Monk Montgomery: Bass Odyssey

emor · #1 04-02-2009, 07:22 AM

Does anyone know if this is available anywhere on CD?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI3lhVYQGXk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5hJz...eature=related

One Drop · #2 04-03-2009, 02:33 PM

I've never seen it on CD. I have no idea why this isn't better known or why he isn't given more credit. I love his tone, I think he mostly played with his thumb on RH.

You can download the album here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/84693973...assOdyssey.zip

RHFusillo · #3 04-03-2009, 03:27 PM

I have that on LP; never seen it on CD. In fact, Monk's electric bass recordings are hard as hell to find on CD. Thanks for the link to the mp3's.

JimK · #4 04-03-2009, 04:27 PM

On a tangent-
Two Monk Montgomery tunes are on the multi-disc The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 9 (1969).
"A Place In The Sun"
"Your Love"
This set would be worthy...kinda pricey, though.
I bought the 2 tracks from iTunes.

There's some Earl Van Dyke (Funk Brothers' keyboardist) stuff, too.

JimK · #5 04-03-2009, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by One Drop

I have no idea why this isn't better known or why he isn't given more credit. I love his tone, I think he mostly played with his thumb on RH.

His brother Wes used the thumb...I have a Monk Montgomery Bass Method book (from the '70s). I think Monk mostly used a pick.

I'm going to dig that book out. IIRC, Monk said "the left hand actually plays the bass". Well, I got it all backwards...I'm definitely 'the right hand plays the bass' kinda guy.

Just so you don't think I'm BS-ing about the book-

http://cgi.ebay.com/Monk-Montgomery-...QQcmdZViewItem

RHFusillo · #6 04-04-2009, 10:20 AM

I wish that EMI would reissue this on CD:

It's a straight jazz group from the 1950's and Monk was playing a Fender bass. They recorded the electric bass surprisingly well in the context.

emor · #7 04-04-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RHFusillo

I wish that EMI would reissue this on CD:

It's a straight jazz group from the 1950's and Monk was playing a Fender bass. They recorded the electric bass surprisingly well in the context.

You're in luck:

http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Showcase-...8858520&sr=1-2

emor · #8 04-04-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by One Drop

I've never seen it on CD. I have no idea why this isn't better known or why he isn't given more credit. I love his tone, I think he mostly played with his thumb on RH.

You can download the album here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/84693973...assOdyssey.zip

Thanks.

62bass · #9 04-04-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RHFusillo

I wish that EMI would reissue this on CD:

It's a straight jazz group from the 1950's and Monk was playing a Fender bass. They recorded the electric bass surprisingly well in the context.

This is how I like to hear electric bass in jazz. Of course, this isn't fusion. Just good jazz played by real jazz musicians.

Monk played with a pick as did most of the studio bassists back then.

This is a far better album to my ears than Bass Odyssey which I also have.

JimK · #10 04-04-2009, 12:13 PM

Another Jazz album that Monk sounds good on-
Kenny Burrell- Ellington Is Forever, Vol. 2
http://www.amazon.com/Ellington-Fore...8865035&sr=1-2

...I don't think I have Vol. 1.
Anyone?

pbass2 · #11 04-04-2009, 12:29 PM

I love his playing, and I wish you'd see more jazz bands who are going for a "classic" or vintage vibe use a classic Fender bass sound. (seems to me in jazz these days you either get upright, or some really modern electric bass and tone).
See if you can find The Mastersounds "The King and I" album. I have it on vinyl (they re-interpret the score to the play/movie). The bass sound is beautiful. Another one of those records that inspired me to go back to a "Fender bass" 'n flatwounds a number of years ago

I think he used one of the original Bassman combos (I also have a live Mastersounds on vinyl--forget the title right now--and you can see the amp). I always thought he used his thumb until reading somewhere on here a while back he used a pick at least some of the time, and now it makes sense--especially on that live album there's some parts I can't imagine pulling off with just thumb thumping.
Another album I like as far as a classic Fender bass sound being used in jazz is "Montara" by Bobby Hutcherson. Dave Troncoso is great on it.

62bass · #12 04-04-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbass2

I love his playing, and I wish you'd see more jazz bands who are going for a "classic" or vintage vibe use a classic Fender bass sound. (seems to me in jazz these days you either get upright, or some really modern electric bass and tone).
See if you can find The Mastersounds "The King and I" album. I have it on vinyl (they re-interpret the score to the play/movie). The bass sound is beautiful. Another one of those records that inspired me to go back to a "Fender bass" 'n flatwounds a number of years ago

I think he used one of the original Bassman combos (I also have a live Mastersounds on vinyl--forget the title right now--and you can see the amp). I always thought he used his thumb until reading somewhere on here a while back he used a pick at least some of the time, and now it makes sense--especially on that live album there's some parts I can't imagine pulling off with just thumb thumping.
Another album I like as far as a classic Fender bass sound being used in jazz is "Montara" by Bobby Hutcherson. Dave Troncoso is great on it.

Yeah, I sure wish guys would get back to that real bass sound and get back to playing jazz. Electric bass works really well in it if the sound is right. Big band stuff too.

pbass2 · #13 04-04-2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62bass

Yeah, I sure wish guys would get back to that real bass sound and get back to playing jazz. Electric bass works really well in it if the sound is right. Big band stuff too.

I'm not a jazz player, I'm just a listener--I just think it's odd nobody (that I know of at least) these days in jazz is using a more "vintage" electric bass sound like that. It's all so hi-fi!
Another one of my faves is Bob Cranshaw on some of the 70's Sonny Rollins stuff.

emor · #14 04-05-2009, 06:07 AM

So, I downloaded it and listened to it for the first time in probably 30 years (I had it on vinyl in the 70's but it has been MIA for a long time). What a pleasure to hear it again.

Here's the personnel:

Monk Montgomery: Lead Electric Bass on all selections and Fuzz Bass on "Fuselage."
Joe Sample: Electric Piano.
Mike Carven: Drums on "Foxy Gypsy," "Journey to the Bottom," and "Personage."
Wayne Henderson: Drums on "Fuselage."
"Stix" Hooper: Drums on "Sister Lena."
Andy Simpson: Upright Bass on "Journey to the Bottom," "Foxy Gypsy," and "Personage."
Kent Brinkley: Upright Bass on "Sister Lena."

Thanks for all the other recommendations.

emor · #15 04-05-2009, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RHFusillo

I wish that EMI would reissue this on CD:

It's a straight jazz group from the 1950's and Monk was playing a Fender bass. They recorded the electric bass surprisingly well in the context.

Oops, is this the same album (reissued)? This is the one on amazon:

Track Listings
1. Loco, Loco
2. Wes' Tune
3. Drum Tune
4. Lower
5. Dexter's Deck
6. If I Should Lose You
7. That Old Devil Moon
8. Queen and I
9. Spring Is Here
10. Water's Edge

One Drop · #16 04-06-2009, 01:37 PM

A lot of water passed under the bridge between 1952 when Monk was a very early Fender adopter and the '70s, by which time It's obvious his playing had evolved heavily, but at first he was definitely primarily a thumb player. He is quoted in Karl Blasquiz's book about his thumb style: "The downstroke came to me naturally, and I would just strike the string that way. I had no examples or influences." There are a lot of pictures from the era with him either playing or holding his bass like he was playing, and the thumb is right there on the string, FWIW.

Here's a later image:

http://www.dannglenn.com/nvr001.html

Bassman18 · #17 08-19-2010, 10:24 AM

I just discovered him about 10 minutes ago- Oh my god. He's simply amazing.

Dr. Cheese · #18 08-19-2010, 11:33 AM

I bought Bass Odyssey decades ago in Atlanta where I had a summer job before I started college. I paid maybe $1 for it at a record cutout bin. I have no idea what happened to that record, and I haven't had a turntable in at least 25 years!

Dr. Cheese · #19 08-19-2010, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by One Drop

A lot of water passed under the bridge between 1952 when Monk was a very early Fender adopter and the '70s, by which time It's obvious his playing had evolved heavily, but at first he was definitely primarily a thumb player. He is quoted in Karl Blasquiz's book about his thumb style: "The downstroke came to me naturally, and I would just strike the string that way. I had no examples or influences." There are a lot of pictures from the era with him either playing or holding his bass like he was playing, and the thumb is right there on the string, FWIW.

Here's a later image:

http://www.dannglenn.com/nvr001.html

He had an interview in Guitar Player back in the 1970s, and he used a felt pick if I remember correctly. He did originally use his thumb, but I have no idea when he changed. His tone came from the combination of a pick, flatwounds, and a bass with the mutes still on it.