Bilbo

That last one reminded me of the times when the Welsh Jazz Society asked to borrow my Trace Eliot AH250 and two reflex extension cabs (I cannot recall the model no) for gigs featuring Miroslav Vitous and Arild Anderson. I got free tickets to the gigs but didn't meet the players (I don't do that, I always feel too uncomfortable).

I played in a band with Grant Nicholas for Feeder when he was 18. 50 people would have been a real result.

Just a bit if fun for the old farts on here..... I just saw a post on Facebook that reminded me that I was there when Marillion were doing their early gigs and were making a bit of a splash. I saw their first appearance at the Reading Festival. I began considering what other musical events or occasions we have all been party to that turned out to be important in some way. It doesn't matter how trivial it may have been. A few I can recall include: Owning the first Def Leppard single 'Hello America' as a 7" single on Bludgeon Riffola records before they went on to play stadiums all over the US. I was at the first Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donnington in Derbyshire. I saw New Wave of British Prog band Twelfth Night when Geoff Mann was the lead singer. I saw Iron Maiden when Paul DiAnnio was the lead singer and Janick Gers was in the support band (White Spirit). I used to watch Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell in a band called Persian Risk at The Isca, a local pub in Newport (Wales), before he got the gig with Lemmy. Persian Risk singer Carl Sentence went on to front a load of HM legends including Krokus and Nazareth and has recorded with Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) and Don Airey (Rainbow, Deep Purple). There will be more. What about you guys? We are all part of history. Where were you?

I am working on two Jeff Berlin transcriptions at the moment, The Abingdon Chasp from One of a Kind and Land's End from Gradually Going Tornado. Nearly finished the first and have miles to go on the second. I have two computers in two locations with the requisite software on for transcribing and I work on different charts at different times depending on circumstances.

I think it is making a difference, tiny. I have to play less aggressively which helps with intonation.

Massively. I play mostly Jazz and everyone prefers the double bass.

Last night's gig at Jazz East at the Alex in Felixstowe. Essex players Marc Cecil, Zak Barrett. Graham Harvey and me.

Gig with our new digital PA. Couldn't get the thing to work so the band leaders had to shout. We got it going 15 minutes after the end of the gig.

Will have a look. Yes, you are right, cb1. My bad 😲

I don't recall the book being particularly contentious. Maybe he wingers less than other Jazz musicians.

I think it is the angle of the photograph. The thing was fitted by Martyn Bailey in Sible Hedingham. It's one of his own and is straight as a die in real life. Just finished a set and it sounds great.

My revised set up. Acoustic Image Clarus+ and Ten2ex, Phil Jones Earbox (what a revelation) David Gage Realist and Audio Technica ATM350. mic. Sounds absolutely great. If only I could play the damn thing in tune!!

I am working on two Berlin/Bruford tunes at the moment: The Abingdon Chasp from OOAK and Lands End off Gradually Going Tornado. These four albums held my attention for years and, for me, represent, Berlin at his best. I always thought JB needed a strong producer and, when he is a sideman, he has the best drawn out of him without the excess.

I WANT to like the MJQ but they do get a bit bland at times. I bought a boxed set last year but gave it away after one listen.

There is a lot said about 'melodic' playing in Jazz as opposed to more complex approaches but, in my experience, there is less of a difference that people think. I posted somewhere recently that, when reading dots, it is helpful to thing of sixteenths notes as eighth notes played more quickly As humorous as that sounds, it is true of playing AND listening and 'complex' melodies are, to my ears, generally simple melodies that just go past quicker. Interestingly, when you try and write things down using Transcribe software, you can slow things down to 50% and it is often the case that passages that whizz by at a pace are often straightforward bop lines. It is a question of processing the details more quickly. To my mind, a lot of 'melodic' playing is predictable and uninspiring so it's horse for courses. I guess it's all about the balance that works for you as an individual.

I just wanted to add something about what I am doing with this thread. I am a staunch advocate for the value of reading music and by that I mean dots not tab. It is not just about turning up at a gig and being able to play sessions without rehearsal (you can rarely do that even if you CAN read the dots). It is about recording ideas (I have ideas and transcriptions I have written down from 30 years ago) sharing compositions with others studying bass lines and solos by other people it takes you to places you may otherwise never go it often shows you details in compositions and transcriptions that may be missed otherwise it allows you to access study materials that would otherwise be unavailable to you it has the potential to make you a better and more informed player and, last of all, you might get some reading gigs. My transcriptions are made available so people have something to use to help them improve their reading - not everything I transcribe has chords so studying the note/chord relationships is problematic. Also, chords symbols above the stave can make you lazy in terms of actually reading the notes. These transcriptions are prepared to allow people to practice READING. I have said this elsewhere but I am learning how to read treble clef guitar music at the moment and it is making such a difference to my guitar playing and the insight I have into the music I love. I picked up an Astor Piazzolla violin part the other day and played it through without any mistakes. What a buzz! I sometimes read twenty pages of simple guitar tunes in one session or work through one of the easier Al DiMeola transcriptions in one sitting. I can play Ralph Towner tunes (badly, but there you are). It's a marvellous skill that I wish I had developed more early on. My bass clef reading is improving now I have a regular gig but I still get caught out at every gig/rehearsal - 5 sharps or flats and I am done for. The practicing is helping though and I really consider this as time well spent. For the younger guys out there, get this thing done as soon as you can and you will never regret it.

I have had a GK MB150 amp and an SWR Baby Blue speaker cab stolen from the back of my car at Aust Services near Bristol. Has anyone seen them? It was in 1993 but I am still hopeful.

Steve Rodby is a very classy player. Massively underrated because he never really solos with the PMG but there are other bands he payed with where he had more space e.g Simon and Bard Group. He is all over this one...

Today's effort is Jimmy Johnson's bass solo on Allan Holdsworth's 'Panic Station' from his 1985 album 'Metal Fatigue'. The solo starts around the 2.31 mark and is a engaging little solo. Jimmy Johnson is an incredibly melodic soloist even when playing over Holdsworth's generally very intense compositions. If you haven't heard much Jimmy Johnson, check out the Wayne Johnson Trio albums Arrowhead, Grasshopper and Everybody Is Painting Pictures. Panic Station - Jimmy Johnson bass solo.pdf

I am working on a transcription of 'The Abingdon Chasp' from Bruford's 'One Of A Kind' LP.

Interestingly, I knocked this one out in around 20 minutes because I knew it very well so was effectively writing it down in the same way that I am typing this. John Giblin's fretless bass ono the Brand X tune 'April'. It is all over the place in terms of time so, on a 4:4 stave, it's a tough read but it is really only 4 bars repeating itself. One of the most beautiful fretless bass features ever recorded. April - John Giblin Brand X.pdf

I am working on some more Bruford but, to keep things moving, I knocked up a bit more old school Rush. Geddy Lee's bass part for 'Anthem' from their second LP 'Fly By Night'. It's not exact as I repeated a section so a couple of fills are not entirely accurate but, if you want that kind of detail, buy Transcribe software and knock yourself out. Anthen Rush - Bass.pdf

These pictures are getting more and more random. Totally uninspired. 🥴

Smooth Operator by Sade?

Ron Carter. There is a transcription of the bass line to the tune 'Hesitation' from the same album on my transcription archive page.