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11-24-2008, 02:41 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | |  Bob Whitlock.
Bob Whitlock
I'm gathering information about the great, legendary west coast jazz bassist, Bob Whitlock.
He was very active on the jazz scene out there in the late
50's and 60's.
I first heard about him through Red Mitchell. When I worked with Pat Moran, the wonderful lady pianist who got me the gig with Bill Evans, and who provided Scott LaFaro with his first recording endeavor, I asked who was her favorite bassist?....
Bob Whitlock.
When I first met and played with my dear friend and fabulous drummer, Colin Bailey, He played me a cut of " The Most Beautiful Girl In The World " from a Victor Feldman Trio album that he did with Monty Budwig on bass. Vic wrote this chart with a bass figure that I can only describe as something that might send a bass player to the ER with a serious case of whip lash...I thought Mont played it beautifully. Colin said.."You should have heard Bob Whitlock play it."
Vic and Colin were playing a gig one night in L.A., using Ray Brown on bass and Ray was thumbing through Vic's bass book. This bass figure, of course, jumped right out to Ray, as Colin explained to me, and Ray being Ray, said let's play this one. Vic said something like...Maybe you shouldn't try to sight read this one, man. Ray, being Ray, said and I quote Colin:
" No problem 'Gates'." ( A term of endearment Ray would use for players he respected and loved. ) Apparently, Ray failed miserably.
Bob recorded extensively with people like Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper and most of the great west coast players.
When I first stayed at Colin's and his outta sight wife's house, Jan, I saw a picture on the wall of Vic, Colin and Bob, holding a beautiful, huge looking lion's head bass. Colin said that bass, in Bob's hands was the
BIGGIST sounding bass he'd ever heard.
Every time I visited L.A., and connected with many musicians I respected, all I ever heard was...Bob Whitlock, Bob Whitlock...
Here's the cap. Bob was a huge heroin addict. He kicked, absolved himself of any relationships with the night life and moved on to teach at UCLA. Teach what, I dunno. What happened to him? I dunno.
I'm planning to get more history on him through Colin and a few more old west coast buddies that are still with us, when I get some time. Meanwhile, do any of you have any information?
PW
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Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-24-2008, 03:15 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: London, UK | | You've probably already seen this Paul, but theres a bit of an interview with him here: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=U...um=2&ct=result
its only part of the interview, and all about Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker. |
11-24-2008, 03:59 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by oliebrice  | Hey Olie...No, I hadn't. Many thanks...great reading.
Carson Smith was an old friend of mine, and another Bob Whitlock fan. We got drunk outta our minds many times.
He mentions those two Hollywood cops, Hill and O'Grady. As said in the piece, they busted about everybody who was anybody in the Hollywood scene. This stuff should be made into a movie. Some of the most colorful characters who ever walked the earth were abound in the scene.
Thanks again for adding some great feel for this period of jazz history!
PS....I once mentioned Chet's inability to conceive chords and theory literally, by saying on this board that while working with Chet one night, I asked him if he wanted us to start on the one chord or the two chord when he called " But Not For Me " Chet says...and I have this on tape, " Paul, Paul, I don't know chords."
So, I get A PM from an irate Chet fan contending that Chet knew just about everything about music.
Your link proves that i'm not the only one who knew the truth about Chet and his ears. They were huge.
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz:
Last edited by Paul Warburton : 11-24-2008 at 04:15 AM.
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11-24-2008, 07:26 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by oliebrice | Olie, look for a PM....
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-24-2008, 10:26 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Albuquerque | | | Bob Whitlock's one of those names I have often heard, but have never checked out his playing. Any recommendations on good recordings with him? |
11-25-2008, 07:32 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | Michael, for now, Google Bob's name. Some Gerry Mulligan and Art Pepper...
I'm planning on getting a list from Colin when I get
the time.
I'll be sure to post it here.
If things get rough, i'll burn a CD from Colin's stuff and try to post some cuts for everybody...hopefully.
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-25-2008, 02:12 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Bob Whitlock
I'm planning to get more history on him through Colin and a few more old west coast buddies that are still with us, when I get some time.
PW | If it's really important to publish some bio on Bob's music career, sooner is going to better than later, Paul. Nice that you have started the ball rolling on this, in case Bob Whitlock is still alive. |
11-25-2008, 02:55 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | No ****, P.....I hope I can stay alive long enough to get it done. 
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-25-2008, 03:13 PM
| | Registered User
Brownchicken Browncow | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ | | | was he strictly west coast? did he ever do anything on the east coast?
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11-25-2008, 03:27 PM
| | | | Paul, not to worry! You've got the love of music going for you. I wonder if Colin is just trying to get your goat sowzs you get out again on the scene? |
11-25-2008, 05:29 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by standupright was he strictly west coast? did he ever do anything on the east coast? | As a matter of fact, I don't know of anything other than what i've heard about him being a west coast cat.
I'm gonna call Colo here in a minute, so i'll get right back.
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-25-2008, 06:45 PM
| | | | Vaughn (Bob) Whitlock
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11-25-2008, 07:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | Thanks P...Bits and pieces right now. I couldn't get a full load of the cut of Chet with Catarina Valente...too bad. Would have been neat. I used to listen to her when I was a kid. She had a huge hit on a tune called " The Breeze And I " HUGE vocal range...has some stuff on youtube. I digress.
Have an email into Colin Bailey. Trying to have him scan that picture of he, Bob and Vic with the lion's head bass. I'll post it here if I can get it. I offered him a sexual favor for doing this for us. You guys are gonna owe me big time.
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-25-2008, 08:11 PM
| | Registered User
Brownchicken Browncow | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton As a matter of fact, I don't know of anything other than what i've heard about him being a west coast cat.
I'm gonna call Colo here in a minute, so i'll get right back. | my father normally knows alot about this stuff, since he was and still is in the scene. however, he's always been an east coaster. i'll check in with him and see if he knows anything. he always surprises me.
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11-25-2008, 08:12 PM
| | Registered User
Brownchicken Browncow | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Thanks P...Bits and pieces right now. I couldn't get a full load of the cut of Chet with Catarina Valente...too bad. Would have been neat. I used to listen to her when I was a kid. She had a huge hit on a tune called " The Breeze And I " HUGE vocal range...has some stuff on youtube. I digress.
Have an email into Colin Bailey. Trying to have him scan that picture of he, Bob and Vic with the lion's head bass. I'll post it here if I can get it. I offered him a sexual favor for doing this for us. You guys are gonna owe me big time. | *hands Paul a tube of astro glide*
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11-25-2008, 08:41 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Sick, butt oh so smoooth. 
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-26-2008, 08:30 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | Wow, a thread about Bob Whitlock with references to both Caterina Valente and Astro Glide. It doesn't get much more arcane than that.  |
11-26-2008, 08:33 AM
| | Registered User
Brownchicken Browncow | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Sick, butt oh so smoooth. | 
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11-26-2008, 10:07 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | ....and.....
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-26-2008, 01:09 PM
| | | | What? Astro Glide is a critical ingredient *in* Smooth Jazz? It's all about the proximity effect I guess! |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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