bassace

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1318322052' post='1400380'] Here's my nominations: Ewan Vernal - Deacon Blue Mike Visceglia - Suzanne Vega Jim Fielder - Blood Sweat & Tears Kevin McCormick - Melissa Etheridge / Jackson Browne David Hood - Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section Dave Bronze - Be Sharp / Eric Clapton / Art of Noise Roscoe Beck - Robben Ford & the Blue Line Dick Nolan - It Bites [/quote] Good to see Jim Fielder get a mention. I went to see Neil Sedaka at the Hexagon several years ago and was pleasantly surprised to find Jim doing bass duties with him. Jim's line in Spinning Wheel was quite ground-breaking at the time.

[quote name='tom1946' timestamp='1317800019' post='1394610'] I'd like to mention Dave Brubeck's bass player from 1961. The coffee bean advert features 'Unsquare dance' in 7/4 time. I love it's simplicity and it's very effective. Anyone know 'Life is just a bowl of cherries' in 5/4 time? [/quote] Ooh, that's a very in joke, sir! Bass player was Gene Wright, I seem to remember.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1317582967' post='1392059'] Absolutely. Scott LaFaro is my favorite DB player and the Village Vanguard albums my favorite jazz albums (I recommend the hard-to-find full unedited album with off-takes, interrupted takes etc). I even have the Kolstein LaFaro bass as my own mini tribute. Amazing player who revolutionised DB playing in only a few short years [/quote] Always knew you had class, Clarky!

Ok, here's a few from a DB player who's not really meant to know such things:- Trevor Barry of Strictly Come Dancing, he's played with Rufus Wainwright, Right said Fred, Celine Dion, Robbie Williams, Phil Collins, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, George Benson, Patti Austin, Jon Bon Jovi, Elvis Costello, Carol King, George Martin, Josh Groban, S Club 7, Russell Watson, Marc Almond, Sarah Brightman, Mel C, Beverly Knight, Yusuf Islam, Take That, Tom Jones, Natasha Bedingfield, Will Young, Shirley Bassey , Freddie Mercury , Jose Carrera, Montserrat Cabella, Dion Warwick, Burt Bacherach, James Morrison. Also Les Hurdle from Crowthorne, Berks who I went to school with and played bass with Paul Simon on Brighteyes and also sessions with Rick Wakeman (6 Wives of Hank8) Dave Wintour who I shared a flat with in Cheltenham who did sessions, incl Donna Summer's mould-breaking first disco LP Also, let's hear it for two DB players who died in their twenties and had already made a massive difference to the way the DB is played - Jimmy Blanton (24) and Scott LaFaro (26). Who knows how DB playing would be today had they lived to a good age. The latter died in a car crash ten days after recording possibly the greatest jazz trio album ever - Bill Evans Live at the Village Vanguard.

Welcome back , Hector. Whatever happens in our journey through life we never lose our love of the bass.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' timestamp='1317120992' post='1386895'] ..more photos![center][attachment=90319:DSCF9345.jpg][/center][center][attachment=90321:DSCF9352.jpg][/center][center][attachment=90322:DSCF9356.jpg][/center][center][attachment=90323:DSCF9361.jpg][/center][center][attachment=90324:DSCF9365.jpg][/center][center][attachment=90325:DSCF9368.jpg][/center][center][attachment=90326:DSCF9140.jpg][/center][center][attachment=90327:DSCF9314.jpg][/center] [/quote] Is that me with the DB? I look bloody ancient and yes, there are some teeth in there somewhere. When your bass looks better than you do it's time to pack up. Great day tho' and thanks to all.

I attended a fellow muso's funeral recently - he was a very good pianist - and a pianist friend of his played Days of Wine and Roses as a solo piece. It was very moving and it'll do very well for me too. Certainly no tacky recorded stuff - ugh.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1316732067' post='1382253'] As arrogant as this might sound (it's not meant to be though), my favourite bass tone is my own at the moment! 51m0n has mastered the Kit Richardson EP I'm on and I just adore my bass tones, there is some of Si's magic going on too, but boy, I love it so much that I am going back to Warwick basses. I'll post a link when the video's out in the next couple of weeks. [/quote] And that's what we all work towards, and how it should be.

Have a great day, guys. I'm only down the road but have to play at Chippy Jazz Day. Next year perhaps?

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1316688233' post='1381384'] My car will now be so loaded that I suspect I won't be abnle to bring a DB after all. Is this a problem for Bassace's presentation? [/quote] No problem, HJ. I'm going to do a short presentation on starting out on the bass and comparing/contrasting two forms of amping - a simple small plug 'n play rig and a mic/ mini PA option. Anyone who wants a go is welcome to try my bass and I gather that Jake is bringing along his old German bass. He is a very good teacher so we should have all bases (sic) covered.

They are 'hat peg' tuners that you find on old basses. The original spindles were made of wood and so had to be of larger diameter than the later/stronger metal ones. Also the larger diameter produced less pressure on the sides of the tuning box (or whatever it's called).

I saw him at Cornbury - with Staxx - this year. He was amazing. Followed by Wilko and Norm W-R. Quite a day.

No doubt about it: B on the A string because when the band does its final flag waver we finish with a Bb number, there is an eight bar drum break and we finish up on a strong Bb. Except, except............I play a B, the band members turn round and glare at me and I slide down to Bb with a smile. They hate me for it but I like being a bit subversive and I've never really grown up.

The Jazz Bass Book by John Goldsby is great. It's not wall to wall theory/technique, although there is plenty for a beginner/improver here. It also has short biogs of all the great bassists and rhythm sections and their place in jazz history. It also includes a CD. Well worth the $24.99.

I don't usually post on this one because I do a lot of gigs (3-4 a week) and who's really interested in what I do? But this may interest some of you. We did a five-piece jazzer in a church just outside Burford in the Cotswolds yesterday afternoon. The church was very old but well cared for without being all ponced up. The acoustics were to die for and my amplified DB sounded as good as I've heard it. About 100 people attended and we got some very positive comments. The food was brought in by the ladies of the village and was just fantastic. After the gig I chatted to a guy who was friends with George Shearing when he was alive, until recently. George had a holiday home nearby and often used to visit this man's home for dinner. He had his chair at the table and he could swivel it round to the piano and play some stuff between courses. What a guest to have! It goes on, one evening an additional guest was the well known composer, John Rutter. Of course he had never met George before but he was surprised when during the course of the evening George turned to the piano and played one of John's compositions complete with jazz embellishments. Not too boring I hope.

[quote name='simon1964' post='1350665' date='Aug 24 2011, 08:05 PM']You couldn't afford me [/quote] Actually you shouldn't make that assumption, you obviously don't know much about me.

[quote name='simon1964' post='1350651' date='Aug 24 2011, 07:46 PM']You could end up liable for potentially huge amounts of money. I'm an insurance lawyer by day - and would dream of gigging without PL insurance.[/quote] Not very well draughted - I'm glad you're not my lawyer.

I'm in it for the PL and Instruments insurance. When I started out as a youngster still at school we were ready to do our first support of a 'top' band and looking forward to it like you wouldn't know. The MU tried their best to have the concert closed down because we were not members (never heard of them). I got all my savings out of my post office account so all the band could join up - that's how disappointed I would have been. So it all left a nasty taste and I have mixed feelings.

Well, Paul's post says it all really and there's nothing to disagree with there. He mentioned a preamp - this would be an outboard piece of kit that goes a long way to buffering the mismatch of the pickup (high impedance) and the amp (lower impedance). Typically this would be a Fishman Platinum Pro eq and you should look out for one of these on the secondhand forum; they come up from time to time. Your £150 will be well spent there and whatever kit you upgrade to in the future you will always find it useful. The K&K Bassmax is a good wing pickup to start with, not only is it easily removable from the bridge wing, the jack socket can be refitted in seconds. Welcome aboard and good luck.

Photos, photos!

Very impressive, and if that's what floats your boat not at all anal. With four double basses in use and six amp/cabs that gives me 24 combinations. I mark up which I've used at each gig but really there is a sort of pattern to their use based on the gig, the venue and its acoustics. Haven't a clue when I changed strings tho'; the invoices might just give a clue.