Timo Shanko

[ablumley]

Timo Shanko: His playing on the last couple of Joe Morris discs has really knocked me out. I also know that he plays with the Fully Celebrated Orchestra. He's also a heavy sax player. Can anyone tell me anything else about him/his approach to the double bass?

Thanks,

Aaron

[damonsmith]

Morris is a badass guitar player and an interesting bass player himself, he plays on gut. I just did a project earlier this summer with Joe and asked about Timo since I also like his playing. Joe said he transcribes constantly and also plays tenor saxophone.

[ablumley]

Damon,
It was seeing Joe Morris play guitar that made me get into free improvised music in the first place. I haven't had the oppourtunity to check out his bass playing yet, though. Gut Strings? I know that Wilbert de Joode uses gut strings as well. Did you find out what kind of stuff Timo transcribes? Also, will we get to hear what you did with Joe Morris?

[damonsmith]

Originally Posted by ablumley

Damon,
It was seeing Joe Morris play guitar that made me get into free improvised music in the first place. I haven't had the oppourtunity to check out his bass playing yet, though. Gut Strings? I know that Wilbert de Joode uses gut strings as well.

-Morris kind of plays bass like Sirone or Fred Hopkins. I love Wilbert DeJoode's playing I am playing with him in Chicago next month!

Originally Posted by ablumley

Did you find out what kind of stuff Timo transcribes?

- Morris said tons and tons of stuff, All Of Coltrane, Ayler, Ornette that kind of thing.

Originally Posted by ablumley

Also, will we get to hear what you did with Joe Morris?

Yes, we did a pretty ridiculous but great project: "Healing Force: the songs of Albert Ayler" .
We did the stuff everyone hates from "Music is the Healing Force of the Universe" and "Newgrass". It was Aurora Josephone - Voice, Vinny Golia- reeds (including bass saxophone and soprillo, an octave above soprano)
Henry Kaiser - guitars, Mike Keneally (from Zappa's bands) -guitars, Piano, Joe Morris, double bass, guitar, me - double bass and Weasel Walter- drums
We recorded it at Fantasy studios - the real place, 10th and parker in Berkeley so it sounds great. Should be out sometime soon.

[ablumley]

Damon,

I definately have to check out Morris' bass playing if he reminds you of Sirone. I recently had a revelatory rediscovery of his playing on Sharrock's Black Woman when it was blasting over the stereo at a house party a few weeks back.

You've probably checked out Wilbert's disc Olo. I find that it's a really interesting addition to my growing collection of solo double bass albums. I hope that you make some good music together. --Wow, I just looked at your web page and saw that Frank Gratkowski is also in the band. Have a really GREAT show!

The Ornette influence is definately audible in Timo Shanko's bass playing-its very present in the way the whole Morris trio works, actually. David Izenzon is one of my favourite bass players-I've got to track down a copy of the Sound? dvd with the footage of the mid-60s trio.

"Healing Force" sounds like a wonderfully perverse and heavy band. I'll keep my eyes out for it.

Aaron

[damonsmith]

Timo is awesome - I listened to "Age OF Everything" today. The other one who is great with Joe is Nate McBride on "Antenae", he just kicks ass with a huge sound.

[dylanjohnson]

Ive played with Timo a bunch of times on tenor..... He is a very funny guy and a very musical player. I can only imagine his bass playing is good too... I think he either uses or used to play an aluminum bass, but ive never heard it.
Dylan

[damonsmith]

Originally Posted by dylanjohnson

Ive played with Timo a bunch of times on tenor..... He is a very funny guy and a very musical player. I can only imagine his bass playing is good too... I think he either uses or used to play an aluminum bass, but ive never heard it.
Dylan

- That aluminum bass used to belong to Lowell Davidson, apparently a very influencial force on the Boston free jazz scene. I heard that Joe Morris used to play it also.
He made a Great record, playing piano, for ESP with Gary Peacock on bass and Milford Graves on drums. It is now on cd and worth finding.

[ablumley]

"Antenna" was the first Joe Morris record that I bought. I was 17 and into a lot of bad guitar music. It messed me up. I couldn't handle it all the way through at first, but I kept listening...

I'm going to try and track down that record with Lowell Davidson.