Janek and Hadrien

[Doddy]

Check this out!!!
Janek Gwizdala and Hadrien Feraud killing
at Bass Player Live.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwtOibl_eU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwtOibl_eU[/url]

Edited November 11, 2009 by Doddy

[RhysP]

That's a lovely looking bass Hadrien is playing.

[Mike]

It's fantastic! Both amazing players. I'm currently transcribing Janek's solo on this.

[Buzz]

/Waits for the flood.

[Pete Academy]

If Hadrien played Wal basses, it could called Hadrien's Wal.

[Doddy]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='651638' date='Nov 11 2009, 02:22 PM']If Hadrien played Wal basses, it could called Hadrien's Wal. [/quote]

Oh God.

That's bad

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='Doddy' post='651642' date='Nov 11 2009, 02:25 PM']Oh God.

That's bad [/quote]

I'll always work with material like that.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Excellent playing as per usual from Mr.Feraud! I can do scale based and modal runs like him, but only at about half the speed. Astounding! Never heard of the other guy, but he's very melodic when he gets going

Edited November 11, 2009 by OutToPlayJazz

[BassBunny]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='651666' date='Nov 11 2009, 02:50 PM']Never heard of the other guy, but he's very melodic when he gets going [/quote]
He is one of the visting members at ICMP and has a regular Bass Technique column in Bass Guitar Magazine.
He played BassDay in Manchester last year and is an awesome player.

[Faithless]

today finally got both Janek Gwizdala's albums, which are live ones..

Didn't get to listen to "Mystery To Me" (2004) yet, but already went through whole "Live at 55 Bar" (2008)..

The music is f*cking brilliant, nothing more to add..

For those, who dig modern jazz, it's a [i]must-have.[/i]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='651666' date='Nov 11 2009, 05:50 PM']Excellent playing as per usual from Mr.Feraud! I can do scale based and modal runs like him, but only at about half the speed. Astounding! Never heard of the other guy, but he's very melodic when he gets going [/quote]

After an intense listening to Janek, Mr.Feraud, as Doddy mentioned once, does start to seem really unmusical..
There may be10 times less notes in Janek's improvs, but, man, it [i]breathes [/i]music, as opposed to Hadrien, for me at least..

Edited June 28, 2010 by Faithless

[Doddy]

[quote name='Faithless' post='880449' date='Jun 28 2010, 10:25 PM']today finally got both Janek Gwizdala's albums, which are live ones..

Didn't get to listen to "Mystery To Me" (2004) yet, but already went through whole "Live at 55 Bar" (2008)..

The music is f*cking brilliant, nothing more to add..

For those, who dig modern jazz, it's a [i]must-have.[/i][/quote]

If you like those check out the website www.artonearth.com

There are a load of Janeks live shows from the last couple of years. There is some killing stuff from '09 with Jojo Mayer
on drums. (The Rotherham gig is particularly good).

Edited June 28, 2010 by Doddy

[waynepunkdude]

I didn't watch for long for obvious reasons but the bloke on the left looked a little lost like he didn't know what he was doing.

[JamieBenzies]

[quote name='Faithless' post='880449' date='Jun 28 2010, 10:25 PM']today finally got both Janek Gwizdala's albums, which are live ones..

Didn't get to listen to "Mystery To Me" (2004) yet, but already went through whole "Live at 55 Bar" (2008)..

The music is f*cking brilliant, nothing more to add..

For those, who dig modern jazz, it's a [i]must-have.[/i]



After an intense listening to Janek, Mr.Feraud, as Doddy mentioned once, does start to seem really unmusical..
There may be10 times less notes in Janek's improvs, but, man, it [i]breathes [/i]music, as opposed to Hadrien, for me at least..[/quote]

And Mystery To Me is his better album, by far in my opinion. Prepare yourself!

[funkypenguin]

Very good!

i would (IMO) say this below is a better example of Hadriens playing

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dACuMHfEbrM&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dACuMHfEbrM...feature=related[/url]

i dunno what it is about Gwizdala, but alot of his playing doesnt do it for me. cant really explain! having said that i do like Mystery to Me. you're in for a treat when you listen to it!

[Faithless]

[quote name='Doddy' post='880463' date='Jun 29 2010, 12:37 AM']If you like those check out the website www.artonearth.com

There are a load of Janeks live shows from the last couple of years. There is some killing stuff from '09 with Jojo Mayer
on drums. (The Rotherham gig is particularly good).[/quote]


I tried to buy that show from there, but, the engine said, that my card was declined (it is Visa Virtuon..)
Any chance, what the heck?

Yesterday I bought two albums from CDbaby.com, and it was all ok, though, I had to choose payment type - "Credit Card", though, I think, Visa Virtuon is not an actual credit card, innit?

Sorry, I'm a bit lost with this card thing..

[XB26354]

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='880529' date='Jun 28 2010, 11:55 PM']I dunno what it is about Gwizdala, but a lot of his playing doesnt do it for me. Cant really explain![/quote]

I was just about to say the same about Hadrien! I've seen a fair bit of him and whilst he obviously holds some sort of land speed record with his right hand (no that is not a double entendre!), his tone reminds me of Jeff Berlin, always rooted to the bridge pickup. I know he is still fairly young, but he really lacks any stage presence, something which Matt Garrison and Janek have plenty of, probably due to personality. What also bugs me is that what is left after the amazing technique? I saw him with his band, and felt that, before putting out your own record and forming a band, you should have something to say. I love jazz and have a lot of time for guys that can play those sax/tpt licks at 100mph on bass, but to me he is impressive, in the same way that painters that can make a portrait look like a photo are impressive.

[Bilbo]

These shred fests just don't do anything for me any more (I used to buy it wholesale). I can appreciate the technical skills in evidence but, as they often say of acting, if you can see it, it isn't very good!

Watch Joan Hickson as Miss Marple. No acting in evidence: she IS Marple.

Find me a bass player that plays like these two but who doesn't draw attention to him/herself and you will have found a diamond.

[funkypenguin]

[quote name='XB26354' post='880802' date='Jun 29 2010, 11:47 AM']I was just about to say the same about Hadrien! I've seen a fair bit of him and whilst he obviously holds some sort of land speed record with his right hand (no that is not a double entendre!), his tone reminds me of Jeff Berlin, always rooted to the bridge pickup. I know he is still fairly young, but he really lacks any stage presence, something which Matt Garrison and Janek have plenty of, probably due to personality. What also bugs me is that what is left after the amazing technique? I saw him with his band, and felt that, before putting out your own record and forming a band, you should have something to say. I love jazz and have a lot of time for guys that can play those sax/tpt licks at 100mph on bass, but to me he is impressive, in the same way that painters that can make a portrait look like a photo are impressive.[/quote]


i do see what you're saying about stage presence, and i agree i think its down to personality. of all the technicians in the jazz world matt garrison is definetley my favourite, i love his sound, style and compositional voice. if its style and musicality you're after though, i would argue john patitucci has all 3 of them well and truly licked. just my opinion of course

[JamieBenzies]

For me Gwizdala's grooves and composition are what make him so excellent, his solos are still good but the horn arrangements on Mystery To Me are beautiful and the melodic writing in tunes such as Darkness is just brilliant - totally unique.

The fact that he has John Ellis, Jojo Meyer and Elliot Mason (trombone, bass trumpet, keyboards and ingenious solos) also helps somewhat, I find the line up on his other major release a bit stale in comparison.

[Rich]

Cracking stuff! I particularly like the way the keys player just wouldn't shut up
I'm going to have to track down some of these guys' work.

[quote name='Bilbo' post='880815' date='Jun 29 2010, 11:55 AM']Watch Joan Hickson as Miss Marple.[/quote]
Eek. No thanks, I'd rather listen to a Manowar CD

[Cairobill]

Gwizdala is one of the few proper bass heavyweights around at the minute IMO.

[JamieBenzies]

[quote name='Rich' post='880902' date='Jun 29 2010, 01:07 PM']Cracking stuff! I particularly like the way the keys player just wouldn't shut up
I'm going to have to track down some of these guys' work.


Eek. No thanks, I'd rather listen to a Manowar CD [/quote]

John Ellis (the nice Soprano [mostly] sax player) has some alright albums, but nothing as good as this. Jojo Meyers own stuff is just him playing live drums to drum and bass which isn't really my cup of tea, he also plays in a very cliché funky band which isn't that special.

To my horror the beautiful man on keys among many other things (he's most famous for his trombone playing) doesn't have any releases that he leads and I can't find him much generally - a great shame, he's probably my favourite soloist on the album.

[Doddy]

[quote name='benzies123' post='880909' date='Jun 29 2010, 01:12 PM']Jojo Meyers own stuff is just him playing live drums to drum and bass which isn't really my cup of tea, he also plays in a very cliché funky band which isn't that special.[/quote]

If you are referring to Mayer's band Nerve,it's actually all live. As well as the awesome Jojo Mayer,it features Takuya
Nakamara on Keys and Trumpet,John Davis on (heavily effected)Bass and Roli Mosimann who manipulates the sound from
the mixing desk in real time. They are a brilliant band-their 'Prohibited Beats' album is killer.

As far as Feraud is concerned,he is undoubtedly one of the best technicians on the bass but his music,I think falls somewhat
short. I saw him at Bass Day UK '08,and as great as his ability is,I was ultimately quite bored. Janek's set that same day was
so much more musical and groovy.
I think that the difference in the two comes down to the 'big' gigs that these guys do.Feraud has only really done the more
'chops-y' gigs,whereas Gwizdala has toured with a few pop acts,which obviously requires more discipline.

Interestingly,on a drum forum John Mclaughlin's drummer,the excellent Gary Husband,said the band was better with Etienne
M'bappe than with Hadrien. When questioned this was his reply(I think it says quite a lot).......

[Quote]
Well, it depends on what you're looking for I guess, and what particular elements constitute one guy as someone who couldn't be any better so to speak.

Hadrien's got facility up the ying yang. He's got a lot of awe inspiring, truly staggering technique .. and he applies it.. just about everywhere, in everything! He's up the top end whopping in jazz chordal substitutions, in I'm afraid (to me) that are frequently musically inappropriate and he's generally shedding his load at seemingly any opportunity.

Many (and I've seen this type of opinion reflected here occasionally) frequently put this down to age, and the fact he's extremely young. I'm afraid I don't buy this philosophy at all. I was absorbed in classical music at an incredibly young age, and when I wasn't I was pursuing musical effect for all it's worth in what I could find improvisationally. It was always just about music, and what I could strive for and reach as a musical effect. Ultimately! I wouldn't dream of comparing myself for one minute, but look at what Tony Williams was doing at 17? Enough said.

Etienne has the fundamental. He's playing bass, and his whole conception and contribution stems from what the bass is about in this kind of music. Not just groove. It's about what's musically important down in the bottom end of music. His whole interaction also stems from a complete understanding of what the bass is all about too. In addition to this, he is also 100% skilled in terms of working with drummers, which is something Hadrien has yet to even start understanding. Etienne embraces what goes on rhythmically and produces a total intuitive cohesion with whoever he's playing with. Whatever he does, he does for musical reasons and reacts in a total musical and sense all the time, with a lot of instinctive empathy.

That's where I'm at with all this. I'm talking about the same thing that made what Rick Laird so effective in Mahavishnu, and Jimmy Johnson so great with Allan Holdsworth... and it isn't just about playing low, simple and minimal, it's about what the player either understands or don't understand about what the bass has got to be about for this kind of music to work.

That's my stance.

Best,

GH [Quote]

Edited June 29, 2010 by Doddy

[XB26354]

Wow - quite damning! I can understand what he means though. Sometimes frightening technique can be a bit of a bugbear.
As funkypenguin said, Patitucci is the man really - effortless technique, doubles and is superb on both, grooves like mad and solos like a bebop sax player.
On The Corner is still one of my favourites.
Wish he'd kept the Smith though - I've never liked the clickety clack he gets from a Yamaha.

[Doddy]

[quote name='XB26354' post='881396' date='Jun 29 2010, 09:40 PM']Wow - quite damning! I can understand what he means though. Sometimes frightening technique can be a bit of a bugbear.
As funkypenguin said, Patitucci is the man really - effortless technique, doubles and is superb on both, grooves like mad and solos like a bebop sax player.
On The Corner is still one of my favourites.
Wish he'd kept the Smith though - I've never liked the clickety clack he gets from a Yamaha.[/quote]

I totally agree with you on Patitucci,although I don't mind the Yamaha.