Ben Street w/ Most of Rosenwinkel Quartet

[Sam Sherry]

Mark Turner, Ben Street & Jeff Ballard
Corthell Hall, Gorham, Maine
April 13, 2004

Gear: Lovely 3/4 viol-shaped flat-back DB strung with copper-wound gut. Realist pickup? School's 10-year-old Peavey w/ 15" speaker. No bowing.

Sound: Deep, clear and dark. Your Peavey never sounded like this!

Look: Rail-thin. If Mark Turner and Ben Street turned sideways you could fit them both in a bass bag.

Local Angle: Mr. Street's father, saxophonist and mouthpiece-maven Bill Street, teaches at USM, as does Bill's ex. Many of Ben's nine (!) siblings live in the area.

Approach: Mr. Street struck me as a throwback player (and that's not a pejorative). He has tremendous walking and backing chops and solos with clear intention; he's also a mixed-meter monster. The influences of Jimmy Blanton and Jimmy Garrison were prominent. In a trio with a saxophonist and drummer who each worked to expand their instruments' range, Mr. Street touched thumb position three times in two hours and did not try to match his band-mates on speediness. That said, the ability to play a wide variety of double-stops all over the neck in perfect tune counts for a lot in the 'chops' department.

In short, Mr. Street's performance was all about TIME, TONE, TASTE AND ENERGY. He is a model of how to use what you've got to the fullest to achieve a powerful musical result in the best of company.

[Ed Fuqua]

And that's hard music, too. Mark Turner is very happening and is one of the few cats today that's coming out of the Stan Getz/ Warne Marsh bag. VERY melodic, VERY inventive and VERY in control of the horn.

Sounds like Ben's on the Velvet bandwagon.

[Jake]

I heard Ben Street for the first time on Thursday on the Billy Hart 'Quartet' CD. His sound is unbelievable. Are those Velvet Animas he uses? Also, is his bass anything special or is it just his playing?

[basstef]

Originally Posted by Jake

I heard Ben Street for the first time on Thursday on the Billy Hart 'Quartet' CD. His sound is unbelievable. Are those Velvet Animas he uses? Also, is his bass anything special or is it just his playing?

He's playing Velvet Garbos. If you haven't heard him live yet, do it. True beautiful playing and conception.

[oliebrice]

Originally Posted by Jake

I heard Ben Street for the first time on Thursday on the Billy Hart 'Quartet' CD.

I love that album, and his playing on it.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by basstef

He's playing Velvet Garbos. If you haven't heard him live yet, do it. True beautiful playing and conception.

If I had two really nice basses, I'd be all over Garbos. I'm planning to visit my dad, stepmom, and brother in NYC this February; I hope Ben is playing somewhere in town while I'm there.

[jazzbass72]

Originally Posted by Jake

I'm planning to visit my dad, stepmom, and brother in NYC this February; I hope Ben is playing somewhere in town while I'm there.

Off topic: Jake, do you happen to be guitarist Larry Newcomb's son?

-Marco

[Jake]

Originally Posted by jazzbass72

Off topic: Jake, do you happen to be guitarist Larry Newcomb's son?

-Marco

Hey Marco,
Yes, that's my dad. I checked out your website & asked my dad if he's heard you play; It was cool to find out that you know each other and have played together.
It would be great to meet you and take a lesson if you're availible when I come to NYC to visit.
Best regards,
Jake

[jazzbass72]

Originally Posted by Jake

Hey Marco,
Yes, that's my dad. I checked out your website & asked my dad if he's heard you play; It was cool to find out that you know each other and have played together.
It would be great to meet you and take a lesson if you're availible when I come to NYC to visit.
Best regards,
Jake

Hi Jake,
yup, your dad threw *a lot* of work my way when I'd first moved to town. Send me a PM when your travel dates are finalized.

Back to Ben Street now ;-)

-MP

[larssonanton]

I take up this old thread.

Ben Street played with Kurt Rosenwinkel a couple of days ago on the Village Vanguard. The recording is up for free download (both sets) here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...3&ft=1&f=10002

Personnel: Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar, Aaron Parks, piano, Ben Street, bass, Kendrick Scott, drums

The sound is great, and Ben is playing absolutely amazing!

[hdiddy]

Turner already made a recovery from his thumb injury? Wow that was quick.

[larssonanton]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

Turner already made a recovery from his thumb injury? Wow that was quick.

No, I believe not.

[Ed Fuqua]

HEANHUFFYHOLMES - You may have missed the date on the original post in this thread...