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Double Bass Ahmad Jamal...

G

glocke1

Supporting Member
Apr 30, 2002
3,471
5,020
PA
#1
I'm not sure how I missed hearing about this guy, while I am not a heavy jazzer, I do listen to that genre quite a bit and I just "discovered" this guy last week.

that's a lot of music being put out by 4 guys, one of whom is on percussion.

pretty cool/awesome bass work there as well...really makes me wish i were proficient on double bass.

The only reason i found out about him is because I was listening to some jazz oriented podcast and they were talking about is pershing theatre album which eventually led me to this tune.

By a huge coincidence he is playing near me (Princeton) in a couple of months..Now I'm wondering what else is out there I haven't heard.

 
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#4
He's just brilliant, from the earliest recordings to the latest. And he's wonderful live. As lurk says the trio with Israel Crosby has some of the greatest trio playing, and bass playing, ever. The gold standard. The guitar trio on Chamber Music of the New Jazz is also one of my all time faves ( also Crosby).
 
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#11
One o f the things I dig so much about this footage is the difference between Vernel and Papa Jo's brushes; Vernel's got almost no spread and they're only extended a short distance beyond the sleeve AND the rod is bent so they can't be extended any further, while Papa Jo has either wooden handled/non-adjustable brushes or has them at full extensions and they both get such great shaging sounds.
 
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#13
Ed bickert? Just the best ever!! Understated beautiful chord melody lines.

Was wondering how to get my hands on don Thompson’s album circles last night. Won a Juno and out of print!! Vibes! Piano! Bass! All by don! Maybe he even plays drums on it.

Red Mitchell? Unbelievable lyricism (unless he sings ;)

Ahmad Jamal? Check out “the essence”. He creates soundscapes. Like about 4 bars of rest in a solo to create space. Just a genius. So different than bop guys.

You could listen to a new album every time and never run out of great music your whole life. But the good stuff we find is so good you gotta hear it again!!
 
#16
Ed Fuqua said:
One o f the things I dig so much about this footage is the difference between Vernel and Papa Jo's brushes; Vernel's got almost no spread and they're only extended a short distance beyond the sleeve AND the rod is bent so they can't be extended any further, while Papa Jo has either wooden handled/non-adjustable brushes or has them at full extensions and they both get such great shagging sounds.
Click to expand...

I used to play with Vernel sometimes in NYC, and I was always knocked out by his economy of motion. He was so swinging, but he had a very light, precise touch—with not much physical movement.
 
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#17
John Goldsby said:
I used to play with Vernel sometimes in NYC, and I was always knocked out by his economy of motion. He was so swinging, but he had a very light, precise touch—with not much physical movement.
Click to expand...
Nice!
This is a 2-part question:
1. Did VF ever refer to his Drum Beat on "Poinciana" by a specific name, or mention it's rhythmic lineage or pedigree (i.e., country/countries of origin?)
2. What do YOU call the name of the Drum Beat on "Poinciana"? (Me and my boyz call it "...the Vernel Thang on Poinciana", FYI.)
Thanks for your time and expertise.
 
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#18
Don Kasper said:
Nice!
This is a 2-part question:
1. Did VF ever refer to his Drum Beat on "Poinciana" by a specific name, or mention it's rhythmic lineage or pedigree (i.e., country/countries of origin?)
2. What do YOU call the name of the Drum Beat on "Poinciana"? (Me and my boyz call it "...the Vernel Thang on Poinciana", FYI.)
Thanks for your time and expertise.
Click to expand...

I don't know that I ever talked to Vernel about the "Poinciana" beat — which I would just call the "Poinciana beat." What I can say about his drumming is that he grew up in New Orleans, and then moved to Chicago. The "Poinciana beat" has a classic New Orleans sound called the "Big Four." There is the underlying feeling of an accent on beat four, every two measures: 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4. You can hear that in Poinciana, when he hits the low tom on beat four in every other bar. He's basically playing a New Orleans street beat, and playing the part of a bass drummer in a marching band with his left hand, while also playing offbeats on the bell of his cymbal with his right hand.

A couple of other things about Vernel — He could play super quiet and intense, although I did play with him and Clifford Jordan once where it was a bit louder. I felt like I could always play with no amp, or minimal amp with Vernel.

Even though he played quiet — he used earplugs. At least during the period of time when I played with him . . . during the '80s.

 
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#19
John Goldsby said:
I don't know that I ever talked to Vernel about the "Poinciana" beat — which I would just call the "Poinciana beat." What I can say about his drumming is that he grew up in New Orleans, and then moved to Chicago. The "Poinciana beat" has a classic New Orleans sound called the "Big Four." There is the underlying feeling of an accent on beat four, every two measures: 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4. You can hear that in Poinciana, when he hits the low tom on beat four in every other bar. He's basically playing a New Orleans street beat, and playing the part of a bass drummer in a marching band with his left hand, while also playing offbeats on the bell of his cymbal with his right hand.

A couple of other things about Vernel — He could play super quiet and intense, although I did play with him and Clifford Jordan once where it was a bit louder. I felt like I could always play with no amp, or minimal amp with Vernel.

Even though he played quiet — he used earplugs. At least during the period of time when I played with him . . . during the '80s.
Click to expand...
4 is the new 1!
I can remember hearing the drum intro for the first time(s!) and being totally flummoxed by that Big Four on Beat Four! (..and the offbeats on the HighHat!)
I was so much younger then, I'm older than that now.
Thanks for your expertise and TIME!
 
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#20
Wow, talk about a tough crowd - just Ben would scare most people to death with that attentive scowl over his cigarette!

These three guys could swing harder at mezzo-piano than all of Stan Kenton's and Buddy Rich's bands at quadruple-fortississimo together.
 

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