Bilbo

OK, I've got the a*** I keep hearing the term 'self indulgence' used whenever there is any suggestion that a musician is moving away from the groove and into the area of soloing or collective improvisation. I have heard this term since the heady days of punk when the bands I liked (Yes, Genesis etc) were dismissed by the monkey-booted, donkey-jacket wearing Philistines that surrounded me as irrelevant because of their 'self indulgence'. Well, I am sorry, but I and many of my colleagues LIKE this stuff so, by definition, we represent an audience which means that, by definition, there is an entertainment element to this stuff. More to the point, I can't think of anything more self indulgent that singers telling me they are hurting because their girlfriend left them or how they are gonna rrrrrrrock - its a bit like those drunks you get at parties that bore you senseless with their adolescent meandering and who you only walk home with because you fear that they may collapse in the gutter and choke to death on their own vomit. An improvising player who is constantly searching within his playing or composition for new ideas and new sounds is, for me, something to be admired, feted and celebrated. I can't see that a soloist in any contemporary setting is any more self indulgent that Paganini or Yo Yo Ma, excellent musicians who are masters of their instruments. A musician who can take you somewhere emotionally without having to tell you in monosyllabic terms where they are going is a lot more interesting than the 'painting by numbers' drivel of most pop and rock music. Watching 20 somethings playing the only three chords they know whilst they strike a pose identical to the one struck by the last 20 year old and the one before that whilst having a crowd of thousands 'saluting' them with fists in the air, waving cigarette lighters or swaying Arsenal scarves? Now THAT is self indulgent!

[quote name='BigAlonBass' post='1277225' date='Jun 21 2011, 03:55 PM']Oooooh! I don't 'know of' a certain person's technique, therefore I'm not as 'seriously musical' as most. Back to the 'Divide' then. [/quote] Just listen to 'im. Will ya? Promise me? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=139892&hl=AJ"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=139892&hl=AJ[/url]

[quote name='BigAlonBass' post='1277181' date='Jun 21 2011, 03:30 PM']1) He's [i]staring[/i] at the neck. This, to me, equates to self-indulgence, and to heck with the audience. 2) He's playing a single-cut Bass. Nobody has [i]ever[/i] played any music that appeals to me, whilst wielding an SC. 3) He's hitching a lift. As soon as I see the 'slapper's thumb' come out - I'm long gone.[/quote] 1) There's a lot of it..... I bet he plays to bigger audiences than most on here . And I bet more people go to see [i]him[/i] play than most. 2) Your bad. 3) Jackson never slaps. He uses his thumb as a quasi-pick to pluck lines whilst partly deadening the strings with his left hand. A seriously musical approach that many here will know of.

I guess there is some relationship between the set lists people have and the complexity of arrangements. ELO/Queen stuff you see tends to be the more 'basic' tunes (Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Don't Stop Me Now) rather than the heavier arranged stuff. A lot of the better stuff by these kinds of bands couldn't be done justice by an average 4-piece

I am a 'one bass' man, pretty much, but there are certainly some SCs out there that woudl turn my head if I had a spare few grand. Some Fodera's, some Sei's; not all of them. I think the AJ Presentation Fodera is a design highlight but there are some SCs that are plug ugly (the Beez Elite that someone here raved about looks awful to me) and some of the Shuker cutaways don't work for me either. But this is simple aesthetics. I also don't like most double cutaway shapes, most colours (the concept of the 'sunburst' is, for me, the design trainwreck of the century), most headstocks etc etc etc. SCs are, as has been said, an alternative choice. Noone I know could 'hear' a SC in a mix. Its just a look that some like and which others don't. Personally, I don't think I have ever played one but I would love to try out the AJ, even if I have no chance of ever owning one. I almost hope I don't like it so I won't have terminal GAS!!

Desafinado Tarde Em Tapoa Final Feliz Se Chiclete Com Banana Mas Que Nada Fotographia Incompatibilidade De Genios Jade Drao A Novidade Eu Tiro Onda Clandestino Flor De Lis Fato Consumado Xote De Alegria 100 Anos A Luz De Tieta Luiza Espanahola Nem Un Dia Palco Soy Loco Por Ti America Vamos Fugir ….all the hits really (Excuse spelling; this was all off the top of my cabeca)

[quote name='gazzer86' post='1276612' date='Jun 21 2011, 07:18 AM']I take it this is normal!!!?[/quote] Pretty (twitch) much :blink...

[quote name='cris the man' post='1276054' date='Jun 20 2011, 04:51 PM']im really hooked on the avante garde radio station on my jazz radio app on my HTC ( really great free app, look into it ) playing in a big band, one of the trumpet players showed me ambros akinmusire great trumpet player, such a dark tone[/quote] We like that a lot! Who's on sax?

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='1276031' date='Jun 20 2011, 04:25 PM']Here's our set list, lots of songs chosen for their relevance... Tin Tin Deo Bewitched Someday My Prince will Come Here’s that Rainy Day My One and Only Love I’ve got you under my Skin Fly Me to the Moon Gentle Rain Girl from Ipanema Summertime (based on Four on Six) Love For Sale Blue Bossa Let There Be Love Days of Wine and Roses Yesterdays Autumn Leaves My Funny Valentine Blue Monk Isn’t She Lovely? Roxanne All Blues Song for my Father April in Paris Almost like being in Love Autumn in New York[/quote] That amounts to just about every set at every wedding played by a jazz trio this side of 1970 I've gotta get me a better gig Glad to hear you enjoyed it, though.

I saw Lage with Gary Burton at the London Jazz Festival. I initially thought 'a young Pat Metheny' but he opened up later on and, yeah, he was cool, if a bit 'old school'.

[quote name='ras52' post='1275769' date='Jun 20 2011, 12:06 PM']I think he said something about learning to read tab... [/quote]

[quote name='mcgraham' post='1275743' date='Jun 20 2011, 11:46 AM']Sorry Bilbo, I didn't quite catch that... could you say again for the avoidance of doubt?[/quote] [font="Century Gothic"] [size=7]LEARN TO READ MUSIC!![/size] [/font]

A couple of lessons? You're probably already better than most of us

It is always difficult to offer a learning plan if you don't know the player. Mine would be different to yours because our learning goals would probably be very different. If you really want a steer, I would recommend a teacher. If you tell us where you are, we can probably recommend someone off here. In the meantime, learn to read music

I have all of the above (the Rimsky Korsakov is on my desk in work, taunting me ) but I also like these: [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-Composition-Orchestration-William-Russo/dp/0226732150/ref=sr_1_22?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308562163&sr=1-22"]Jazz Composition & Orchestration - William Russo[/url] [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Composing-Jazz-Orchestra-Russo/dp/0226732096/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308562076&sr=1-4"]Composing Jazz Orchestra - Willaim Russo[/url] (this is a 'pocket sized version of the above - a lot less detail but still useful) [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-MIDI-Orchestration-4e/dp/0240814134/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308562306&sr=1-12"]The Guide to MIDI Orchestration = Paul Gilreath[/url] [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arranging-Large-Jazz-Ensemble-Book/dp/0634036564/ref=sr_1_18?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308562717&sr=1-18"]Arranging for Large Jazz Ensembles - Ken Pullig et al[/url] What I can't offer a solution for is the difficulties in finding the time to be able to absorb all of this stuff!!

In the late 1980s, there was a London based jazz big band called Loose Tubes that recorded three lps of fresh and exciting big band material. The band feaatured the playing and arranging of a lot of future jazz stars: Iain Ballamy, Django Bates, Steve Berry, John Paricelli, Tim Whitehaed, Steve and Julian Arguilees, Tim Whitehead, Ashley Slater (Freakpower) etc etc. One of the writer/arrangers was a trumpet player called Dave Defries. One of his tunes was a piece called 'Hermeto's Giant Breakfast'. The tune is a major tour de force but, from 6.46 onwards, it is particularly stunning. They were a great band live and there are videos out there but there is nothing that has found its way onto Youtube or Spotify by the band so I thought I would post this for people to hear. If anyone knows Dave or anyone else from Loose Tubes who objects, get in touch and I will pull the post but, as there is no way of getting this tune commercially that I am aware of, I thought that, in the interests of the art form and thge reputation of the composer/arranger, I would share this with you. So sit back and get an earful of Loose Tubes' performance of Dave Defries' 'Hermeto's Giant Breakfast'. You'll thank me for it.

Have spotted a couple of errors and will have to reload but haven't got time this week. It may still be of use to someone, though, if they wanted to explore the piece themselves.

Great stuff but I am wondering why so many people? I can only hear what about 40% of them are there for . Seriously, though. Great fun.

Just some guy somewhere ripping sh*t out of a classical piece we all know but can't name. It just makes me want to 'shed my n*ts off

Spill some blood on it and you'll be fine.

Here is my transcription of John Patitucci's pretty solo double bass track 'Long Story' off his Mistura Fina cd. The transcription needs to be viewed alongside the track as time is very loose. As with many such solo bass tracks, the approach to bar lines is quite felxible and sometimes it is hard to figure where they are so you may find that there are some disagreements about my choices of stems/rhythms etc. EIther way, it is a nice study piece. I have not bothered to include the chords as they are pretty simple and diatonic but, with this piece, it is the performance of the piece that is where the magic lies. I am off to try and learn to play it - hard but not impossible It is on Spotify if you haven't got the cd.

Abd the award for the 2011 'Basschatter that starts the most weird threads the most' - Its PETE ACADEMY (cue thunderous applause.....) Sorry, peeps. I often leave home and do not need the toilet until I get home 6 hours later. I am, of course, an android and do not drink liquids.

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1203293' date='Apr 18 2011, 09:57 AM']I [i]knew[/i] it!! I did a trio gig last night at The Fox Inn in Bury St Edmunds. It was tenor sax, bass and drums. I have played this venue on an off for about three years with different bands and know the landlord and the bloke she uses to book the bands reasonably well. The bloke approached me about putting something together for last night and I asked him if I could do this trio thing as I had wanted to do it for years. He was a bit 'ooooh, Shelia (the landlord) won't like it' but he agreed to let us do it. Anyway, sorted the line up and set about getting some charts together based on the fact that I would be playing double bass and needed to pace things so I wasn't a spent force at the end of the first (of three) set. Charts done and sent to the sax player and drummer. All set to go when, on Friday at around midnight, I was unloading my double bass from the car and clipped the bridge on the side of the vehicle, causing it to explode into three pieces. So I had to do the gig on electric and most of the charts were inappropriate. I have to admit that I was feeling more than a little nwevous before we started, something that has not happened in decades. So, gieven the forced change of plan, we knocked up three sets of old faithfuls on the day. We were doing funk versions of standards, some hip hop derived stuff (with a hint of reggae), the odd shufffle, some fast 'sh*t off a stick' be-bop, some Latin tunes and a couple of ballads per set. Damned hard work for a trio and a lot of really focussed effort by all involved. More to the point, and herein lied the risk, it demanded something of the listener. The gig was not only a 'musical/artistic' success but the (hard to please) landlady loved it, the punters loved it and we got an immediate re: booking in June. The clincher though came to me third hand from guy who told me that another regular (who really knows his stuff) said it was 'exceptional' and 'by far the best thing [he] had ever seen there'. It had its flaws and I would do some things differently next time but, for a first gig. it felt like a real affirmation. I have always believed that the punters will respond to the energy and the quality of an intelligent performance and didn't need to be spoon-fed 'smooth jazz' or 'the Great American Songbook' to be engaged. What we did last night was 'commercial suicide' in conventional terms and many venues/bookers would balk at the idea of a 'harmony-less' trio but it nevertheless went down a storm. Left with a very big smile on my face.[/quote] Have another gig with this trio lined up in Bury St Edmunds on 10th July. The drummer I used last time cannot make it but I jave got Nic France, ex-Loose Tubes, to do it so it shoudl be ok. I played with Nic once before but it was a more 'structured' setting. I am hpoing that this more relaxed, blowing environment may allow for some creative and exciting stuff!! This is off Nic's website: [i]In 1980 I moved to London to work as a freelance session drummer and started playing with Ian Carr's Nucleus. This lead to playing with many other established London based musicians including Ronnie Scott, John Taylor, Allan Holdsworth, Jim Mullen, Tim Whitehead and Bobby Wellins. International artists included Mose Allison, L. Shankar, Hank Crawford and David Fathead Newman and an appearance on BBC tv with Billy Cobham. I was a founder member of Loose Tubes alongside Django Bates, John Parricelli, Chris Batchelor , Mark Lockheart and Iain Ballamy. By 1984 I had joined Working Week, toured Europe extensively and recorded 3 albums. In 1988/89 I had the great pleasure of playing drums and singing backing vocals with Bill Withers on two UK and European tours. From 1989-95 I played with Tanita Tikaram, involving several world tours and albums. From the mid 90's I played with Antonio Forcione, Ian Shaw, Christie Hennessey and toured and recorded with Tim Garland's Lammas. In 2001/2 I had the good fortune to play with David Gilmour with guests Kate Bush, Bob Geldorf and Robert Wyatt, appearing on the David Gilmour Live DVD recorded at the Festival Hall. I played with Andy Sheppard, Nigel Kennedy and Barb Jungr over this period. I have been playing drums for Terry Callier since 2005. I currently play with Mbawula a South African Township band, and Jazzinho a contemporary Brazilian band. In 2009 I played with the Charlie Haden Liberation Orchestra I have also played for the NDR Big Band and the Birmingham Royal Ballet.[/i] Should be good

Donkey's years ago, some friends and I were staying with a guy in London who was Gary Moore's guitar roadie. The others knew him from school but I had never met him before that weekend. He came over as a bit of a name dropper, to say the least. We went out touring the guitar shops and went into one (Andy's?) and he sauntered over to the counter and exclaimed to the guy stood behind it: 'Hey there. I am Gary Moore's guitar roadie. Can you recommend anything I can use to clean Gary's guitars'? Stoney faced assistant responds 'Pledge'. Three teenage guitar freaks run out of the shop in a fit of juvenile giggling.