Jeff Berlin's new CD

[Jase]

[quote name='silddx' post='965654' date='Sep 23 2010, 02:49 PM']Yes you can But BBC has never been an idiot so maybe it's mistaken identity.

Anyway, I'm not a follower, it's not in my nature. I was just paraphrasing one of his funnier moments.

BTW, I quite like the Godsticks album, but it's not as interesting as the ep you played on. Dunno why though [/quote]


Hahaha, nice one silddx

Aha, been buying some pop prog have you?? Or Prog pop...He's a talented bloke that Charles. Still, I had to move on and all that stuff.

Yes, BBC...he used to drive me nuts!! My apologies if I offended you

[xilddx]

[quote name='Jase' post='965726' date='Sep 23 2010, 03:53 PM']Hahaha, nice one silddx

Aha, been buying some pop prog have you?? Or Prog pop...He's a talented bloke that Charles. Still, I had to move on and all that stuff.

Yes, BBC...he used to drive me nuts!! My apologies if I offended you [/quote]
I never take a fence

I wish Mr Charles would lose the Vai-isms and the music seems a bit emptier on the album than on the ep. Very good though, beats the sh*t out of that Porcupine Tree rubbish and the like.

Cheers.

[Clarky]

Careful Nigel. When you play his CDs backwards it says "Hi-tops, Hi-tops, Hi-tops ...."

[Jase]

[quote name='silddx' post='965759' date='Sep 23 2010, 04:11 PM']I never take a fence

I wish Mr Charles would lose the Vai-isms and the music seems a bit emptier on the album than on the ep. Very good though, beats the sh*t out of that Porcupine Tree rubbish and the like.

Cheers.[/quote]

Nah, I never take a fence either, what's the point
By the way, they have a young bass player now, awesome too! He sometimes hangs around here.
Yeah, most music is pants these days. I really can't get into the prog scene so I jumped ship!

cheers silddx!

[xilddx]

[quote name='Clarky' post='965776' date='Sep 23 2010, 04:20 PM']Careful Nigel. When you play his CDs backwards it says "Hi-tops, Hi-tops, Hi-tops ...."[/quote]


Whereas I'll probably just say "STOP! STOP! STOP! ..."

[Waldo]

I wonder if Jeff ever did manage to get himself a more fashonable pair of shoes....

[Chris2112]

But what happened to the last thread?

[purpleblob]

There's no doubting JB is one hell of a bass player and musician. Technically there's possibly none better. And yes, you guessed it, there's a but... I personally find his playing lacks emotion and technical perfection is always secondary to music played with feeling - ofcourse it's just my opinion

[Johngh]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='966004' date='Sep 23 2010, 07:43 PM']But what happened to the last thread?[/quote]

Chris, the last thread was pulled because of unofficial advertising. I was asked to pull it.

I'm away on holiday at the moment in London and logged on via internet cafe and being as a few other mods have contributed to this one I guess it's OK to run. Sorry if it's caused a bit of confusion.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Johngh' post='966436' date='Sep 24 2010, 09:58 AM']Chris, the last thread was pulled because of unofficial advertising. I was asked to pull it.

I'm away on holiday at the moment in London and logged on via internet cafe and being as a few other mods have contributed to this one I guess it's OK to run. Sorry if it's caused a bit of confusion.[/quote]
Weird that the Glass Onyon PR company has tried again with this thread isn't it!

Will this one stay?

[purpleblob]

[quote name='Johngh' post='966436' date='Sep 24 2010, 09:58 AM']Chris, the last thread was pulled because of unofficial advertising. I was asked to pull it. [/quote]

Totally makes sense now, fair enough

I wouldn't be surprised if the OP might be glad if this one gets pulled although eagerly awaiting silddx's review of the album.

[xilddx]

[quote name='purpleblob' post='966627' date='Sep 24 2010, 01:03 PM']Totally makes sense now, fair enough

I wouldn't be surprised if the OP might be glad if this one gets pulled although eagerly awaiting silddx's review of the album.[/quote]
I had a problem with that mate. I had to order it from Amazon Germany, as all our internet connections go through Germany, however, after ordering it, I couldn't download it, it said there was no connection, but there was. I'll have to order it from home. PITA. I'll probably end up paying double for some horrible bass solo, but I will take the chance

[mildmanofrock]

I've only ever bought one solo bass player record. It was by Stu Hamm. Never ever again.

[Chris2112]

Stuart Hamm tends to produce the best bassist solo records. Kings of Sleep is a real high point, and he openly admits taking a huge Satriani influence was they were spending so much time together. Catchy, memorable tunes with a great 80's rock/fusion sound and frightening chops which never threaten to overpower the songs!

[xilddx]

Oh dear, it seems my home PC doesn't mind downloading High Standards from Amazon. I was hoping it had the good taste of my German one at work and would refuse to so I had a good excuse. Never mind, it's my own fault for not keeping my Norton Anti-Bad Taste Bass Players up to date. The Amazon downloader just said, "Now downloading If I Were a Bell End, by Jeff Berlin" so that was nice.

Review later.

[Doddy]

I'll just say that I think that Jeff Berlin is one of the finest electric bass players....ever.
He swings like mad,has brilliant chops both technically and harmonically and I do actually like his music.
Also,when I met him he couldn't have been nicer.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Doddy' post='966982' date='Sep 24 2010, 05:59 PM']I'll just say that I think that Jeff Berlin is one of the finest electric bass players....ever.
He swings like mad,has brilliant chops both technically and harmonically and I do actually like his music.
Also,when I met him he couldn't have been nicer.[/quote]
Did his moustache tickle?

[xilddx]

Ok, I listened to a selection of five of Jeffrey's numbers.

I was actually pleasantly surprised for the most part. There are some genuinely pleasing sounding compositions, albeit with some standard jazz clichés - certain modulations and progressions, and one does form the opinion it's a vehicle for virtuoso bass and not much else. However, it does satisfy that male need for being amazed while watching The World's Strongest Man competition every new year.

What makes me uncomfortable is the nadger-shrinking under-developed humour of the dedicated jazz musician. Cheeky call and response phrases that sound like the soundtrack to a Top Cat run-in with the local stray terrier, the awful song titles, the lonely-insurance-salesman-with-the-sad-smile cover. Then there is the bass tone, mostly it is over-chorused and typical of the genre, chosen for its clarity and nothing else. God only knows why the tone in "If I Were a Bell End" exists. It sounds like a very dodgy engineering mistake it is so distorted, I can't believe he approved that sound.

Although some of the bass playing sounds like a drunken scat singer, I can't deny this guy makes some good music and some great ear-twisting bass runs. But it's really best for a live situation and a few stiff gins. In the home it feels like an unwelcome visit from a spider monkey during Sunday Tea.

[steve-soar]

[quote name='silddx' post='966991' date='Sep 24 2010, 06:06 PM']Did his moustache tickle?[/quote]Moustache? You mean cockduster my dear.

[steve-soar]

[quote name='silddx' post='967023' date='Sep 24 2010, 06:47 PM']Ok, I listened to a selection of five of Jeffrey's numbers.

I was actually pleasantly surprised for the most part. There are some genuinely pleasing sounding compositions, albeit with some standard jazz clichés - certain modulations and progressions, and one does form the opinion it's a vehicle for virtuoso bass and not much else. However, it does satisfy that male need for being amazed while watching The World's Strongest Man competition every new year.

What makes me uncomfortable is the nadger-shrinking under-developed humour of the dedicated jazz musician. Cheeky call and response phrases that sound like the soundtrack to a Top Cat run-in with the local stray terrier, the awful song titles, the lonely-insurance-salesman-with-the-sad-smile cover. Then there is the bass tone, mostly it is over-chorused and typical of the genre, chosen for its clarity and nothing else. God only knows why the tone in "If I Were a Bell End" exists. It sounds like a very dodgy engineering mistake it is so distorted, I can't believe he approved that sound.

Although some of the bass playing sounds like a drunken scat singer, I can't deny this guy makes some good music and some great ear-twisting bass runs. But it's really best for a live situation and a few stiff gins. In the home it feels like an unwelcome visit from a spider monkey during Sunday Tea.[/quote]I hear lemonade, or cheese in this reply.

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='silddx' post='967023' date='Sep 24 2010, 06:47 PM']Ok, I listened to a selection of five of Jeffrey's numbers.

I was actually pleasantly surprised for the most part. There are some genuinely pleasing sounding compositions, albeit with some standard jazz clichés - certain modulations and progressions, and one does form the opinion it's a vehicle for virtuoso bass and not much else. However, it does satisfy that male need for being amazed while watching The World's Strongest Man competition every new year.

What makes me uncomfortable is the nadger-shrinking under-developed humour of the dedicated jazz musician. Cheeky call and response phrases that sound like the soundtrack to a Top Cat run-in with the local stray terrier, the awful song titles, the lonely-insurance-salesman-with-the-sad-smile cover. Then there is the bass tone, mostly it is over-chorused and typical of the genre, chosen for its clarity and nothing else. God only knows why the tone in "If I Were a Bell End" exists. It sounds like a very dodgy engineering mistake it is so distorted, I can't believe he approved that sound.

Although some of the bass playing sounds like a drunken scat singer, I can't deny this guy makes some good music and some great ear-twisting bass runs. But it's really best for a live situation and a few stiff gins. In the home it feels like an unwelcome visit from a spider monkey during Sunday Tea.[/quote]
Just a couple of points- it is a record of jazz standards so the fact that a lot of the chord changes are jazz cliches is probably to be expected. As far as I can tell none of the tunes are original compositions so blaming our Jeff for the titles is probably a bit harsh too The cover is horrendous though.

Glad you didn't hate it as much as you thought you would though. You'll be listening to Alain Caron before you know it

[xilddx]

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='967061' date='Sep 24 2010, 07:32 PM']Just a couple of points- [b]it is a record of jazz standards [/b]so the fact that a lot of the chord changes are jazz cliches is probably to be expected. As far as I can tell none of the tunes are original compositions so blaming our Jeff for the titles is probably a bit harsh too The cover is horrendous though.

Glad you didn't hate it as much as you thought you would though. You'll be listening to Alain Caron before you know it [/quote]
Jazz Standards?? I didn't know that. What a lazy swinehunt. That's rendered my review far too complimentary and demonstrates that he is one of those "artists" who takes other people's beautifully made boozy fruitcakes and covers it in crap icing from Netto and draws stupid faces on it with cheap glittery things.

Alain Caron? No my friend.

Edited September 24, 2010 by silddx

[Doddy]

[quote name='silddx' post='967083' date='Sep 24 2010, 07:51 PM']Jazz Standards?? I didn't know that. What a lazy swinehunt. That's rendered my review far too complimentary and demonstrates that he is one of those "artists" who takes other people's beautifully made boozy fruitcakes and covers it in crap icing from Netto and draws stupid faces on it with cheap glittery things.[/quote]

Not really,because the things that you liked about it are still good whether they are standards or originals.

Anyway..... Here is some classic Jeff Berlin

Edited September 24, 2010 by Doddy

[purpleblob]

[quote name='Doddy' post='967174' date='Sep 24 2010, 09:36 PM']Not really,because the things that you liked about it are still good whether they are standards or originals.

Anyway..... Here is some classic Jeff Berlin

[/quote]

Ah I knew Joe Frazier would raise it's head. Amazing playing. I used to have Jeff's Pump it album (long gone as it was on vinyl and I have no vinyl anymore) which if I recall had a version of this track on it.

[steve-soar]

[quote name='Doddy' post='967174' date='Sep 24 2010, 09:36 PM']Not really,because the things that you liked about it are still good whether they are standards or originals.

Anyway..... Here is some classic Jeff Berlin

[/quote]God, that is f***ng awful. Measured, tight with technique slop.