Hello, dear members. I'm Carlos Bill, 45 years old and bassist, I played r&b/rock/blues/heavy metal and was always tremendously impressed with the all around capabilities on the 4 strings bass of players like the tremendous Jack Bruce - my major influence -, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Glenn Hughes, Greg lake, John Wetton and Billy Sheehan. I guess all of these players achieved standards which weren't surpassed. When I was around 16, 17 years old my older brother was listening on the turntable to Powerhouse Sod, the extraordinary live bass solo of Jack Bruce in the record Live'n'Kickin', by West, Bruce & Laing; oooooooh maaaan! I remember I was in the living room of our Copacabana apartment - I live in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, I was born here -, and remember thinking, 'well, what a weird guitar sound'...Then I walked into my brother's room and found out, very surprised, that it was NOT actually a guitar, but a wild electric 4 strings Gibson EB3 bass, unleashing an incendiary solo, speeded up phrases with a total command of the whole neck. It was music theory in 3 minutes! I become absolutely fascinated, and started taking my bass seriously. Then, Billy Sheehan appeared in Talas devastating stages. He still has his trademark onstage, that of soloing alone beautiful, evocative melodies which aren't exactly metal or something, but he fills space with sound just like do the old poets who used to sit in the greens of parks and forests and write their poetries, while watching birds and looking at the rivers and flowers...Jack Bruce has that same feeling, but obviously in a different, more bluesy attitude. Clarke and Miller are the "permanent" bass soloists, the type which actually grabs my attention the most. I listened recently to Clarke's "East River Dive" and his lyricism is tremendously emotional, just like the poets in the park. In the upright, Clarke features himself like no other bassist - I mean, I never saw a genius of electric bass like him dominate THE UPRIGHT so totally as he does. His solos in "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" or "On Green Dolphin Street" are unique masterpieces. He plays them on the upright, but...but who can 'tame' the upright bass? I never played in one, but still hope to do, only as curiosity. I love my electric bass sound...!
Marcus Miller is a wild, unmatchable soloist. He's a great melodist. Run For Cover, Power, Panther, Lonnie's Lament, So What, Jimi Hendrix's Power of Soul...Tonal music, what I like the most. It calms you, you walk on the streets and go to work cool, very nice. This music educates your brain, emotions...
Glenn Hughes...People call him The Voice, but, I think he's much more a great bass player, he unleashes electrifying licks in his Fenders and Rickenbacker. He solos with wah-wah in Getting Tighter. Greg lake and John Wetton, well, Lake has the metallic tone. He switched to electric guitar now, but I...I feel embarrassed in saying that he's a great guitarist, very cool, but bass is the instrument where he feels fitting to be called The Man! Hey Greg, can you play bass once in a while again? The Pictures At An Exhibition 'blues' moods have that fat, dynamic texture of the bass. And John Wetton walks in, he is a great singer, but Night After Night, with the former trio, UK, and his appearances with Steve Hackett in Japan showed the power of his swing. He's got a balance, his grooves are cerebral and emotional at the same time...
And what about me?! Well, my dear friends/bassists, I songwrote some songs, play in a lose mood but my voice is very limited, though strong. To play...I feel better this way. I love Steppenwolf's The Pusher, I play a solo when playing it. It is psychedelic, not old-fashioned if you have a fiery guitar player and a tight band. I songwrote Disco Voador, Estrada, Norma, Memória Tenra...Jack Bruce's Into The Storm, Post War, To Isengard, as You Said, One, The Night That Once Was Mine, Milonga Too, Smiles And Grins...this music touched me, it's very inspiring, it's 'the lonely man in a forrest walk, admiring the beauties of the wildlife' or 'someone walking through a quiet street with tall trees in a sunny day'. That's what Jack's songs bring to me.
Allright...Rock and roooooooooooooool, John Boy!!! Please comment my experience if you want!
Best,
Carlos Bill. It is an enormous pleasure to be a new member of the TalkBass community. Thanks so much.
