peter kowald/barry guy

newmusicbass · #1 06-13-2002, 01:42 AM

i wanted to start a new thread about two of my favorites:
i'll start with some web links:
for kowald: www.kowald.de
some nice quicktime videos here:http://www.SHEF.AC.UK/misc/rec/ps/efi/mkowald.html
and another at the bottom of this page with me (not to be self promoting, its just one of the few on the web)
http://www.balancepointacoustics.com/bpa.html
guy:
http://www.SHEF.AC.UK/misc/rec/ps/efi/mguy.html
and his orchestra:
http://www.SHEF.AC.UK/misc/rec/ps/efi/mljco.html

they are both pioneers of europen free music. kowald has one of the most powerful and beautiful tones. his ideas are endless. he colaborates with musicians from all over the world on an equal ground. his amazing music changed my life.

guy is also a master of baroque and modern classical bass.
he is unbelivable to see live,
preparing the bass, playing with brushs, mallets bow, piz, all in a single phrase all with amazing precision. when i saw him play, my view of the possiblities of the double bass were shattered. you can hear them play duo on kowald's cd "bass duets" (kowald also plays with barre phillips who needs hid own thread! and maaten van retgren altena on it) check them out!

damon smith

Dig Wilbur Ware · #2 03-07-2003, 06:40 PM

Long Live Peter Kowald!

Gideon · #3 03-08-2003, 11:21 AM

Not sure if I'm stating the obvious or not but Peter Kowald recently died of a heart attack. Really sad to lose him. I saw him in Portland, OR a few years ago and he was amazing. Heres the link I found in google.: http://www.damosuzuki.de/html/main/kowald.htm

oliebrice · #4 04-23-2003, 09:21 AM

I'm going to bump this up the list in a probably vain attempt to get people talking about free bass players. Sorry if thats rude, butI'm bored of writing my essay...

Monte · #5 04-23-2003, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oliebrice
I'm going to bump this up the list in a probably vain attempt to get people talking about free bass players. Sorry if thats rude, butI'm bored of writing my essay...

In the immortal words of Oscar Patton, my friend the B3 organ fanatic, cousin to John Patton, and the only black Republican I know personallly..........

Free Jazz? It ought to be free!!

Just kidding. I dig some of that stuff on occasion myself. William Parker has a nice tone. None of them match the originator, Charlie Haden for playing outside normal structure.

Monte

oliebrice · #6 04-23-2003, 11:48 AM

I really love Charlie Haden, hes one of my favourite bass players, but free players have taken things a lot further since him. William Parker, John Edwards, Barry Guy, Simon Fell, Peter Kowald, David Izenzon etc... have taken the bass into whole new fields of ideas.

Sam Sherry · #7 04-23-2003, 01:16 PM

Growing up in Hartford, Connecticut, I used to see Mark Helias and Mario Pavone from time to time. But the bassist whose free-improv influenced me the most is still out ahead of the pack . . . Mr. Dave Holland.

Peter McFerrin · #8 04-23-2003, 04:45 PM

Hey, don't forget the innovations of Steve Swallow, from when he was playing with Paul Bley and/or Jimmy Giuffre. Free Fall is such an amazing record...no wonder that Manfred Eicher lists it with Sunday at the Village Vanguard/Waltz for Debby as the inspiration for starting ECM.

Dig Wilbur Ware · #9 04-24-2003, 01:18 PM

Alan Silva, folks.
The name should be shouted.

oliebrice · #10 04-25-2003, 07:21 AM

I agree about Alan Silva. The only man I'd want to listen to play a synth, as well.
Not heard free fall, didn't Barre Phillips replace Steve Swallow in that group though? he's pretty special.

Peter McFerrin · #11 04-25-2003, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oliebrice
I agree about Alan Silva. The only man I'd want to listen to play a synth, as well.
Not heard free fall, didn't Barre Phillips replace Steve Swallow in that group though? he's pretty special.

IIRC, the Giuffre/Bley/Swallow group broke up in 1962 and the members went off to do their own thing (although Swallow played on several Bley albums afterward, IIRC).

Name I haven't seen here: Gary Peacock(!). Any guy who can play mostly the same type of stuff with both Bill Evans and Albert Ayler and have it work in both contexts is surely worthy of acclaim.

oliebrice · #12 04-26-2003, 11:31 AM

agreed about Gary Peacock. His playong with Ayler is incredible. I really love his stuff with Paul Bley as well. Whats he up to these days?

Peter McFerrin · #13 04-26-2003, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oliebrice
agreed about Gary Peacock. His playong with Ayler is incredible. I really love his stuff with Paul Bley as well. Whats he up to these days?

*cough* keithjarrett *wheeze*

Peacock is probably one of the wealthiest bassists in jazz right now. The Standards Trio sells tickets like nobody's business.

oliebrice · #14 04-26-2003, 07:13 PM

what a waste...

Peter McFerrin · #15 04-26-2003, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oliebrice
what a waste...

!

I can't imagine how you could say that. Jarrett's group plays some amazing stuff, and its treatment of standards is decidedly idiosyncratic.

oliebrice · #16 04-27-2003, 06:45 AM

I've found Jarrett really irritating when i've listened to him... obviously v. talented, but too polished, busy and "sweet" for my tastes.
But to be fair, I've not heard that much. maybe i should give him another go. Which would you say is his best album?

Peter McFerrin · #17 04-27-2003, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oliebrice
I've found Jarrett really irritating when i've listened to him... obviously v. talented, but too polished, busy and "sweet" for my tastes.
But to be fair, I've not heard that much. maybe i should give him another go. Which would you say is his best album?

He's had three main bands in his career: the "American Quartet" with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden, and Paul Motian; the "European Quartet" with Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson, and Jon Christensen; and the Standards Trio with Peacock and Jack DeJohnette. Add that to his solo recordings (which aren't really that interesting, IMO) and you've got a bunch of albums you need to get.

For the American Quartet, I'd pick The Survivor's Suite or Fort Yawuh. For the European Quartet, I'd go with the live set Nude Ants (their studio stuff is way too "sweet," you're right). For the Standards Trio, grab Tokyo '96 and Changeless.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #18 04-27-2003, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oliebrice
what a waste...

To each his own. I grew up on that stuff, and would give my eyeteeth to sub for Gary for even one set in that group. One man's "irritating" is another man's "nirvana".

Dig Wilbur Ware · #19 04-28-2003, 06:40 PM

I think a Jarrett ticket was going for $100 at Yoshi's. Arrogance? You decide. Who/What were the attended audience demographic? Excuse the rhetoric.

I'd much rather attend the Vision Festival in NYC and see The Front Line Bassists striving for a better tomorrow. Wilber Morris (r.i.p.) & Alan Silva have performed there.

Or the Dumaurier in Vancouver, where I saw and met Barre Phillips... no posh attitudes or extended pinkies there.

Don Higdon · #20 04-28-2003, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dig Wilbur Ware
I think a Jarrett ticket was going for $100 at Yoshi's. Arrogance? You decide. Who/What were the attended audience demographic? Excuse the rhetoric.

I don't think Jarrett sets the ticket prices. Like every other performer, he gets the best price he can for the group. The promoter takes it from there.