David Ewell - Bay Area

drew_bassmore · #1 11-09-2009, 12:49 AM

I just wanted to throw a plug out there for SF Bay Area based bass player, David Ewell.

I saw him fill in for Marcus Shelby (last minute) on a tribute to Clifford Brown by the TRUMPETSUPERGROUP .

I didn't speak with him, but he had an old Kay bass mic'd through an AI combo.

He played with aplomb for the duration.

When he took a solo, it reminded me of a drummer in the best possible way.

He swung the fast tempos furiously as well.

I can only imagine what that phone call was like. "Hey man, Marcus can't make it tonight. We have a bunch of new arrangements of Brownie tunes. Can you be there by 6?"

Impressive.

That kind of preparedness gives me something to shoot for.

Paul Warburton · #2 11-09-2009, 08:19 AM

Very cool of you to plug a bassist in your area that you feel is worth some plugging. That's one reason I dig the Bay Area. There's a real sense of brotherhood in the music community that doesn't exist in some places. Denver sucks in this department.
I think the support factor is huge.

drew_bassmore · #3 11-09-2009, 11:00 AM

There is a lot of talent in the SF Bay Area.

It can sometimes feel a bit daunting to somebody like me who is just catching up to the world of DB. However, I am beginning to realize that there is a lot of work for bass players in the area, once one is out there.

Certainly not an all inclusive list, but a few names that are well worth mentioning are:

Sam Bevan
Dan Feiszli
John Wiitala (he often performs with the immeasurable, Adam Shulman)
Jon Evans

and of course, my teacher, Glenn Richman.

Paul Warburton · #4 11-09-2009, 02:52 PM

John is a TB member. He took my place in the Dick Hindman trio with the great Colin Bailey on drums.
Dan did some Bobbie Norris/Larry Dunlap stuff. I did their record "Close Up".
Do you know Don Prell? Got some recorded stuff with Dick, Scott Morris, myself with Don playing his "Prello" at the Sea Witch in about 1980.

Aaron Cohn · #5 11-12-2009, 05:02 PM

Yes David's a very nice player. Always heard him sound good and in a variety of musical situations.

Does he still have unwrapped guts on all four strings?

drew_bassmore · #6 11-12-2009, 05:12 PM

Aaron:

I didn't get a chance to speak with him, but if I recall correctly, the strings had red windings with black spiral around the ball end. I didn't take notice of the peg end.

They looked to be wrapped to me.

Cheers,

Andrew

Aaron Cohn · #7 11-12-2009, 05:18 PM

Thanks--I meant that not so much as "What strings is David using" as "Is he still crazy enough (in a good way) to deal with a plain gut E?"

You'd have noticed it. Huge. I haven't seen him play in a minute so I was curious.

drew_bassmore · #8 11-12-2009, 05:25 PM

Funny.

hdiddy · #9 11-12-2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

Do you know Don Prell? Got some recorded stuff with Dick, Scott Morris, myself with Don playing his "Prello" at the Sea Witch in about 1980.

Man I need to seek out Don Prell. I was at a jam session a few years ago when he showed up (I think we talked about this P). Talk about class. Every note he played was tasty and he seems to always play with this amazing yet contagious **** eating grin.

I never really spoke to him but such a good spirit. He still plays locally around here AFAIK.

David Ewell used to play in an original Brazilian Pop(?) band here in the bay area called "Vivendo de Pao" years ago. Nice stuff and the band overall was pretty good. The main percussionist they had used to be my Brazilian percussion teacher. Unfortunately, the band started to fall apart when my Brazilian teach decided to split and then they disbanded a year or two later. I've seen him play at one of the SF Asian Jazz Festivals with Akira Tana when they used to hold them.

MR PC · #10 11-12-2009, 05:46 PM

Damn I love S.F.!

I've heard Don play a few times. Once with a pretty wild EUB at Cotati Jazz, and more recently in "The City" at nice little bookshop playing lovely acoustic. Wow!

hdiddy · #11 11-15-2009, 12:14 AM

Yeah, I've been to Beckett & Bird only once for some music. Nice quiet scene. Forgot who I saw tho.

Hey guys, lookee what I found.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0lu2hKV-ig

Paul Warburton · #12 11-15-2009, 01:03 AM

Yeah, I saw that Huy. He's a dear old friend. When I was there with Bill Evans in 65 it was the beginning of a long love affair for me with "The City". I lived there for a year in 1980 and got my first European tour with Pharaoh Sanders after we worked Great American Music Hall together.
Then for another year in 85 which was when I hooked up with Getz.
Don was still in the symphony then. He had about 7 great basses he called his "kids". I used to hang at his house now and then.
I talked to him a couple of months ago and will be coming out for some stuff during the holidays.
Maybe see some of you then....a great musical community.

damonsmith · #13 11-15-2009, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

Damn I love S.F.!

I've heard Don play a few times. Once with a pretty wild EUB at Cotati Jazz, and more recently in "The City" at nice little bookshop playing lovely acoustic. Wow!

I met him before and saw that thing, I think he made it himself! I have never heard Ewell play, but I have heard good things about his playing.

Paul Warburton · #14 11-15-2009, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damonsmith

I met him before and saw that thing, I think he made it himself!

Is that the little one I talk about in the above post #4 ? He sits in a chair and plays it.....the size of a large cello. He calls it the "Prello". He did make it himself.
Like I said, I got a tape of Don on the Prello, Dick Hindman, Scott Morris and myownself on bass. I even got pictures of that night at the old "Sea Witch" in Ghirardelli Square.
Also on the tape and in the pics is some guy named Mark Murphy.

MR PC · #15 11-16-2009, 03:35 PM

When I heard Don Prell at Cotati Jazz with the "prello", he was playing with a group mainly doing "hard bop". My memory tells me he was playing a lot of arco solos and that he had some effect boxes bolted to the top of his instrument. And he was a real positive force as well. It's a very nice memory.