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11-13-2006, 04:45 AM
| | | | Paul Chambers vs. Charles Mingus
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Whom do you prefer? As an electric only, Mingus's speed and fluidity scare me to death, but Chambers lines are so tasteful and seem to fit perfectly.... I was hoping I could hear some opinions on these two masters. |
11-13-2006, 09:23 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Oklahoma City, OK | | | Complete opposites in many ways. Mingus was an outspoken, eccentric player whose style is inimitable IMO, but yet when you compare some 50's output in which they were both basic sidemen, then their personalities start to intersect a little. |
11-13-2006, 09:42 AM
|  | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | I like them both and try to buy as many CDs of each as I can get to hear! 
Both played as Sidemen and Leaders doing an excellent job in each case!
Mingus's compositions are better know, but both were great bass players in their own right and essential listening for anybody remotely interested in Jazz bass playing!
I think it's great that we don't have to choose between great musicians and can listen to as many as we like!
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“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
Charles Mingus
Last edited by Bruce Lindfield : 11-13-2006 at 09:45 AM.
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11-13-2006, 10:13 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Edinboro, PA | | | Why do vs. threads exsist?
That said, I like Mingus better, more outside the box... and a great composer to boot.
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11-13-2006, 11:16 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon | | | Yeah, I love the fact that Mingus could compose the most amazing works where his bass didn't have to stand out front- it was always more abut the groups movement. In the liner notes to The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, he talks about how the piano player on the session was trying to be too flashy/ technical but not allowing his soul through his lines (not his exact words)- thats always been my thought on Mingus- he was capable of ridiculously technical/ fast playing, but was infinitely more concerned with the "soul" of the song....
I hope I didn't just turn this into a Mingus thread!
Karl |
11-13-2006, 11:25 AM
| | | PC vs. Mingus on what level, and with what regard to electric bass? (Or is this posted in the wrong forum?)
Both were outstanding bassists who contributed greatly to the jazz tradition.
Both had great sounds, but different; Mingus' was more raw and "unpolished" whereas PC's was a little smoother and warm.
Both were excellent with the bow.
Mingus' time feel was earthy and raw; PC's was round and solid.
Both were great soloists, Mingus having more chops than PC.
Both acted as both sidemen and leaders in their careers, with Mingus being more well known as a leader and PC more as a sideman.
Both played gut strings unamplified. Both had big sounds.
Mingus obviously is the greater composer and leaves a bigger legacy, and was also more outspoken and animated (an understatement to be sure).
I don't know what else you'd want answers for in this thread; I don't think either one did any two handed tapping.....  |
11-13-2006, 11:44 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Oklahoma City, OK | | | Mingus did however do some cool techniques with the string hangin off the side of the fingerboard, particularly on 'Money Jungle', a great album with Mingus/Max Roach/Duke Ellington |
11-15-2006, 12:23 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: New York, NY | | | Scott LaFaro!
__________________ "Summer skies," I said, "and plums and figs, and the grapeblood of emperors." |
11-15-2006, 07:02 AM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: John Doe Guitars | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Rochester, NY | | | In a physical fight Mingus would win all the way. |
11-15-2006, 07:18 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Sasquatch Country | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Audiophage In a physical fight Mingus would win all the way. | From what I've read, Mr. Mingus could whup an entire band if sufficiently agitated. But he was also someone capable of great generosity. |
11-15-2006, 07:31 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Oklahoma City, OK | | | If you read his autobiography, there's a real funny part when a trombonist from the Ellington bigband Mingus was in pulled a knife on em and Mingus does a flyin sidekick and disposes of the man quickly. Heee-larious. |
11-15-2006, 07:36 AM
| | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Actually if we're talking about a physical fight - then there's no contest !! Mingus was known for giving a good account of himself in any situation - whereas PC was quiet and when not playing - likely to be out cold, sleeping off the drink! 
__________________
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
Charles Mingus |
11-22-2006, 07:05 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2005 Location: Athens, Ga. | | Not to hijack here BUT.......
I was not aware that Mingus played electric (forgive my ignorance). Can I get some tips on albums that have some of his better/best playing on an electric bass so that I can check him out ....... I can't even begin to compare the two at this point. I love the Mingus stuff that I am familiar with but at the same time Chambers.......come on, Chambers in nasty, greasy, jazzy fonk personified  |
11-22-2006, 07:59 AM
| | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by LeftyLB70P Not to hijack here BUT.......
I was not aware that Mingus played electric (forgive my ignorance). Can I get some tips on albums that have some of his better/best playing on an electric bass so that I can check him out .......: | No not really - there is a story that he picked one up once - and was really contemptuous about it! 
But all his best albums are Double Bass all the way!
__________________
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
Charles Mingus |
11-23-2006, 09:59 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Northern Colorado | | | I'm not going to choose between them, but I have to say that Mingus had an amazing tone. |
11-23-2006, 10:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York, NY | | | Ack. I don't like Mingus' playing or his tunes. Paul Chambers wins. |
11-24-2006, 02:48 AM
| | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Well you are cutting yourself off from some of the best bass playing and best Jazz compositions ever...... 
Your loss I suppose!
__________________
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
Charles Mingus |
11-24-2006, 09:25 PM
| | [acct disabled - multiple aliases] | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Venice, CA | | | Both are great so why choose, listen to both. I tend to listen to PC more because I am a Coltrane fan. |
11-24-2006, 09:33 PM
|  | OVNIFX
EXAR pedals rep for North & Central America | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: PDX, OR | | I admire Mingus for many things, but I honestly enjoy listening to Chambers more. I would say Mingus was more inspiring, but his tunes tended to be so "challenging" that I can only listen to them now and then, whereas I can enjoy Chambers all day. Maybe that makes Chambers "easy listening"? |
11-24-2006, 09:43 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York, NY | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield Well you are cutting yourself off from some of the best bass playing and best Jazz compositions ever......
Your loss I suppose! | There's this weird quality to Mingus' tunes that just rubs me the wrong way. I can't really quantify it, just that my ears hate me when I listen to Mingus. And his bass playing is overrated, I think. There's too much talk about Mingus and too little about Pedersen, IMO. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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