Just got back from a free Rufus Reid clinic...

**Blackbird** · #1 05-04-2002, 07:35 PM

... at the Musician's Union Local 6 .

The event was sponsored by the Northern California Bass Club and the International Society of Bassists, organizations which I'm seriously considering joining.

In the period of an hour and a half, Rufus answered a lot of questions from the audience and lectured on the requirements to become an, to use RR's terminology, an Evolving bassist. Also, he covered subjects, such as how the standard of excellence has been raised in the past 20 years for electric bassists, pointing out that Jimy Blanton had had a similar impact on the upright years before Jaco & Stanley took up the electric. The subject of the Electric bass came up because Michael Manring did a clinic before him. If you care, You can read about it here.

Rufus played a couple of solo pieces first, Using sliding harmonic double stops (!) and his bowing was also beautiful. If you care to ask any questions, I might remember more, but being the Electric fanatic that I am, Manring stood out more. Still, it was my first time seein RR and I'd like to recommend the experience to anyone who hasn't seen him yet.

Oops, I remembered one thing he said, which was always play your best, no matter what kind of gig it is because you never know who is listening. He said he got a sideman gig with a major jazz artist who heard his work on a Jamey Aebersold record!

David Kaczorowski · #2 05-05-2002, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Big Wheel
The event was sponsored by the Northern California Bass Club and the International Society of Bassists, organizations which I'm seriously considering joining.

You think that's cool? Try to make an ISB convention.

At the convention last year I:

1. met a couple of the cats that post here

2. listened to Rufus as he casually checked out some basses and kinda got to talk with him (or more like listen to him talk) as he rapped with a luthier I know and was hanging out with

3. had Jim Fergusson introduce himself to me because Ed Fuqua told him to

4. had Barre Phillips, bass improviser extraordanaire and ISB President-Elect, attend the performance of my bass quartet and offer compliments and praise

5. met and hung out with Keter Betts and left the convention with an invitation to his house

6. attended a week's worth of presentations like the one you saw

7. was in bass paradise for a week.

Marcus Johnson · #3 05-05-2002, 01:36 PM

Wow, Dave, what is it like to have Barre Phillips watching you? I think I'd probably need to be sedated.

David Kaczorowski · #4 05-05-2002, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marcus Johnson
Wow, Dave, what is it like to have Barre Phillips watching you? I think I'd probably need to be sedated.

I didn't know he was there until after the performance. Knowing he was there might have been a good thing, at least I would have known there was someone in the audience who might be able to relate to what we were trying to do.

Jeff Bollbach · #5 05-05-2002, 08:10 PM

I'm glad I wasn't there-I'm sure I'm not as hip as Barre Phillips. I would have no doubt felt like one of the rest of the inadequate turds.

David Kaczorowski · #6 05-06-2002, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Bollbach
I'm glad I wasn't there-I'm sure I'm not as hip as Barre Phillips. I would have no doubt felt like one of the rest of the inadequate turds.

Huh? That's not at all what I was saying. I was afraid everyone there was going to hate us. What you wrote above isn't my style. It's ashame you're so classless and lacking in dignity.

Jeff Bollbach · #7 05-07-2002, 01:28 PM

Well, Dave, if I misread your post I apologize. However, looking back at your post and postings I saw no inkling of anything but er, lets say strong confidence. Nothing to suggest a fear of whether your music was going to be well received. That and the statement that the great Barre might be the only one in the audience who would get what you were doing suggested a bit of elitism to me. Zingers happen here at TB. If I was wrong, than all I'm guilty of is maybe being stupid and not "classless and lacking dignity" as you suggest. I've seen you rip people new ones on more than one occasion at the drop of a hat-were you being classless and undignified then? Mebbe you're pissed off at me about something else?

BTW it's interesting that you deleted the earlier post in which you called me a condescending expletive. I guess its better to play the "class" angle.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #8 05-07-2002, 01:46 PM

(grabs beat-up cheapo nylon stringed guitar with paisley strap, sits cross legged, begins to strum, and takes VERY deep breath)

Kum-Ba-YAAAAAA, my Lord.....

Kum-Ba-YAAAAAA....

Kum-Ba-YAAAAAA, my Lord.....

Kum-Ba-YAAAAAA....

Hey guys, how 'bout a crunchy Granola bar and a group hug?

David Kaczorowski · #9 05-07-2002, 01:59 PM

Jeff,

Apology accepted. In retrospect I can see how my post could have been interpreted that way.

I've ripped cats before, but whether they deserved it or not I often wish I'd conducted myself differently. I don't behave that way in real life, so why should I here? I posted that origial reply yesterday and was embarrassed by it. That's not me and I don't want to be perceived that way.

PS: I'm not pissed about anything else.

Monte · #10 05-07-2002, 02:08 PM

E-mail me when you get the chance. My laptop is in the shop, so I don't have your e-mail addy handy. I want to talk to you about a coupla days I'll be in Philly.

Monte

Jeff Bollbach · #11 05-07-2002, 02:16 PM

Thanks, Dave. I'm glad this didn't go on any longer.
Peace,
jeff

davegr8house · #12 05-27-2002, 08:16 PM

Hey Big Wheel,
Do you know what kind of Bass Rufus Reid plays. I have the Bass Day 97 video of Rufus and Michael Moore and I love his sound. I think he uses Gut strings but I`m not sure. Thanks...

Dave

If the world didn`t suck we would all fall off...

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #13 05-27-2002, 08:25 PM

Dave,

I got a lesson with Rufus almost two years ago at the camps, and the bass he had with him then had a very interesting history...seems it was left for dead in pieces in some basement or other, and he bought it for a song and had it reconstructed for use as a backup/touring bass. Turns out he liked it so much that he started using it all the time. The bass is light as a feather, and he had one of those angled endpins on it that are some kind of carbon fiber substance, also almost weightless. I don't remember what his strings were then, but they weren't gut.

Monte · #14 05-28-2002, 09:18 AM

Last fall he switched to Velvet Animas (gut wrapped in round wire), according to an ad and article in the latest Double Bassist mag.

Monte

pedro · #15 06-15-2002, 01:23 PM

As usual,I'm late to the party.

First off, I've said it before and I'll say it again, Michael Manring is without a doubt one of nicest gentleman I've ever met. Over the years, I've corresponded with him several times seeking out advice and he has always been prompt and thorough with his responses. When I finally got a chance to see him a couple of years ago, we went up while he was setting up his stuff and he remembered everything. My son's name, asked how his band was coming along, what pieces he was working on. Class act IMO.

I don't know Rufus, although my son has taken classes with him for several years at Richard Davis' Bass Camp. It seems to me that my son always enjoyed his classes and seemed to like Rufus quite a bit.

godoze · #16 05-24-2004, 11:29 AM

Well, I start lessons with Rufus september 1 if anyone has any input on his teaching style.