Will you still be giging double bass at 90? Check out this awesome video.

[geoffbassist]

[color=#000000][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]I know there are often posts about age and playing the bass so thought this would be of interest.[/font][/color]

[color=#000000][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]This video is a real gem. The moving story of double bassist Charlie Burrell who is aged 90 and still giging, What a cool guy! [/font][/color]

http://vimeo.com/26489908

Edited October 13, 2013 by geoffbassist

[SevenSeas]

Awesome!

[jakenewmanbass]

Great!
I've always said that but for the trauma it would cause others I'd like to die onstage...

Edited October 13, 2013 by jakenewmanbass

[EssentialTension]

That was excellent.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1381668324' post='2241970']
Great!
I've always said that but for the trauma it would cause others I'd like to die onstage...
[/quote]
Unlike you Jake, I presume, I have already died on stage many times.

[sarah thomas]

Wonderful! Just when I was thinking I really should have started this decades ago, you post this great video and I see there are still decades to come. Thankyou.

[Clarky]

'Like'

[Clarky]

Reminds me of my all-time favourite double bass video with that wonderful old gent Milt Hinton. Which gives me an excuse to post it again!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFTqVHEJZ0A

[bassace]

Gigging? I doubt I'll be alive. Seriously though, I'm past 70 now and although I still average three a week I've got to face the possibility of stopping soon. I still play OK and knock up an awesome amount of miles up and down the country but I don't want to be 'the old guy in the band' and certainly wouldn't want to be a 90 year old curiosity.

[oggiesnr]

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1381682323' post='2242240']
Gigging? I doubt I'll be alive. Seriously though, I'm past 70 now and although I still average three a week I've got to face the possibility of stopping soon. I still play OK and knock up an awesome amount of miles up and down the country but I don't want to be 'the old guy in the band' and certainly wouldn't want to be a 90 year old curiosity.
[/quote]

If you can play well you're never going to be a curiosity, you're just going to be looked at as a good player. Had Charlie Burrell been c**p then he wouldn't be finding people to play with. I suspect the same will go for the rest of us.

Steve

[geoffbassist]

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1381682323' post='2242240']
Gigging? I doubt I'll be alive. Seriously though, I'm past 70 now and although I still average three a week I've got to face the possibility of stopping soon. I still play OK and knock up an awesome amount of miles up and down the country but I don't want to be 'the old guy in the band' and certainly wouldn't want to be a 90 year old curiosity.
[/quote]

Great bass playing never goes out of fashion Roger. To get booked as much as you do you must be doing a great job!

I love the Milt Hinton video as well.

[geoffbassist]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1381677711' post='2242157']

Unlike you Jake, I presume, I have already died on stage many times.
[/quote]

I've definetly died inside a few times! I'm ok with dropping off on stage as long as its not playing Mustang Sally :-)

[philparker]

Isn't smoking bad for your health?

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1381682323' post='2242240']
Gigging? I doubt I'll be alive. Seriously though, I'm past 70 now and although I still average three a week I've got to face the possibility of stopping soon. I still play OK and knock up an awesome amount of miles up and down the country but I don't want to be 'the old guy in the band' and certainly wouldn't want to be a 90 year old curiosity.
[/quote]

Alternatively, if you continue to fulfil the rôle of bassist in line with the other members' expectation and still enjoy it, why stop unless infirmity demands it?

[flyfisher]

Lovely video.

I've seen BB King a few times and the last time (5/6 years ago?) he had to play sitting down . . . but he's still playing!

[Fran Diaz]

Great thread. Thanks for posting this Geoff. So I still have another 50 years of bass playing in me.

[fatback]

I'd better be still playing at 90, cos it's going to take me that long to learn this thing. And then I'll wish had another twenty to go

[timbass]

LOvely video of a lovely old guy playing great music very well. Thanks for sharing, I would not have seen this otherwise.

[BetaFunk]

British bass player Peter Ind is still gigging at 85 and you can see him live at the Southbank, London in November.

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/the-black-saint-and-the-sinner-78826