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Double Bass Any Bassist from Any Era for Ten Minutes... (DB forum thread)

#23
My answer's a bit like Sam's -- I've already had something like that experience. Five or six years ago I went to a master class conducted by John Clayton. The venue was an old, old theater used as a performance space by the UofM's music school. I was sitting in the front row. During the course of the session, John wanted to demo some classical chops. He brought his bass down to the stage apron and parked about 4 feet directly in front of me. With that beautiful smile and relaxed posture and magnificent attitude, he proceeded to play me some Beethoven. Let's just say I'll never forget it.

I know it doesn't really answer your question, Jason. If I had to choose in advance, I wouldn't have chosen John and I wouldn't have chosen Beethoven. But, damn, now that it's happened I would never take it back.

Had a somewhat similar opportunity to hear Edgar up close (not *that* close, though) and, though it was astonishing and wonderful, it didn't move me the way John's performance did...
 
#24
TroyK said:
Dick Smothers!
Click to expand...

Ha! He started up in Aspen where I lived for a bit.
I'm old enough to have listened to most of the double bass players mentioned in the thread, up close and personal and have even shared the stage with some of them. I was most aghast musically, sitting about a foot away from my mentor, Red Mitchell, many times but would've loved to be sitting up front at the Vanguard listening to Scott LaFaro play with Bill and Paul. I did hear Scott twice in person, once with Kenton, then later with Chet Baker, Phil Urso, Bobby Timmons and Larance Marable, but to have listened to and watched him on that Sunday afternoon with Bill would be my ten minutes of musical wish.
This guy's my next choice......Invalid Link Removed
 
#27
As much as I dig the Jazz guys, if I could go to any era I'd really like to hear Dragonetti play some Beethoven or Bottesini play one of his concertos on basses from that time period. It just amazes me to think of what people put up with back then in terms of instrument set up and to hear the sounds they could make regardless of all that.
 
#30
Paul Warburton said:
I'm old enough to have listened to most of the double bass players mentioned in the thread, up close and personal and have even shared the stage with some of them. I was most aghast musically, sitting about a foot away from my mentor, Red Mitchell, many times but would've loved to be sitting up front at the Vanguard listening to Scott LaFaro play with Bill and Paul. I did hear Scott twice in person, once with Kenton, then later with Chet Baker, Phil Urso, Bobby Timmons and Larance Marable, but to have listened to and watched him on that Sunday afternoon with Bill would be my ten minutes of musical wish.
This guy's my next choice......Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

You heard what? Who? :crying:

I agree that 10 minutes at the Vanguard on that Sunday would be my wish. It wouldn't even have to be a solo show, as the OP states. The rest of the world would just melt away.
 
#34
I've seen many current monster jazz guys up close including Ray Brown, so maybe Walter Page, Jimmy Blanton or Slam Stewart in Jazz.
I would love to see a true Viennese master back in the day though. I've not even scratched the surface of this unique period in double bass history but it speaks to me.
-Jeff
 

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