"Jazz Box" on the Bravo! channel

[Aaron Saunders]

I woke up unreasonably early this morning, so after Comedy Club 54 was over I rolled out of my bed and decided to change the channel, and to my surprise, saw this thing called "Jazz Box". It's this show that apparently features a specific artist/group, and this time, they're doing "Jesse Cook", who I can only assume is one of the two very talented guitarists playing (both on "spanish-style" guitars). What REALLY caught my attnetion is that the bassist is doing some WONDERFUL work on a fretless FBass. Right now, he's taking a beautiful solo that I'm watching as I type. This cat is doing some mean fretless playing, and his tone is beautiful! It's light-stain F-bass strongly resembling the one posted in the "white basses" thread, but with a flame maple top. He took a solo in the last song that I could barely believe -- they aren't uber-Wooten fast, rather, his solos have been the single best example of "serving the song" that I have EVER seen. They're slow and melodic, with a great use of subtle vibrato and sliding between notes. If ANYONE knows who this guy is, please share this!

By the by, if anyone knows anything about this show -- eg, any times it's on BESIDES 6:00am -- please, please tell me.

EDIT: Two more things. This show has also cemented my opinion that fretless bass A. Sounds better than fretted for spanish jazz and B. Sounds better than fretted for playing with acoustic guitars, and that the mix on this show is PERFECT. I'm watching this on a 14" Samsung that's several years old and sporting a mono speaker, and I can hear every note perfectly -- keep in mind that the band is 2 guitarists, a drummer, a bassist, and two percussionist playing hand drums, boxes, and various shaking-type things. Right now they're doing this really neat percussion solo -- the drummer took this really neat one and everyone in the band that wasn't a percussionist (and thus soloing) was keeping the beat with drum sticks.

VERY cool show. This is the kind of performance I'd give something very dear to me to see live.

One last note -- most of the performers, with the exception of one guitarist and one of the hand-drum players are all really, really young looking for the music they're making. I'd say most of them aren't even past thirty, and this is some of the best music I've ever heard.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by Govithoy

He took a solo in the last song that I could barely believe -- they aren't uber-Wooten fast, rather, his solos have been the single best example of "serving the song" that I have EVER seen. They're slow and melodic, with a great use of subtle vibrato and sliding between notes.

That's what most Jazz is all about - an "alternate melody", rather than a "chops-fest!!

[Aaron Saunders]

Haha. I suppose so...I guess it also really struck a chord (pun not intended) because it's the kind of stuff I play -- that kind of sound, the guy's expression and timing and technique were mind blowing. I never see anyone else playing this kind of stuff, and it's the stuff that I want to hear so I try and play it, but this guy just NAILED it.