Double Bass A Finger-Twister From Scott Colley

[Sam Sherry]

I was listening to "Five-Two" again last night off of Portable Universe. What gorgeous writing -- Dave Holland, please meet Dave Binney.

Anyway, after all these years of listening I transcribed it. Bucko, it sounds easy but it ain't.

On the attached, the tempo is about Q=100. One bassist plays BOTH parts simultaneously. Have fun -- I sure will!

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I nailed pages 2 and 3 on sight. Dead on. Intonation was perfect. My reading must be better than I thought!

Seriously, thanks for sharing and do tell more about Portable Universe - this is the first I've heard of it.

 

[bassist14]

I nailed pages 2 and 3 on sight. .

the pdf i get has only one page.

edit: sam, thanks for these 15 bars. they make me want more

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Pages 2 and 3 aren't the only things you don't get...

 

[bassist14]

Pages 2 and 3 aren't the only things you don't get...

ok, then please help me

 

[Paul Warburton]

Piece o'cake....

 

[Ed Fuqua]

OK.

It's a joke. It's hard to play. But since there IS only one page, when Chris says he played pages 2 and 3 PERFECTLY ON HIS FIRST TRY it's funny.

In a self deprecatorial sort of way.

 

[Michael Case]

Some of that looks impossible to play simultaneously. I say this from a place of suckiness so great that none of you ever reach!

 

[wineaux]

Sam -- Thanks for sharing.

Chris -- Thanks for the laugh of the day.

I'm going to try this tonight. Figure if I play the first part V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y and record it on my Zoom H4, record the second part the same way, the speed up both tracks, I'll pretty much have it.

Or not.

 

[Sam Sherry]

I was wrestling between responding
a) "Yeah, it has a certain John Cage quality to it" or
b) "Awright, wise guy, YOUR womens' basketball team shall SUFFER tonight."
Either of which is true.

Most folks 'round these parts already know what a monster technician and outstanding musician Scott Colley is. I've seen him in the past few years with Kenny Werner's band (Chris Potter, Randy Brecker, Antonio Sanchez) and Herbie Hancock's Quartet. He's on landmark sides by Chris Potter, including the iconic Gratitude, and of course there's his long "straight-ahead" gig with Jim Hall.

Portable Universe is a mighty fine record on the "Freelance" label. (No!) Apparently I like it much better than AllMusic does. Outstanding cast -- the saxophonists are David Binney, Donny McCaslin and Chris Potter and that says a lot.

Like some of Dave Holland and some of David Binney, Mr. Colley's writing on Portable Universe has an "open" harmonic quality to it. I'll gloss over it as 'lots of fifths and ninths' although that obviously doesn't do it justice. I ran a chart for "In My Never Mind" at one point and learned from it about "open" writing for two horns. It's deep, with just the right dash of 'tart' on top of 'pretty.'

Gotta work. I AM going to practice FiveTwo. Look out!

 

[bassist14]

OK.

It's a joke. It's hard to play. But since there IS only one page, when Chris says he played pages 2 and 3 PERFECTLY ON HIS FIRST TRY it's funny.

In a self deprecatorial sort of way.

thanks ed, now i get it.

what i don´t get is the last bar: how to hold the low f and play the triplets

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Simple, VERY carefully...

 

[bassist14]

 

[Sam Sherry]

What i don´t get is the last bar: how to hold the low f and play the triplets

Good point. I'll be cutting the low "F" some short.

It's impressive that you've gotten all the way to the end. Yessah!

 

[bassist14]

Good point. I'll be cutting the low "F" some short.

It's impressive that you've gotten all the way to the end. Yessah!

 

[John Goldsby]

Sam, maybe it would read better if you put both lines on one staff, since some of the notes are doubling each other anyway. (I hear the "Do it yourself, John" coming already . . .)

But if you have everything in the computer, you could mind-meld the two lines into one staff and get something that might look more user-friendly and be easier to read.

Some of the notes in the bottom staff have to be held for a shorter values than you notate . . . also there are some notes in the two staves that are not aligned rhythmically (F and high D in bar 10, the low F in the last bar on beat 3 is under the C on beat 4 in the top staff). I'll have to check out the recording . . . thanks for posting -- Scott's a great player.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

NOW, you in tha Zone!

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Yassuh!

Actually, while I'd love to take credit for a level of subtlety in humor that I aspire to but did not intentionally reach here, the first time I pulled that pdf up, there were empty staves on pages 2 and 3. Now there aren't any pages after page 1, and it's funnier than if there were. Hoo-ahh!

 

[Sam Sherry]

Sam, maybe it would read better if you put both lines on one staff, since some of the notes are doubling each other anyway. (I hear the "Do it yourself, John" coming already . . .)

John, that looked like dung last night and it looked like dung this afternoon. It's much clearer on two staffs.

Some of the notes in the bottom staff have to be held for a shorter values than you notate . . . also there are some notes in the two staves that are not aligned rhythmically (F and high D in bar 10, the low F in the last bar on beat 3 is under the C on beat 4 in the top staff). I'll have to check out the recording . . . thanks for posting -- Scott's a great player.

OK, I've made as many of those changes as I can find. Anything for yoooo . . . But it's fair to say, "Play now!"

Gotta work. Glad you all are enjoying this. Scott Colley, man.

 

[bassist14]

Yassuh!

Actually, while I'd love to take credit for a level of subtlety in humor that I aspire to but did not intentionally reach here, the first time I pulled that pdf up, there were empty staves on pages 2 and 3. Now there aren't any pages after page 1, and it's funnier than if there were. Hoo-ahh!