Recent content by gerry grable

One the funniest things I've seen with him was a video clip of him taking an aptitude test when he was still a young kid. It was like candid camera and it showed him reacting to the written "results" which indicated he would probably be a day laborer. I can't find it or I'd post it.

Also, the way the lowest string is squeezed into the box almost as an afterthought is interesting to me. Was this converted to five string?

Great stories. I never heard of this man till today. I wonder if he thought of tuning the bass up a 1/2 step?

Since I switched to Kolstein All Weather , I've never gone back. It is truly "all Weather " and very long lasting.

Oscar Peterson with Ray Brown comes in my fuzzy mind

That has always been my philosophy, too. I never lost a job though. Those were the days of short bread and long hours. A lot of the great players didn't want a steady job, just a few extra bucks. It worked the same with my hiring Horn players and drummers. I got to play with many players who...

Many years ago I was working with pianist, Karen Springer. She wasn't happy when I had to take off for an extra gig which was on a Sunday way out on Long Island. It was Guerney's Inn in Montauch and it would be hard to get a sub to travel that far for $100. Finally, I got Jay Leonhart to do it...

For many years I used a B-15 speaker as an extension for my little, now defunked, GK bass ( piano) amp. I loved the little GK but it died after about 20 years and I couldn't get it repaired .Sadly they stopped making them so I couldn't buy another.

No. My two B-15s have gone to the happy picking grounds. I still have the two cabinets with their speakers. I didn't have the heart to junk them. I settled for a Rumble 100. It's light and sounds okay at low volumes.

In my years of playing, I always tried to get my amp, an Ampeg B-15 , to sound as close to the wood sound as possible. The most prevalent comment I received on the bandstand was to turn up the volume. I believe that the relatively high amplification of bass on recordings has changed the...

I have a friend, Mark Hamza, who plays a Hammond with pedals and a huge speaker. He is a terrific player and knows to go light on the pedals when playing with a bass player. He has a van and has his instrument transportation down to a science.

Thanks. I was heading for my wife's sewing box BTW. WOULDNT THAT BE A DOTTED MINIM?

And not every great teacher is a good jazz player because those are completely different skill sets.

Glad too see that someone other than I appreciates the excellent videos by Barry Lieberman. I never had a bass teacher so he was invaluable to me. I have many of his tutorials on my iPad. As far as "color", he simply had a very discerning ear.

Leroy was one of my first influences and I was with you until you took the closing dig at Andre Previn. Are you kidding? Previn can't swing? Have you heard Pal Joey and Gigi with Previn and Red Mitchell? Or 4 to Go? I seem to recall Paul Warburton saying that the reason Leroy Vinegar was on My...