jonas hellborg

johhn smith · #1 01-01-2009, 11:11 AM

does anyone else listen to/ like the bass playing of jonas hellborg? he is a swedish bass player that plays live mainly in europe and asia but he has made some pretty incredible music over the years and has played with some amazing musicians. his groupings are somewhat unusual to western standards sometimes and i'll admit that some of the indo jazz fusion may not be to everyone's taste ( personally i love it ) but he has also arranged some more conventional groups. i have noticed that when people are stating their influences or interests that you see the usual crew but his name never seems to pop up so i was just curious if i am the only one.

NickBass81 · #2 01-01-2009, 12:49 PM

I like Hellborg, I think he's a great player....some of his albums are not my cup of tea, but' he undoubtely a master of the instrument!
Last month I had borrowed from a friend for a couple of weeks the "Hellborg Bass", an old bass (around 1980/81) designed by Jonas Hellborg, a very long scale instrument (27 frets!!!), it was a good bass and fun to play!!

bass_snake · #3 01-01-2009, 12:52 PM

I like Jonas Hellborg. I just find it hard to find his CDs in Canada. I have to order them on-line.

Love his playing and wants to try his Warwick bass.

Fred

mwiles30 · #4 01-01-2009, 12:56 PM

Hellborg is quite the musician. His work with guitarist John McLauglin (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti) is quite remarkable. Also, what makes his playing (especially his slapping) so unique is his incorporation of Eastern tabla (an Eastern hand drum) rythms. Eastern music has its own way of emphasizing rythms, and when he incorporates these between his hands simultaneously while slapping, he creates various rythms and soundscapes that have never been produced on the bass.

mwiles30 · #5 01-01-2009, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickBass81

I like Hellborg, I think he's a great player....some of his albums are not my cup of tea, but' he undoubtely a master of the instrument!
Last month I had borrowed from a friend for a couple of weeks the "Hellborg Bass", an old bass (around 1980/81) designed by Jonas Hellborg, a very long scale instrument (27 frets!!!), it was a good bass and fun to play!!

What brand bass was it?

If he stepped the scale up a few notches, he could have beaten Anthony Jackson's 28-fret Contrabass guitar!

poyeeyancy · #6 01-01-2009, 01:00 PM

Jonas has become a huge influence on my playing in the last year or so... He is a phenomenal player and I love most of his work.

johhn smith · #7 01-01-2009, 01:00 PM

i think that's part of the reason that i like him, he is different but a very solid and inspired player. i like everthing he has done, some more than others, but there isn't anything i don't like. i first heard him about 5 years ago and was floored. there is some good video on youtube and also if you haven't seen it i recommend the dvd paris ( the first gig of a european tour with shawn lane, and the brothers vinaykram from the new morning jazz club in paris ) have you heard his latest cd art metal, it is more conventional than the previous few. who designed this hellborg bass?

johhn smith · #8 01-01-2009, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass_snake

I like Jonas Hellborg. I just find it hard to find his CDs in Canada. I have to order them on-line.

Love his playing and wants to try his Warwick bass.

Fred

yeah i know what you mean, i have everything that you can get right now and it has cost me, but the level to which i enjoy them has justified the cost. have you seen the dvd paris? if not i suggest you get it it is really interesting and very well shot.

johhn smith · #9 01-01-2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwiles30

Hellborg is quite the musician. His work with guitarist John McLauglin (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti) is quite remarkable. Also, what makes his playing (especially his slapping) so unique is his incorporation of Eastern tabla (an Eastern hand drum) rythms. Eastern music has its own way of emphasizing rythms, and when he incorporates these between his hands simultaneously while slapping, he creates various rythms and soundscapes that have never been produced on the bass.

i have been playing for over 25 years now and back in the eighties i bought a little book called chord bassics by jonas hellborg. the book is bassically just a series of chord shapes and variations that can be made on a 4 string bass neck. i always have slapped and always tried to incorporate chords and little walking figures moving through chords similar to a fingerstyle guitar player where he is playing a melody on top and has a moving bassline underneath. when i finally was exposed to hellborg's playing i was shocked as to what a level he had taken it, but i had a real understanding of what he was doing and have adapted some of his techniques to my own playing. a lot of the rhythms he uses are based on konokol which is an indian method of rhythmic subdividision and memorization ( ta ka di mi, ta ki ta, ) john mclaughlin and the kanjira player that jonas plays with frequently, salvaganesh vinyakram have a dvd out called the gateway to rhythm that explains this, here is a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK7hsvdjHwg

also here is a duet with selva on kanjira playing his new warwick signature bass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvbEWpHFE34

mwiles30 · #10 01-01-2009, 01:25 PM

I'm actually a little familiar with the sylables, but have never had the time to digest it at all.

Thank you for your insight.

johhn smith · #11 01-01-2009, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwiles30

I'm actually a little familiar with the sylables, but have never had the time to digest it at all.

Thank you for your insight.

no worries, i figure if john believes it the easiest then perhaps i should try as well

clips from the dvd paris are available from youtube and google video. in these clips selva and his brothers have these konokol duets and it sounds at times like they are talking to each other when they vary the inflection of their voices, fascinating stuff

chicago_mike · #12 01-01-2009, 02:07 PM

+1,000 for Jonas

Temporal Analouges of Paradise.

My first Hellborg "only" cd, along with Shawn Lane.

very good stuff. Musical, and one heck of a study.

Aram of The Two Rivers, and Good People in Times of Evil are REQUIRED listening.

johhn smith · #13 01-01-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicago_mike

+1,000 for Jonas

Temporal Analouges of Paradise.

My first Hellborg "only" cd, along with Shawn Lane.

very good stuff. Musical, and one heck of a study.

Aram of The Two Rivers, and Good People in Times of Evil are REQUIRED listening.

add to them, personae and icon. aram of the two rivers is one that i haven't been able to get. that one and ars moriende are both out of print though maybe i should inquire at bardo records to see if they have any. good people in times of evil is amazing. the paris dvd is basically good people in times of evil live with a 5 piece band as opposed to jonas, shawn and selva.

jerry · #14 01-01-2009, 03:46 PM

I'm a big fan, Jonas gets love here at TB.

bass_snake · #15 01-01-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johhn smith

have you seen the dvd paris? if not i suggest you get it it is really interesting and very well shot.

No I haven' t seen it. Thanks for the recommendation Johhn.

johhn smith · #16 01-01-2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass_snake

No I haven' t seen it. Thanks for the recommendation Johhn.

you can find exerpts from it at youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l5sEvC0SpY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax02a...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lINne...eature=related

enjoy

johhn smith · #17 01-01-2009, 04:31 PM

this is a great video as well. rehearsal for the 2001 tour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDMH9y2y6Bg

thetawaves · #18 01-01-2009, 04:34 PM

Got my first CD of his a while ago, Art Metal. Struck me that he is one hell of a player...seriously good sense of rhythm, nice technique and some very original lines.

And his Warwicks' sound is divine.

ryco · #19 01-01-2009, 04:52 PM

I haven't heard him. Need to YouTube.

Back in the 80s I bought his book "Thumb Basics" to improve my slappin'.
Funny book -- not much text as he thought words were "bull**** to avoid".
And it was obvious english was not his first language.

Came with a small floppy record where he showed his prowess. Cool!!

Had a crewcut and a bass with a huge headstock that bore his full name horizontally.
Looked like it had pickups in the bridge for each sting as well as two uncovered humbuckers.

EDIT: OK, this is pretty cool! Pretty much like the floppy.

zcwilkes · #20 01-01-2009, 04:52 PM

He has always been one of my influences. I have always thought of him as a monster player but also very tasteful which can be difficult to do at the same time.