Bilbo Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 It's frustrating, innit? I am better now than I ever have been but the better I get more frustrated I get at the music I get to play. When you listen to the greats all day and then get to gig what is mostly a load of old b******s, you have to ask yourself, why bother? I am sure it is OK for people who live in the big metropolitan areas but out is the sticks, you just can't find the player who are a, able to play this sh*t and b, who WANT to play this sh*t Good enough doesn't seem good enough at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Not bothering is much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I don't think living in a large conurbation helps at all; wood for the trees and all that. I understand the frustration, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1457300606' post='2997242']...out is the sticks, you just can't find the player... [/quote] But 'sall relative innit..? I don't know of any Eskimo bands, nor many from the nether reaches of Lapland. Tierra del Fuego isn't stuffed with jazz players either, or so I reckon. There's worse. 'T any rate, the solution is simple enough. If the mountain won't go to Mohammed, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 Would that it were that simple, Pops. I am thinking of it series of solo double bass recordings so I don't have to worry about anyone else!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1457303793' post='2997271'] ... nor many from the nether reaches of Lapland.... [/quote] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqubyHoF4Rs&list=PL4BxjbiG30HO9S_cXCgIiw41zbr8T36Bm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Well, fine stuff indeed , but still, I wouldn't call that 'many', would you..? Anyway, the bass spot seems to be taken already..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) Well, if you're prepared to extend "Lapland" to the Sami regions of northern Norway you also have the fabulous Mari Boine - some of that stuff is really quite jazzy too! Edited March 6, 2016 by Earbrass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1457300606' post='2997242'] It's frustrating, innit? I am better now than I ever have been but the better I get more frustrated I get at the music I get to play. When you listen to the greats all day and then get to gig what is mostly a load of old b******s, you have to ask yourself, why bother? I am sure it is OK for people who live in the big metropolitan areas but out is the sticks, you just can't find the player who are a, able to play this sh*t and b, who WANT to play this sh*t Good enough doesn't seem good enough at the moment! [/quote] You need give up this jazz nonsense mate and go back to metal, trade your upright in for a proper bass and get some tats ... As a bonus youl never have to play moondance ... Edited March 7, 2016 by bassman7755 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1457300606' post='2997242'] It's frustrating, innit? I am better now than I ever have been but the better I get more frustrated I get at the music I get to play. When you listen to the greats all day and then get to gig what is mostly a load of old b******s, you have to ask yourself, why bother? I am sure it is OK for people who live in the big metropolitan areas but out is the sticks, you just can't find the player who are a, able to play this sh*t and b, who WANT to play this sh*t Good enough doesn't seem good enough at the moment! [/quote] I live in the sticks and it's taken ages to find someone that I can play with and not feel that I'm being carried, even given my modest talents and I frankly don't care what we play. I like the buzz of playing alongside someone and lifting their sound and complimenting mine. I don't care who they are as long as it works. Any track we do, whether I like it or hate it, is chucked together that evening so it's raw and you can see the bones sticking out. Enjoy the opportunity that you have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1457304111' post='2997275'] I am thinking of it series of solo double bass recordings so I don't have to worry about anyone else!! [/quote] Actually, I think this is quite a sensible approach, despite being made (partly?) in jest. For those of us with minority musical interests, finding like-minded musicians to play with can be a challenge, and finding audiences even more so. I think we have to ask ourselves what it is that matters most to us in our music. Being a jazzer, you're clearly not in it for the money, fame and glory, and from your remarks in the OP I sense that gigging is not in itself the be-all and end-all either. If your main motivation is to produce music you really believe in, without compromising your ideas to suit other players or the fickle tastes of the gig-going public, I think sometimes you have to plough your own furrow with whatever musical resources you have at hand. It can be a lonely road, but if you succeed in creating something individual and powerful, maybe other musicians will be drawn in to your vision and want to play along, and using resources such as youtube and soundcloud you can, if you're both good and lucky, reach a larger audience than you ever could playing small gigs in your locality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 There is wisdom in there, EB. Wisdom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I play in bands for fun, money, networking opportunities etc. The music I [i]really[/i] want to make I do in the studio, on my own, and generally show no-one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 It's one of the reasons I for many years have a policy of just playing covers for the fun of the party , if I wanted to play for the sake of music , I'd have no audience. This really came home the other night as I went to a free and well publicised blues night, the artists all travelled far, a small radio station was recording the gig, and a well known Dj did the introducing. Serious players really into the genre etc. Some with ex well known band credentionals. Mix of original and covers dating back to the 20s, could go on ..... All that said, total punters (and it was free entry) about 50 I'd guess. The local pub gets a bigger crowd for a covers night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Yeah its frustrating as hell. I lost it on an earlier thread and realised that we all have a different view on what is "good enough" whatever that means. Sometimes you just have to accept that some things you can't change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I actually brought a solo album by Dave Holland, so there is a market for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 There are two solo double bass albums by Dave Holland. So that's half a market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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