What about the great Canadian Bassists?

Richard Whitema · #1 06-08-2006, 11:01 PM

I'm a Talk Bass member because I'm an avid student of the double bass,having been playing for two years.

I'm a professional jazz pianist in Toronto and have had the pleasure of working with just about every bassist of note in town(there are many).

In terms of craft, invention, tone and time it would be hard to
top the abilities of Neil Swainson,Don Thompson and Steve Wallace.
If you're not familiar with the work of these men,check them out.

Richard Whiteman from The Bass Capital of the World

jazzbass72 · #2 06-09-2006, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Whitema

In terms of craft, invention, tone and time it would be hard to
top the abilities of Neil Swainson,Don Thompson and Steve Wallace.
If you're not familiar with the work of these men,check them out.

Richard Whiteman from The Bass Capital of the World

Hey Richard,
the three bassists you mentioned are all amazing indeed (love Don Thompson especially), but calling Toronto the Bass Capital of the World is a bit of an overstatement, unless Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Rufus Reid, Buster Williams, Scott Colley, Larry Grenadier, John Patitucci and a few other fellows have all moved to Toronto overnight ;-)

Just my $0.02...

msw · #3 06-09-2006, 08:15 AM

Those three and several others have long been some of my favorites. I think Neil is especially underated.

Richard Whitema · #4 06-09-2006, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzbass72

Hey Richard,
the three bassists you mentioned are all amazing indeed (love Don Thompson especially), but calling Toronto the Bass Capital of the World is a bit of an overstatement, unless Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Rufus Reid, Buster Williams, Scott Colley, Larry Grenadier, John Patitucci and a few other fellows have all moved to Toronto overnight ;-)

Just my $0.02...

It is an overstatement. i should say but for a city its size Toronto has
a remarkable number of fine bassists.
Richard

msw · #5 06-09-2006, 09:32 AM

It may be slightly exagerated but it has always seemed to me that Toronto was loaded with very advanced skilled bassists. My theory is that having rolemodels like Don Thompson and the entire Boss Brass as well as clubs like George's and Bourban St. made the envoirment high-level and competitive.
Just my opinoin. There are many cities with with some great local musicians that no one really ever hears about.

bassbuddie · #6 06-09-2006, 09:33 AM

Have you heard Michel Donato from Montreal? Or Frederic Alarie?
They are extraordinay good bassists.

Joe Gress · #7 06-09-2006, 09:36 AM

Geddy Lee!

sorry

lc12345678 · #8 06-09-2006, 09:52 AM

Rick Danko.
I loved his bass playing while he was in 'The Band.' I know that you are talking about jazz players, but as a Great Canadian Bass Player he was one of them and I believe underrated too.

My 2 cents.

Bass Boy · #9 06-09-2006, 10:16 AM

Toronto has tons of great bassists. Richard, I've seen you play before when I lived in Ontario. How are Jim Vivian and Duncan Hopkins doing?

Anonymous75966 · #10 06-09-2006, 12:31 PM

Some other players from TO who are world-class IMHO: Roberto Occhipinti, Andrew Downing, and especially Rob Clutton - he plays the Prescott that used to belong to Neil Swainson, and has possibly the best tone in town.

Aaron Saunders · #11 06-10-2006, 11:59 PM

There's nowhere better in Canada for bass players than Toronto.

Also dig Dave Young, Mike Downes, Will Jarvis. A particular favourite of mine is Kieran Overs. What a tone that guy has!

Can't wait to spend next year at Humber College. Nowhere in Canada with a better bass faculty -- Mike Downes is head of the program, and Don Thompson's on faculty as well.

shwashwa · #12 06-11-2006, 07:08 AM

can't believe no one has mentioned quarrington....
it's nice to make the canadians feel important..... :-)

Scott McC · #13 06-14-2006, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

There's nowhere better in Canada for bass players than Toronto.

Also dig Dave Young, Mike Downes, Will Jarvis. A particular favourite of mine is Kieran Overs. What a tone that guy has!

Can't wait to spend next year at Humber College. Nowhere in Canada with a better bass faculty -- Mike Downes is head of the program, and Don Thompson's on faculty as well.

Kieran is killer, very original. See you at humber next year!

Bass Boy · #14 06-14-2006, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shwashwa

can't believe no one has mentioned quarrington....
it's nice to make the canadians feel important..... :-)

Joel is a freak of nature and transcends all labels/accolades.

I still beat him in Radio Shack hockey, however!

Aaron Saunders · #15 06-15-2006, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott McC

Kieran is killer, very original. See you at humber next year!

Probably not in the same program...I'm in the Intro (

) but it'll be a good time nonetheless

.

Scott McC · #16 06-15-2006, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

Probably not in the same program...I'm in the Intro (

) but it'll be a good time nonetheless

.

The intro program is really good. All the guys who come out of it seem to have a lot of stuff together. See you in the music hall.

mapleleaf4evr · #17 06-18-2006, 07:04 PM

I would like to mention two great Toronto area bassists, Murray Lauder and Lenny Boyd. Tragically, Murray is no longer with us. I had the very good fortune while studying at Humber from 1981-84 to have Murray Lauder and Lenny Boyd during my first two years, and Dave Young during my third. We lost Murray a few years ago, and when that hapened we lost a wonderful person, teacher and musician. He had a great feel and concept about playing, and reminds me of Red Mitchell in his approach to the instrument. Lenny was a good teacher too, but in a different way. Lenny played with literally all the jazz greats of the 1950's and 60's including people like Miles Davis and Bud Powell. Not too shabby.

Aaron Saunders · #18 06-18-2006, 08:00 PM

Hey mapleleaf, if you were at Humber from 81-84, do you know a bassist named Jim McKinney? He's in the southern Ontario area, runs a studio in Glenora or something. He might've been in the year ahead of you, I think he graduated 83. Real nice guy and a fine player. Coincidentally, his brother taught me gym when I was 14.

Scott -- that's actually pretty encouraging about the program...I've heard next to nothing about it except for what they told us at the audition prep course back in April.

SamJ · #19 06-18-2006, 08:01 PM

There's only one right? Geddy?

seriously, I'd love to see a list of the better Jazz and Classical names form Canada.. I'm always eager to learn about other Genres of music.

Scott McC · #20 06-18-2006, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

Hey mapleleaf, if you were at Humber from 81-84, do you know a bassist named Jim McKinney? He's in the southern Ontario area, runs a studio in Glenora or something. He might've been in the year ahead of you, I think he graduated 83. Real nice guy and a fine player. Coincidentally, his brother taught me gym when I was 14.

Scott -- that's actually pretty encouraging about the program...I've heard next to nothing about it except for what they told us at the audition prep course back in April.

Foundation, as it is called, is basically first year with a lighter course load. You still do all the same stuff, you even get Kirk MacDonald for a teacher (who I wont until 3rd year). Private lessons, ear training, even an ensemble, pretty decent. I kind of wish that I would have gone, it would have given me time to learn how to read those strange golf club things a whole lot better