Pino Palladino w/ Herbie Hancock!

[Kirkowitz]

I just saw Pino Palladino playing bass with Herbie Hancock yesterday. I'd seen him playing with the Who on TV, but I'd never seen him play live in person before. He was completely amazing! I knew he was great, but I had no idea he could improvise and groove like that.
Highly suggested show if Herbie comes anywhere your neck of the woods--- GO!
He was switching between his fretless Musicman and a fretted P-bass. Rockin' on a Phil Jones rig!

[Dr. Cheese]

Phil Jones is his homie, and used to sub for Pino back in the day. I'm that helps with the amp connection.

[Kirkowitz]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Phil Jones is his homie, and used to sub for Pino back in the day. I'm that helps with the amp connection.

Interesting! It was strange seeing a big microphone in front of those little speakers on that rig... it sounded fantastic, but I'm sure most of it was Pino...

[KJung]

Originally Posted by Kirkowitz

Interesting! It was strange seeing a big microphone in front of those little speakers on that rig... it sounded fantastic, but I'm sure most of it was Pino...

INTERESTING Per the discussion in the other Herbie thread, I saw this tour last week, and Pino's tone was just horrible... boomy, non-defined. He was going direct the night I saw him, so you heard nothing of the PJB rig. It wasn't a front of house problem either, since the opening act bassists tone killed.

I mentioned that I hoped someone would think about mic'ing up the Phil Jones rig, which should result in a tighter more articulate tone than the P going right through a DI without any hi pass filtering etc.

Cool! Sound like that's what they did!

[Kirkowitz]

Originally Posted by KJung

INTERESTING Per the discussion in the other Herbie thread, I saw this tour last week, and Pino's tone was just horrible... boomy, non-defined. He was going direct the night I saw him, so you heard nothing of the PJB rig. It wasn't a front of house problem either, since the opening act bassists tone killed.

I mentioned that I hoped someone would think about mic'ing up the Phil Jones rig, which should result in a tighter more articulate tone than the P going right through a DI without any hi pass filtering etc.

Cool! Sound like that's what they did!

The sound last night was really great, but it was in the Ryman Auditorium here in Nashville- which usually sounds great.
It seemed to take them a few songs to get the drum sound dialed in properly, but after that- everything sounded like gold!Sorry you didn't get to hear Pino clearly, he was killing it. It's been so long since I've heard funk (maybe Funk) done properly live, I almost forgot how good it could be....

[pmcd]

Originally Posted by Kirkowitz

I just saw Pino Palladino playing bass with Herbie Hancock yesterday. I'd seen him playing with the Who on TV, but I'd never seen him play live in person before. He was completely amazing! I knew he was great, but I had no idea he could improvise and groove like that.
Highly suggested show if Herbie comes anywhere your neck of the woods--- GO!
He was switching between his fretless Musicman and a fretted P-bass. Rockin' on a Phil Jones rig!

Man....SO jealous...Just found out Pino is on the tour, and that they are playing a couple hours from me on Wednesday night. Alas, tix are way out of my current price-range...

[thombo]

i saw pino jam w/ herbie at a "superjam" type thing a few years ago... p-bass through an ampeg (rented, i'm sure) and sounded great!

[Kirkowitz]

Originally Posted by pmcd

Man....SO jealous...Just found out Pino is on the tour, and that they are playing a couple hours from me on Wednesday night. Alas, tix are way out of my current price-range...

I know what you mean... I couldn't really afford this ticket, but I'd missed Herbie Hancock twice before- I could not miss it again!

[Randy Newton]

You can hear Pino playing on I Do It for Your Love (featuring Paul Simon) off Herbie's Possibilities (2005) It's not really jazz/funk though but rather has kind of an african vibe...it sounds a bit to me like Bobby McFerrin's Beyond Words with Richard Bona,awesome album by the way

[engedi1]

Originally Posted by KJung

INTERESTING Per the discussion in the other Herbie thread, I saw this tour last week, and Pino's tone was just horrible... boomy, non-defined. He was going direct the night I saw him, so you heard nothing of the PJB rig. It wasn't a front of house problem either, since the opening act bassists tone killed.

I mentioned that I hoped someone would think about mic'ing up the Phil Jones rig, which should result in a tighter more articulate tone than the P going right through a DI without any hi pass filtering etc.

Cool! Sound like that's what they did!

Actually....I was at this concert in nashville, and Pino's tone where I was sitting (well in the back) was horrible. The volume of it was low, and the tone was muddy beyond belief. There was a great little game that Herbie and Pino played imitating the same licks, but you could barely tell even upper register notes apart. He must've had the tone knob on his P bass all the way off. Other friends were right up front, and didn't complain about the bass tone, so maybe it was better coming from the Amp. The amp's EQ didn't look like it was totally shelving treble, but I couldn't close enough to see it 100% for sure. Even my wife who couldn't tell a Fender from a Fodera thought his tone was muffled. I thought this was odd, since PJ amps are touted for their clarity.
His playing was amazing though. His touch and time and funk feel are so powerful. Him and Vinnie Caliouta together were just plain sick! Pino is one of my all time faves, mostly because he proves you don't need to be a sex symbol to make it in the music biz...

[pdbass]

I saw Pino's second gig on the tour in Pittsburgh, and I have to admit the bass sounded unbelievable, but probably because I was able to cop a 2nd row seat, slightly in FRONT of the mains. What I was hearing was mostly monitors and his rig--which was pointed right at me. It was gorgeous, but in speaking to alot of other people in the house it got pretty lost at times. Not surprising, though, when you're dealing with someone like Tal Wilkenfeld's tone/bass/touch, etc. and Pino's tone/bass/touch, etc. is thrown into her place. It might take the FOH guy a few gigs to get it right, but I'm sure he will.

Echoing another thread, though, I agree with Dr. Vogt. Pino was great in a supportive role--really great--but the gig was Herbie and Vinnie going at it ALL NIGHT. Great show.

[Kirkowitz]

Originally Posted by engedi1

Actually....I was at this concert in nashville, and Pino's tone where I was sitting (well in the back) was horrible. The volume of it was low, and the tone was muddy beyond belief. There was a great little game that Herbie and Pino played imitating the same licks, but you could barely tell even upper register notes apart. He must've had the tone knob on his P bass all the way off. Other friends were right up front, and didn't complain about the bass tone, so maybe it was better coming from the Amp. The amp's EQ didn't look like it was totally shelving treble, but I couldn't close enough to see it 100% for sure. Even my wife who couldn't tell a Fender from a Fodera thought his tone was muffled. I thought this was odd, since PJ amps are touted for their clarity.
His playing was amazing though. His touch and time and funk feel are so powerful. Him and Vinnie Caliouta together were just plain sick! Pino is one of my all time faves, mostly because he proves you don't need to be a sex symbol to make it in the music biz...

That's interesting--- were you in the back on the floor or balcony? I was back pretty far myself- off to the side in the balcony. Sometimes I did want the bass to be a little louder in the mix, but I guess it was Herbie's show...
I have had a couple weird seats for sound at the Ryman- they were louder shows- under the balcony in the back and the seats close to the walls in the balcony.....

[DannDubblewe]

Also at the Ryman for this show, back rows on the floor level, and Pino's tone WAS indeed muddy or muffled sounding. Definitely lacked definition. The playing was amazing, of course, but I wish it had a little more "umph".

Any of you that caught the Ryman show this time see the one a year or two back with Nathan East? That was incredible!!

[P. Bass]

I can't understand what I'm hearing from you guys! Unbelievable! How can this happen w/ this calibre of musicianship! What about SOUND CHECKS? We're talkin' 'bout THE house in Nashville & it's not like these people are ROOKIES. What's goin' on guys?
B.

[SH69]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-FOM...ayer_embedded#!

[bassdoubler]

I mean, that's Pino's TONE guys....he DOES roll his tone knob all the way off and uses really dead Jamerson flats tuned down to lower pitches. His sound is all about thump so I would imagine his tone would sound muddy in huge venues regardless of whether he was going through the DI or his PJB rig....my bass tone is pretty similar to Pino's and this is the biggest issue I fight with when on tour playing bigger halls that I'm not familiar with....of course when he's rocking the musicman or playing with the who I'm sure it's a VERY different story....

[P. Bass]

Originally Posted by bassdoubler

I mean, that's Pino's TONE guys....he DOES roll his tone knob all the way off and uses really dead Jamerson flats tuned down to lower pitches. His sound is all about thump so I would imagine his tone would sound muddy in huge venues regardless of whether he was going through the DI or his PJB rig....my bass tone is pretty similar to Pino's and this is the biggest issue I fight with when on tour playing bigger halls that I'm not familiar with....of course when he's rocking the musicman or playing with the who I'm sure it's a VERY different story....

You make it sound like the people who pay major bucks to hear one of the top world - class bass players in the world, have to put up w/ mud because he likes to use dead strings. Sorry - but I'm not buyin'it. I have been playin' P.w/flats long enough to know that THUMP is NOT about dead strings, & these sound guys that dial in his sound should be able to get THUMP into the corners of back rows w/ FOCUS or they should sell used cars.

B.

[bassdoubler]

Originally Posted by P. Bass

You make it sound like the people who pay major bucks to hear one of the top world - class bass players in the world, have to put up w/ mud because he likes to use dead strings. Sorry - but I'm not buyin'it. I have been playin' P.w/flats long enough to know that THUMP is NOT about dead strings, & these sound guys that dial in his sound should be able to get THUMP into the corners of back rows w/ FOCUS or they should sell used cars.

B.

I'm not saying his tone revolves around his dead strings....I'm saying his tone is "muddy" to begin with. So now amplify that to fill a huge hall and you're not gonna sound like wooten haha....unless he's using a different setup with Herbie. But it appears he's using his old P-bass or one of his sig basses to get that sound. Old downtuned flats on a '63 P-bass with the tone knob all the way back is quite far on the tone spectrum from articulate "focus" IMO....

[superfunk47]

Saw 'em last night in Bellingham (any other TBers there?). They absolutely killed. The theater where they played is tough for bassists - it gets boomy easily. Pino was hard to hear at first, but after the first few minutes he sounded great, at least from where I was sitting.

Got to meet him, actually. Strangely, my friend and I were the only people who stuck around more than ~10 minutes past the end. In any case, we got a couple of the band's setlists and one of Vinnie's drumsticks, and eventually got to chat with Pino for a few minutes. Quiet guy, seemed to appreciate my compliments on his playing on Voodoo, with Elton John, with Paul Young, etc.

He seemed a bit worried about his sound, but I told him that past the first few minutes it sounded great. Also mentioned the MBT being a tough venue for bassists. So by the sound of it, he's aware of the fact that he's not always sounding like he should. Hopefully future shows will sound even better.

Didn't ask for an autograph or anything, really just wanted to be able to shake his hand and tell him what an inspiration he is to me. Just a really cool, if somewhat quiet guy; talked to us, a couple of young fans, way longer than he had to. Couldn't have asked for more.

[MixBass]

Originally Posted by bassdoubler

I mean, that's Pino's TONE guys....he DOES roll his tone knob all the way off and uses really dead Jamerson flats tuned down to lower pitches. His sound is all about thump so I would imagine his tone would sound muddy in huge venues regardless of whether he was going through the DI or his PJB rig

+1
The P+flat tone is not the easiest to dial into the house and the larger the venue the tougher IMO. As far as that goes, bass playing changes the larger the venue. Nuance gets lost and what works when you're close and tight is REAL tough to achieve when your a long way from your mates. I saw Pino w/Jeff Beck a few years ago at the Hs of Blues and I wish the sound was better. I was right at the FOH desk which was back behind the floor so aside from being right in front of Pino, I should have been in the sweet spot. It's just tough to make that sound work live if you get too far away. There's not much in the upper harmonics and if you turn it up it swims around more, takes longer to disappear, and results in a "muddy" tone. IMO there's an inverse equation going on for bass to work: the larger the venue the less notes. I wish it weren't true but that seems to be the nature of our low freq domain.