Bilbo

The website has had 2000 hits in less than four days.....

'Juice' by LIzzo. Essentially four bars long and two of them are the same 🤣 Internet search names no bass player so probably a synth again. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/juice-lizzo/

'The Best Things In Life Are Free' by Janet Jackson and Luther Vandross. I suspect it is not a bass player but some sort of sample or synth. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-best-things-in-life-are-free-janet-jackson-and-luther-vandross/

I have three to post today. I have a dep gig next week with a function band and needed to prepare some charts. Nothing overly complicated but stuff I couldn't find anywhere else. This is a functional bass part for the tune 'This Is How We Do It' by Montell Jordan. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/this-is-how-we-do-it-montell-jordan/

A head chart from the album, 'Gettin' To It' by Christian McBride, this is the head a the first couple of arranged choruses for the tune 'In A Hurry'. I like the way McBride's melody trips over itself during the initial intro to the head. Clever stuff. The tune is basically a 12 bar in G. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/in-a-hurry-christian-mcbride/

An old favourite of mine, this is the complete transcription of John Giblin's bass part to the tune 'Rhesus Perplexus' from the 1979 album, 'Product'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/rhesus-perplexus-brand-x/

I play with a different band pretty much every time I do a gig. It's the nature of the beast with Jazz. The most bands I was with at one time was 9 in the 1990s in Cardiff. Great days.

A little thing from William Parker's 'Wood Flute Songs' anthology (live recordings from 2006-2012), this is the complete (2:00 or so) bass part for the tone 'Corn Meal Dance'. Easy to read and easy to play but lovely all the same. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/corn-meal-dance-william-parker/

I am really proud of this one. Anthony Jackson's complete bass part for the tune 'Butter (Tribute To Quentin Jackson)' from the 1984 album 'French Toast'. It would appear that this was Michel Camilo's first recording as a leader and what a start. The recording features stunning arrangements and marks the start of a 20-year relationship between Camilo and bassist Jackson. The transcription is incredibly sophisticated but worth spending time on as it has some glorious moments. In case anyone is interested, Quentin Jackson was a trombone player with Duke Ellington. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/butter-tribute-to-quentin-jackson-french-toast/

I went looking for this one yesterday as I was sure that I had done it before but I couldn't find any sign of it anywhere so can only assume I have never actually transcribed it. This is the head only dots for the tune 'Bait Tone Blues' from the 1996 Mike Stern album, 'Between The Lines'. The bass, played by Jeff Andrews on the record, plays the head alongside guitarist Stern. It's a chopsy little b***er so is likely to take some time to internalise. It is written 8va otherwise it's a ledger line nightmare. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/bait-tone-blues-mike-stern/

I have often wondered whether more people than we would like to admit have an Oppositional Defiance Disorder and don't like what everyone else likes simply because everyone else likes it. The more popular an artist is, the more a certain section of the community don't like them.

A request that came in through the website, this is a complete transcription of the Larry Sims bass part to the tune 'Peacemaker' from the 1976 Loggins and Messina album, 'Native Sons'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/peacemaker-loggins-and-messina/

A partial transcription, this is the head bass line (and closing 8 bars) of the tune 'No Moe' from the 1993 Bill Frissel album, 'Have A Little Faith'. The bass player is a personal favourite, Kermit Driscoll. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/no-moe-bill-frissel/

Benjamin F. Brown's bass part for the tune 'Do Nothin' 'Til You Hear From Me' from the 1994 Lena Horne album, 'We'll Be Together Again'. Horne was 77 when she recorded this and was still recording when she was 89. This one swings like a beast. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/do-nothin-til-you-hear-from-me-lena-horne/

OK - I'm obsessed.... Another complete Reginald Veal performance, this is the bass part for 'Skylark' from the Wynton Marsalis album 'Standard Time Vol: 3: The Resolution of Romance'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/skylark-wynton-marsalis/

Got another one in this morning. This is the complete Reginald Veal bass part from the tune 'Flamingo' of the 1990 Wynton Marsalis album, 'Standard Time Vol. 3 - The Resolution of Romance'. A lovely swinging bass line. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/flamingo-wynton-marsalis/

I am on (another) Dave Holland buzz so here us a full transcription of the tune 'The Leak' from the same 'Critical Mass' CD. I have written in 3:4 but it could have been written in alternation 7:8/5:8 or even 12:8 but, either way, it would be challenging to read. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-leak-dave-holland-quintet/

Reply from GM - 'Very cool! Fetish Guitars is the place to go poking around. You’ll find that this harp guitar (which I read as S. Castorina) is a variation on their 1957 jazz “model 22 cello guitar.” I read his address as Via Biscari, 7, which it’s not Carmelo’s. I see that others built this same basic design (and there were DOZENS of Sicilians building, sharing & copying from each other). What’s unusual here is that is a super late harp guitar (I’d say late ‘50s). Though American harp guitars died out quickly through the 30s, Italians (in most locales) kept at it a good decade longer, but this is really an anachronism. An “old” harp guitar with a thoroughly modern body/design. Probably a custom order – would love to know the player’s story! Best, g Gregg Miner President, The Harp Guitar Foundation Board of Governors, American Musical Instrument Society Have passed this on to the owner.

All the gear is so heavy........ too many trips to the car. Can't buy a nice car, have to buy one that can take a double bass. Often can't park near the house or near the venue. Long carry ins and outs. I hate the physical work before and after gigs. My gear is relatively light compared to the 1980s Trace Eliots etc but it is still a grind and double basses are a hassle to move around wherever you are.

Have emailed Gregg. Many thanks. I know BC would deliver!!

Could be, Pete. We are only guessing.

Very odd Sicillian (we believe) 9 string Harp Guitar. Does anyone recognise the maker? We think it may be from the 1960s?

Wood finishes always do it for me.

I have played primarily 4-string fretless since 1986 - most fretted playing has not been on gigs. I recently joined a Prog band and needed a 5-string for the low B so I got a Marleaux Consat 5 off warwickhunt on here. Since that arrived, I haven't played the fretless. Simple fact is, after 35 years of being slightly out of tune, I am enjoying the accuracy of pitch! I have a double bass gig tonight so I can quietly revisit dodgy intonation for a couple of hours but it is certainly 'easier' to play fretted is so far as you don't have to fret about the intonation (see what I did there?).

Read one edition and you've read 'em all..... 😉