Most beautiful melodies.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Most of the times we admire a bassist's work in terms of creativity, complexity, power, groove, but seldom talk about beauty. What are the most beautiful melodies recorded by a bassist to you? I mean, stuff that make you think something like "I'd put lyrics to this and dedicate it to the love of my life". Music that really moves something inside you. There are many examples for sure, but i have two picks that are very close to my heart: "A remark you made" by Jaco w/Weather Report and "More love" by Victor Wooten. I love these tunes. Let me hear from you!

[Brendan]

Oo...Hmn. Good question!

People are gonna shoot me, but I think Flea can really bust out a melody when he wants...

As for general recordings, there's buncha melodic stuff out there that I really dig. Actually, for a metalishhead, I'm actually deeply rooted in melody.

[Angus]

Miles Davis' "All Blues". So simple, yet extremely effective. Very Miles.

[Brendan]

Well...Angus, you're right on that one. For melody, and all that good stuff (not nessicarily bass) Louie Armstrongs "It's a Wonderful World" is one of my faves. Really simple, and pretty powerful. Dig his voice man!

[notanewbie]

I agree with Brendan, when flea is not running around naked with a sock around his crank he puts together some sweet melodies, despite the fact that he knows jack about music theory.

[mchildree]

Jeff Beck's rendition of "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" always makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

[Dave Siff]

Originally posted by notanewbie
I agree with Brendan, when flea is not running around naked with a sock around his crank he puts together some sweet melodies, despite the fact that he knows jack about music theory.

Actually, from what I've read, Flea knows quite a bit about music theory. He played some sort of horn before he ever played bass, and got pretty deep into jazz.

[brianrost]

"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" by Charles Mingus has been done in solo bass renditions by a few players, I like Dave Holland's in particular.

I love the melody to Coltrane's "Naima", Bill Laswell did it as a bass feature on the Material CD "Hallucination Engine".

Lots of classical double bass stuff with beautiful melodies: Bottesini, Bach cello suites (transcribed), etc. Check out CDs by Gary Karr, Joel Qarrington or Edgar Meyer playing some of these pieces.

[Boplicity]

Gary Karr is "dah man." He knows how to make a double bass cry. I was moved to tears one time by his version of "Danny Boy." It was on a video of a concert he played with a pianist. But he can make you laugh, too. Gee, this was such a long time ago, I don't remember the details, but I think he was imitating animal sounds on the bass like an elephant's call, etc. He is such an expressive player. I'd love to see him perform live sometime.

[Wil Davis]

Beautiful melodies? mmm, melodies for their own sake, not derivative - i.e. not based on some other folk or ethnic melody or someone elses work - um, I'd have to say, without hesitation, Franz Schubert - his melodies are without equal - check out his songs if you want to hear beautiful melodies...


- Wil

[ZuluFunk]

It's got to be Red Right Returning from Michael Manring's Drastic Measures.

[Dave Siff]

Originally posted by ZuluFunk
It's got to be Red Right Returning from Michael Manring's Drastic Measures.

Great call! There are some other really great melodies on that album.. particularly, his solo on "Gizmo." What an amazing CD that is!

[Boplicity]

Manring also wrote another beautiful melody for a Christmas/winter holidays album on Windham Hill. In that particular song he plays piano--honest. Unfortunately I don't have that album handy and do not recall either the name of the song or album. I will say, however, that it was what I call a "hauntingly beautiful melody."

[Angus]

Ah, since this is about bassists melodies...I guess I'll say Miles Davis' "All Blues" as performed by Rufus Reid and Michael Moore.