly. I bought my Wal (£740 mail order) because Percy Jones, John Giblin and a few other players I liked had them. That was in 1986 and I have not really looked at another bass since. Same with my amp - if its good enough for Gary Willis etc, its good enough for me. Everything else seems like chasing rainbows.

I have this irrational fear of low tension strings. I have convinced myself that the best way to build up technique is to deal with the more demanding action of a bass with higher tension strings. I have this idea that, if I go for really light strings, I will have the r/h technique of a big girly wuss and sound like a lightweight.

Try looking at Slonimsky's Thesaurus. Its not an expensive book and really gets you thinking outside of the box.

Yes, I had noted that but thought it was a nice moody image, very much in the genre of 1950s/60s jazz photography. I had other clearer images that were just not 'front cover; material. There are 18 or so images in the book including a photo of PC age 14 and 17 and one of his wedding photos, one with the kids. And, of course, a few with Miles, Coltrane, Stitt, Pepper etc. There are 3 images I really like from Val Wilmer (who I really rate as an author and photographer so this is a real buzz for me). take in London in a bar. Very informal and human.

This has just popped up in Amazon tongiht. It is the first time I have seen the cover of the book (the graphics are in line with other books in their jazz biography series e.g. Tom Perchard's book on Lee Morgan). I chose the picture so would welcome people's views on it. There were others I may have preferred but some of the Woolf or Claxton images were well out of our league. This image is from Paul Hoeffler and CTS Images who were really helpful in providing some useful stuff. [center] [/center]

I get that you only change them once a decade or so but, if you are starting out and want to know what is best for you, how the hell can you find out wihtout spending thousands on sets you buy just to try? I have Evah Pirazzi Weichs (I wanted a hybrid for pizz and arco) and they are fine but I have no idea if a set of Spiros will be 10% better or 90% worse and the only way to find out is to spend £150 on a set (I need high C as well as the EADG).

I've decided. The Stranglers were Prog Punk.