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12-11-2008, 05:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brooklyn | | | Slam Stewart and the 5-String Kay
I've always seen all of these old ads with Slam Stewart posing for Kay with their 5-String High C model. Did he actually use the thing? Does anyone know of any records where he used it, or saw him live with it?
Sign in to disble this ad
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Take me to the bathroom now Jesus!!!!! | http://alexidavid.com |
12-12-2008, 03:43 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | I been wracking my old brain trying to remember this, Lexi. It's coming up with splat.
I have a bunch of old Downbeat mags in storage, as well as a big collection of ISB's...When I finally get my new Condo., I'll dig through and see what I can find.
For now, all I can say is that I don't ever remember seeing any ads or of hearing that he ever played one. As you know, Slam had pretty loose left hand positioning...he was a very linear, up and down the board kinda player. I would think that cross fingerings to get down to the G string wouldn't have worked too well for him.
Maybe Si, maybe No.
Slam was a piece of work...I did some jazz parties with him, as well as some European jazz fests. He NEVER brought a bass with him...even when the promoters encouraged him to do so, at their expense. He would, however, bring his beloved German bow...no bow case, of course...the varnish gone and no curve whatsoever left in it..damn thing looked like a boomerang. He'd take that old thing with him all over the world. I don't think it ever left his hands. Maybe when he had to do #2.
__________________
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 : 12-12-2008 at 04:00 AM.
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12-12-2008, 09:20 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NYC | | | Even more amazing, Slam got HIS sound out of whatever the promoter provided, be it 200 year old Italian or plywood. |
12-16-2008, 01:34 AM
|  | Velvet Strings Customer Service | | Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: SWITZERLAND | | | Alexi, im a big fan of Slam Stewart and i have a bunch of recordings, pictures and some videos, honestly, i never saw a picture of a live show where is playing the 5 strings Kay although i also have the Kay publicity.
I will search home and ill be back to you if i find something with the 5 strings bass. if you are looking for some Slam recordings, pics, you can p.m. or email me, ill be more than glad to help you
Nuno |
12-16-2008, 04:05 AM
| | | | Are you sure that you are not thinking of Chubby Jackson, who endorsed the Kay 5-string? He was in a lot of print ads with that instrument . . .
I also never heard of Slam playing a 5-string. Curious though. |
12-16-2008, 04:17 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brooklyn | |
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Take me to the bathroom now Jesus!!!!! | http://alexidavid.com |
12-16-2008, 04:34 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | Sure enough, Lexi. I'm betting, since Slam was already endorsing Kay, they probably thought this ad would be another exposure for Chubby's fiver model. Nobody would notice but bass players. I just can't imagine Slam dealing with that high C. And like I say, the cross fingering to get to the G., not to speak of the arco issues, and his vocal range.
Somebody might come up with the idea that he could've used the low B, but we know that just isn't true....no value to Slam what so ever.
__________________
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 : 12-16-2008 at 04:45 AM.
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12-16-2008, 04:37 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brooklyn | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton  Sure enough, Lexi. I'm betting, since Slam was already endorsing Kay, they probably thought this ad would be another exposure for Chubby's fiver model. Nobody would notice but bass players. I just can't imagine Slam dealing with that high C. And like I say, the cross fingering to get to the G., not to speak of the arco issues. | Yup, that's what I think too. But who knows!
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Take me to the bathroom now Jesus!!!!! | http://alexidavid.com |
12-16-2008, 04:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Alexi David | Dang!!! Thanks for pointing that out -- I wrote that book and I never noticed until now that he's playing a 5-string in the photo. Okay, now did he record with it ever? Mmmm. |
12-16-2008, 04:41 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brooklyn | | Quote:
Originally Posted by chop_1992 Dang!!! Thanks for pointing that out -- I wrote that book and I never noticed until now that he's playing a 5-string in the photo. Okay, now did he record with it ever? Mmmm. | I thought it was odd when you posted! Haha. yeah, isn't that funny? I got a feeling he just did it for the bread!
By the way, great book - I love it.
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Take me to the bathroom now Jesus!!!!! | http://alexidavid.com |
12-16-2008, 04:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Alexi David I thought it was odd when you posted! Haha. yeah, isn't that funny? I got a feeling he just did it for the bread!
By the way, great book - I love it. | Thanks Alexi. I really never noticed it, and I have "looked" at that photo at least 1000 times. I guess I just proved to myself once again that sometimes when I look at things, i don't see them. Uh-oh, gettin' too deep. Anyway—thanks for pointing that out. Let me know if you ever come across a recording of him playing 5. |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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