Bill Laswell

bassist15 · #1 01-26-2007, 02:14 PM

Mr. Laswell's seems very under-appriciated as a bassist. I know he is know for his producing but he has some impressive world music bands. His career seems like a huge success , something Id like to shoot for . Great producer and bassist. Can anyone recommend some albums that feature his great playing? Theres not to much out there about him any got any infor on him?

Baryonyx · #2 01-26-2007, 03:17 PM

Well, I rate Bill more as a producer than as a musician, not to say that he hasn't done some great stuff over the years!

However, I'm probably not the best guy to give a break down of his career as a player. That said, the production job he did on Public Image ltd's "Album" was brilliant. Absolutely thunderous! Then again, with a team of Jonas Hellborg, Steve Vai, John Lydon and Ginger Baker, it was always going to be an amazing record.

fearceol · #3 01-26-2007, 04:38 PM

Bill Laswell was part of the free-jazz band "Last Exit" which included the late Sonny Sharrock and saxist Peter Brotzmann. I never saw them live but I've read that they were a wild band in every sense of the word. I have some albums by the band and Bill's playing is great in an unconventional way. All instruments seem to support each other and the general sound is like one voice. This band are worth checking out for the raw energy alone. I'm not familiar with his later music though.

superbassman2000 · #4 01-27-2007, 08:45 AM

I love Bill's work with Tabla Beat Science--they are all top-notch musicians and make some awesome music--I also dig his production work, I have a double cd of his called "the ambient compendium" and if you like ambient, this is definitely a cd you need

i really think that bill has one of the more perfect music careers--he has played and produced many genres with many phenominal musicians--he really has a dream career imo

bassist15 · #5 01-27-2007, 09:15 AM

Are there an cds of jim and Pharoah Sanders Sanders playing together. I really liked the combination of them on the Soundstage performance

**j-raj** · #6 01-27-2007, 09:38 AM

one word: beret!

MixBass · #7 01-27-2007, 12:24 PM

He did some great work as both bass and producer on Herbie Hancock's at the time groundbreaking record Futureshock.

jerry · #8 01-27-2007, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassist15

Are there an cds of jim and Pharoah Sanders Sanders playing together. I really liked the combination of them on the Soundstage performance

The personal on the Soundstage show was closest to Laswell's 'Arcana' album, a excellent album and one of Tony Williams last recordings. I also dig 'With A Heartbeat' and 'The Trance Of Seven Colors' with the Laswell/Sanders combo. I might be the wrong guy to ask though, I don't know if I ever heard a Laswell project I didn't dig.

I'm a HUGE fan!

SlavaF · #9 01-27-2007, 07:55 PM

I haven't heard too much of his stuff, but I just wanted to say that my uncle is a huge fan of his "dub" albums, though they're a bit too repetitive for my tastes.

The Lurker · #10 01-27-2007, 09:50 PM

His solo album Baselines is pretty good; so are a few of the Material albums, which I generally like more than the Praxis stuff. Hallucination Engine is good....I also have a bootleg of some sort in Moscow with Nicky Skopelitis, that's some pretty cool stuff there.

I gotta say this for the man.... he never does anything by a cash formula.

DaveBeny · #11 01-28-2007, 06:31 AM

Hi guys,

Don't post much here these days, but thought I'd add some info on a cool Laswell jazz/drum n' bass album called 'Inamorata' that's coming out soon. The release date I've seen is 3rd March.

Check out the lineup of talent!

1. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Submerged and Pharaoh Sanders) - TA 'WIL
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm01clip.mp3

2. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Paradox, Toshinori Kondo, Buckethead, Bernie Worrel) - HUMANOID
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm02clip.mp3

3. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Black Sun Empire , Graham Haynes, Pete Cosey) - HIDDEN KILLER
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm03clip.mp3

4. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. D-Star, Byard Lancaster, Pete Cosey) - AMENTA
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm04clip.mp3

5. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Paradox, Herbie Hancock) - PANEPHA
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm05clip.mp3

6. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Amit, Toshinori Kondo, Buckethead) - BABYLON DECODER
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm06clip.mp3

7. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. SPL, Masada String Trio, John Zorn) - AIBI VIRUS
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm07clip.mp3

8. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Outrage, Craig Taborn) - ANTI-JAZZ GLITCH
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm08clip.mp3

9. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Fanu, Graham Haynes, Byard Lancaster) - BLACK WATER
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm09clip.mp3

10. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Evol Intent, Dave Liebman) - PATTERN ENGINE
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm10clip.mp3

11. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Karsh Kale, Nil Peter Molnaer) - AETHER
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm11clip.mp3

12. METHOD OF DEFIANCE (ft. Corrupt Souls) - REMAINS
play mp3 clip http://www.ohmresistance.com/TUNES/5mohm12clip.mp3

The Owl · #12 01-29-2007, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lurker

His solo album Baselines is pretty good; so are a few of the Material albums, which I generally like more than the Praxis stuff. Hallucination Engine is good....I also have a bootleg of some sort in Moscow with Nicky Skopelitis, that's some pretty cool stuff there.

I gotta say this for the man.... he never does anything by a cash formula.

+1! Baselines and the early Material albums like "Memory Serves" and "Temporary Music" are pure brilliance and show more of his playing side in addition to Last Exit.

SLNTWTCHR · #13 02-26-2007, 03:18 PM

It depends what you're looking for in a bass player. Laswell's stuff with Last Exit is all out free jazz, but some amazing playing without a doubt. His Sacred System releases on ROIR (4 dub orietned releases) are great in a different way. Two Arcana albums with Tony Williams - one much more in a free jazz vein with Derek Bailey rounding out the group, and one with folks like Graham Haynes and Buckethead that's more in the Lifetime vein. There really is a ton of good stuff out there, though even I'll admit he can be a mixed bad at times.

Check my Laswell pages out (in a bit of a transition phase), which I think has the most complete Laswell discography anywhere, as well as some reviews as well:

http://www.silent-watcher.net/billlaswell

Dave

jomahu · #14 02-27-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fearceol

Bill Laswell was part of the free-jazz band "Last Exit" which included the late Sonny Sharrock and saxist Peter Brotzmann.

oh, i love sonny sharrock. wasn't bill laswell the reason sharrock got back into the music scene? and didn't he (laswell) do some stuff with jah wobble too? niiiice.

i am currently diggin his collaborations with roots tonic. they're a solid band.

Dave Bassincus · #15 02-27-2007, 09:38 AM

His CD w/Jah Wobble (I think it's called Dub Transmissions) is also pretty fantastic.

JAUQO III-X · #16 02-27-2007, 10:18 AM

Don't forget Laswell's solo recording called Bass Lines,some great grooves overall and a very interesting recording in a good way.

KidFunky · #17 06-15-2007, 05:22 AM

One can write entire books about Mr Laswell and still not even scratch the surface of his music. he is a great player, great producer, great servant of music in general. I love how he just does what he thinks is musically interesting and brings together all these great players. (Who would otherwise have no chance of collaborating like they do with his productions)
People mention baselines alot but he has done a few other excellent solo albums.
And the scope of his music.... oh my..

Compare these two:
Upright man (From baselines)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/2282705fa3571a/

Oum el bouaghi (From Filmtracks)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/2282749cf39993/

Completely different, but equally valid. And you can do that with almost any musical genre/direction/style he has contributed to.

Bruce Lindfield · #18 06-15-2007, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Bassincus

His CD w/Jah Wobble (I think it's called Dub Transmissions) is also pretty fantastic.

I went to see Bill Laswell and Jah Wobble with Jaki Libezit etc. - thinking it would be a "dream gig" - but in fact it was truly awful and I walked out after 20 minutes - something I've very rarely done in nearly 30 years of going to gigs!

Which makes it probably worst gig I've ever been to...

Baryonyx · #19 06-15-2007, 09:37 AM

What was so bad about it like?

Bruce Lindfield · #20 06-15-2007, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris2112

What was so bad about it like?

Well - both bassists were incredibly loud and distorted - very unpleasant sound(s) and it was just wobble playing 2 notes very repetetively for 20 minutes, while Laswell played a continuous guitar-like solo - which had no musical interest and was just "shredding" - very basic patterns and they basically stuck to one chord for 20 minutes!

It was dull and unpleasant - a hard trick to pull off!

I went to the bar after 20 minutes, got a drink and realised they were still plodding away at the same beat on the same chord - I saw somebody I knew who plays Baritone Sax, who was similarly disppointed but was going to stick it a little longer - but I just couldn't take it! Saw him a week later at another gig and he said it didn't get any better or different at all!!

I got the impression that both bass players were "out of their heads" and while it sounded great to them - the audience diminished rapidly!