When string bass take over from horn bass in jazz?

[spencer.b]

When did string bass take over from horn bass in jazz?

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 19, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Rabbie]

Tuba was the instrument of choice to provide the low end to the marching jazz bands of New Orleans. As jazz moved into the dance halls, the string bass took over and it all got swinging! It was about that time that luminaries like Pops Foster were on the scene. Most bass players also doubled up on tuba to get jobs in the remaining street and funeral bands. The. The epicentre of jazz moved to New York, it all got a bit fancy and most of these players were too old or not hip enough to keep up. That's it in a very small nutshell.

[BassBus]

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Edited August 22, 2013 by BassBus

[bassace]

Probably around 1900 the Tuba or Sousaphone ran in parallel for until 1920-ish when the string bass took over. Early players included Alcide Pavageau and later Pops Foster. Initially the string bass was slapped to be heard live and recorded until electronics improved. The bass carried on in two or four in the bar style until Jimmy Blanton broke the instrument out of its straight jacket and played syncopated eighth note solos. Duke Ellington recognised Blanton's talent and used to make sure that he was well amplified on gigs and recordings. He was probably the father of the modern double bass in jazz; an ironic title perhaps because he died at the age of 24, of TB. Another player who had a massive influence on bass playing was Scott LaFaro who was killed in a car crash, aged 25.

[AndyBass]

A good bit of context for the evolution of bass in jazz is the book Pops Foster: New Orleans Jazzman. Although some of his versions of events are contested, he not only gives an interesting acount of the development and spread of New Orleans jazz, but tells some good stories along the way.

Edited August 23, 2013 by AndyBass

[thisnameistaken]

It's hard to believe those guys died so young. I had Live at the Village Vanguard on in the car today and the stuff La Faro was doing was just stunning. He clearly had his bass set up with very little relief though and sadly I think the recordings suffer a bit because of it. Musically though, wow.

[Bilbo]

Bassace has pretty much got it. The double bass had been there from the start and the idea that the tuba was the bass voice in Jazz and that, one day, someone discovered the double bass is a misrepresentation of the history of the music brought about because of the limits of early recording technology. When recordings were undertaken though a horn, the double bass could not be heard whilst the drums were so loud, they forced the needle recording the music to jump, thereby ruining every take. The double bass was replaced by the tuba and the drums by various percussion intruments like woodblocks etc. In short, the history of Jazz is not accurately refelcted in the history of RECORDED Jazz. Obvioulsy marching bands would use tuba but early Jazz morphed out of brass bands AND string orchestras simultaneously (a lot of New Orleans musos played in both). There is plenty of photographic evidence of early jazz being played on double bass (see below).

[Apprenti L'Artisan]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1377207170' post='2184916']
He clearly had his bass set up with very little relief though and sadly I think the recordings suffer a bit because of it. Musically though, wow.
[/quote]

How do you mean? As in the strings buzzed or some other reason?

[fatgoogle]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1377207170' post='2184916']
It's hard to believe those guys died so young. I had Live at the Village Vanguard on in the car today and the stuff La Faro was doing was just stunning. He clearly had his bass set up with very little relief though and sadly I think the recordings suffer a bit because of it. Musically though, wow.
[/quote]

It sounds stunning on 180 gram vinyl.