Saw a really good bass player last night..

[silverfoxnik]

Hi Folks

I was doing a gig yesterday at The Beer festival in Southwick near Brighton last night and when we'd finished setting up before our soundcheck, I wandered outside to see what else was going on and there was a great band playing some Bobbie Gentry tunes (amongst others) and they great!

In particular, there was a guy playing what looked like a fretless P Bass special and an EUB and he was really, really good! Great timing, lovely sound and held the whole band together!

Anyway, I didn't get a chance to speak to him as their set must have finished when we started our soundcheck, so I thought I'd put up a post here to see if he's a fellow Basschatter?

Cheers

Nik

[Flanker]

Hi Nik

I was going to do the same for a player I saw at a wedding last night The band were Between the Covers and the bassplayer had a lovely GB Spitfire 5 and EBS TD650 / 210. (They were from Brighton of course)!

Great tone and playing.

I did get a chance to say hello and tell them I thought they sounded great. The bass player said he had been on here but not for some time.

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='Flanker' post='496524' date='May 24 2009, 11:06 AM']Hi Nik

I was going to do the same for a player I saw at a wedding last night The band were Between the Covers and the bassplayer had a lovely GB Spitfire 5 and EBS TD650 / 210. (They were from Brighton of course)!

Great tone and playing.

I did get a chance to say hello and tell them I thought they sounded great. The bass player said he had been on here but not for some time.[/quote]
Hi Flanker,

That's cool! I wish I'd been able to do the same thing... One of the things that happened to me since I joined Basschat (and Bassworld before it) is that I've developed much more of an appreciation of other bass players talent than I had before..which has got to be a good thing!

Nik

Edited May 24, 2009 by silverfoxnik

[NickThomas]

[quote name='Flanker' post='496524' date='May 24 2009, 11:06 AM']Hi Nik

I was going to do the same for a player I saw at a wedding last night The band were Between the Covers and the bassplayer had a lovely GB Spitfire 5 and EBS TD650 / 210. (They were from Brighton of course)!

Great tone and playing.

I did get a chance to say hello and tell them I thought they sounded great. The bass player said he had been on here but not for some time.[/quote]

I've got a feeling thats Dan Humphries. Hes's a member here, but not a very regular one I dont think.
Top bassist too.Seen him once or twice.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='496519' date='May 24 2009, 10:59 AM']Hi Folks

I was doing a gig yesterday at The Beer festival in Southwick near Brighton last night and when we'd finished setting up before our soundcheck, I wandered outside to see what else was going on and there was a great band playing some Bobbie Gentry tunes (amongst others) and they great!

In particular, there was a guy playing what looked like a fretless P Bass special and an EUB and he was really, really good! Great timing, lovely sound and held the whole band together!

Anyway, I didn't get a chance to speak to him as their set must have finished when we started our soundcheck, so I thought I'd put up a post here to see if he's a fellow Basschatter?

Cheers

Nik[/quote]

Nik,

Er ... my band [i]Barabajagal[/i] played at Southwick Beer Festival on Saturday afternoon (our 4th gig) and some of that sounds like me: Fender Tony Franklin Fretless P bass (bought it from Water of Tyne), NS WAV 4 (bought it from Lee650), Bobby Gentry tune (amongst others), but the rest sounds like some one else; perhaps you'd had too much of that 8.5% beer they were selling.

I take it you're in Burning Organ - I know Tony your guitarist a little and did a one off gig with him with Micky Hart & the Drugstore Romeos last summer.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='NickThomas' post='497522' date='May 25 2009, 08:23 PM']I've got a feeling thats Dan Humphries. Hes's a member here, but not a very regular one I dont think.
Top bassist too.Seen him once or twice.[/quote]

It could be Dan - did he have a walnut top Spitfire, matching headstock, maple neck? (looks suspiciously the same as my 5 string Spitfire?)

He's a really nice guy. Last time I spoke to him he was off doing cruise ships. I am guessing he's back. He was working with quite a tasty young singer in an originals project...

[alexclaber]

That reminds me I meant to start a similar thread for someone I saw I while back but I'll be damned if I can remember where or when it was now! Hmmm...

On the other hand I still can't forget the covers band I saw at a ball a few years ago. I'm sure they were talented individuals at something but the rhythm section's talents clearly lay somewhere other than in rhythm!

Alex

[51m0n]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='498094' date='May 26 2009, 04:30 PM']That reminds me I meant to start a similar thread for someone I saw I while back but I'll be damned if I can remember where or when it was now! Hmmm...

On the other hand I still can't forget the covers band I saw at a ball a few years ago. I'm sure they were talented individuals at something but the rhythm section's talents clearly lay somewhere other than in rhythm!

Alex[/quote]

Oh yeah Alex, I can see you getting loads of people owning up to being 'the really cr@p bassist who didn't gel with his drummer at all' that you saw last night - unless it was me in which case I hold my hand up, guilty as charged

Excellent, the "name 'em and shame 'em" thread!!! Make it so!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='51m0n' post='498617' date='May 27 2009, 11:52 AM']Oh yeah Alex, I can see you getting loads of people owning up to being 'the really cr@p bassist who didn't gel with his drummer at all' that you saw last night - unless it was me in which case I hold my hand up, guilty as charged

Excellent, the "name 'em and shame 'em" thread!!! Make it so![/quote]

I even felt awkward owning up to being the praised bass player in the OP - first, because maybe it wasn't me at all; second, because, it didn't feel that great on stage at the time anyway.

[AM1]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='498094' date='May 26 2009, 04:30 PM']That reminds me I meant to start a similar thread for someone I saw I while back but I'll be damned if I can remember where or when it was now! Hmmm...

On the other hand I still can't forget the covers band I saw at a ball a few years ago. I'm sure they were talented individuals at something but the rhythm section's talents clearly lay somewhere other than in rhythm!

Alex[/quote]

Let those who are without sin, cast the first stone.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='498636' date='May 27 2009, 12:08 PM']I even felt awkward owning up to being the praised bass player in the OP - first, because maybe it wasn't me at all; second, because, it didn't feel that great on stage at the time anyway.[/quote]

That's always the way dude. The worst gigs in your head, can often be the best out front!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='498946' date='May 27 2009, 04:16 PM']That's always the way dude. The worst gigs in your head, can often be the best out front![/quote]

And vice versa, and don't I know it.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='AM1' post='498687' date='May 27 2009, 12:52 PM']Let those who are without sin, cast the first stone.[/quote]

When it comes to matters of groove I'm happy to push boulders off cliffs, Wile E. style.

On walking and soloing I'm willing to accept more than a substantial hail of gravel in return.

Alex

[EssentialTension]

And Nik, if you ever return to this thread, I'd be interested to hear what you thought of my intonation on the fretless and the upright - that was my first gig with the unlined P bass.

No one in the band ever complains (except when I play a straightforwardly bum note) so I feel I'm getting away with it but I find it hard to be sure I'm really in tune even if I know I am close (or maybe just close enough).

I'd appreciate a comment one way or the other if you have one.

[Merton]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='498094' date='May 26 2009, 04:30 PM']On the other hand I still can't forget the covers band I saw at a ball a few years ago. I'm sure they were talented individuals at something but the rhythm section's talents clearly lay somewhere other than in rhythm!

Alex[/quote]
That sounds like my band

[AM1]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='499132' date='May 27 2009, 06:23 PM']When it comes to matters of groove I'm happy to push boulders off cliffs, Wile E. style.[/quote]

Just in case I am missing something - what do you think qualifies you for the role of groove critic?

The prolific groove players that I'm aware of don't appear to visibly criticise their bass playing colleagues so freely.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='499132' date='May 27 2009, 06:23 PM']On walking and soloing I'm willing to accept more than a substantial hail of gravel in return.

Alex[/quote]

Well, quite why there is such an adversarial approach to our fellow musicians is rather confusing to me.

Most serious musicians know the full extent of their own shortcomings, without needing to be told and can make their own choices how to proceed.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='AM1' post='499149' date='May 27 2009, 06:42 PM']Most serious musicians know the full extent of their own shortcomings, without needing to be told and can make their own choices how to proceed.[/quote]

Maybe they weren't serious musicians and didn't know their own shortcomings.

[EBS_freak]

Wiseman once told me, "you can't hold no groove if you wear cycling shorts"

...Or something like that

[EssentialTension]

I remember reading a story about Charlie Parker.

Apparently he took a bandmate out for a drink. They went to a bar where a band was playing; Parker saying to the other guy 'You gotta see this band, I've heard them a few times now'.

In the bar, Parker's friend says 'Charlie, they are awful'.

Parker says, 'Yes, but they've really improved, you should have seen them last week, they keep getting better'.

Seems like he had a very positive attitude to those weaker than himself.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='499165' date='May 27 2009, 06:53 PM']I remember reading a story about Charlie Parker.

Apparently he took a bandmate out for a drink. They went to a bar where a band was playing; Parker saying to the other guy 'You gotta see this band, I've heard them a few times now'.

In the bar, Parker's friend says 'Charlie, they are awful'.

Parker says, 'Yes, but they've really improved, you should have seen them last week, they keep getting better'.

Seems like he had a very positive attitude to those weaker than himself.[/quote]

Great story. I've always found that no matter who you watch, you can learn something from them... even if it's something as small as them looking cooler than you.

The true greats are really humble and acknowledge that there is much to learn. Then again, there are some who are still arrogant... and I wish he would get rid of that bum bag.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='499207' date='May 27 2009, 07:30 PM']Then again, there are some who are still arrogant... and I wish he would get rid of that bum bag.[/quote]

There you go... I hadn't even realised. When watching the person in question, I learnt that a bum bag is not a good look.

[bythesea]

I went in to work on Monday and one of my colleagues told me she had been to the Southwick Beer Festival over the weekend and had seen a really good band. I asked who they were and she told me they were called Burning Organ...

[alexclaber]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='499157' date='May 27 2009, 06:49 PM']Maybe they weren't serious musicians and didn't know their own shortcomings.[/quote]

I think that's exactly it. I have never seen a band manage to keep a dance floor quite so empty despite copious quantities of alcohol and decent song choices. A few years later the same singers were back without the arhythm section and the difference was incredible! Surely I'm not the only person that come across players (particularly drummists) that despite years of experience have never clicked with the concepts of 'groove' or 'pocket' etc and instead sound like a pale imitation of a poorly programmed drum machine?

I love good live music and I get SO angry when I find myself thinking "a DJ would be much better to dance to than this band!" Fortunately it doesn't happen that often.

Have been hearing lots of good bass playing and drumming recently though, which is nice.

Alex

P.S. Why did no-one tell me about this Southwick beer festival? I like good beer!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='499231' date='May 27 2009, 07:58 PM']I think that's exactly it. I have never seen a band manage to keep a dance floor quite so empty despite copious quantities of alcohol and decent song choices. A few years later the same singers were back without the arhythm section and the difference was incredible! Surely I'm not the only person that come across players (particularly drummists) that despite years of experience have never clicked with the concepts of 'groove' or 'pocket' etc and instead sound like a pale imitation of a poorly programmed drum machine?

I love good live music and I get SO angry when I find myself thinking "a DJ would be much better to dance to than this band!" Fortunately it doesn't happen that often.

Have been hearing lots of good bass playing and drumming recently though, which is nice.

Alex

P.S. Why did no-one tell me about this Southwick beer festival? I like good beer![/quote]

Yeah, I would have ventured down for that!

Edited May 27, 2009 by EBS_freak

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='bythesea' post='499221' date='May 27 2009, 07:44 PM']I went in to work on Monday and one of my colleagues told me she had been to the Southwick Beer Festival over the weekend and had seen a really good band. I asked who they were and she told me they were called Burning Organ... [/quote]
I'd gone home by the time they were on. Sorry Nik.