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Bassist as a band leader

rdmjazz

rdmjazz

Aug 29, 2000
474
26
Tampa Bay, Florida
#1
So I emailed a new jazz club opening in my area and sent them a myspace link to one of the bands I play with and my own myspace page, to try and get some gigs.

The entertainment director emailed back that he had checked out the links and he loved my bass playing. He said to contact him when I was doing something with "my name" on it and had audio and photo promo materials.

How many of you out there are fronting your own project as a a bassist? What kind of stuff are you doing? I'm not sure if I'm ready to tackle coming out of the sideman shadows. :hmm:
 
#2
rdmjazz said:
So I emailed a new jazz club opening in my area and sent them a myspace link to one of the bands I play with and my own myspace page, to try and get some gigs.

The entertainment director emailed back that he had checked out the links and he loved my bass playing. He said to contact him when I was doing something with "my name" on it and had audio and photo promo materials.

How many of you out there are fronting your own project as a a bassist? What kind of stuff are you doing? I'm not sure if I'm ready to tackle coming out of the sideman shadows. :hmm:
Click to expand...

Hey Rob I just hit the MySpace page and that is some tasty playing on All Blues. Nice stuff!
 
#3
Hey - why not a bassist as a band leader? I think it makes a lot of sense. The bassist has the entire band in mind, all the elements of music at his fingertips, and many a cool way of showing people how to groove/what to play.

It should happen way more often than it does.

I'm a college teacher (not of music, music is an avocation) so I see many youngsters trying to start/manage bands (L.A. area). Thing is, you simply can't practice without a bass player (you can practice without a drummer if necessary). But if only the guitar players show up - that ain't practice.

Bass keeps it together. And doesn't usually fight tooth and nail for copious amount of solo time/special attention.

Right?
 
#4
I don't think I want to try and do a solo bass kind of thing. I don't think my soloing chops are anywhere near there yet. I'm finally starting to get where I can get what's in my head down to my fingers, now I just need better stuff in my head!:)

I think something like the Ray Brown Trio would be cool. It wasn't really Ray doing solo bass stuff all the time, but more of him as a band leader doing arranging along with some bass features while still letting the other bands members do there thing. I could do some vocal stuff as well I guess.:hmm:
 
#6
rdmjazz said:
I don't think I want to try and do a solo bass kind of thing. I don't think my soloing chops are anywhere near there yet. I'm finally starting to get where I can get what's in my head down to my fingers, now I just need better stuff in my head!:)

I think something like the Ray Brown Trio would be cool. It wasn't really Ray doing solo bass stuff all the time, but more of him as a band leader doing aranging along with some bass features while still letting the other bands members do there thing. I could do some vocal stuff as well I guess.:hmm:
Click to expand...

You don't have to be flashing solos all the time to be the band leader. Or maybe a better term would be "musical director". If your knowledge and personality are suitable for leading the group, you really don't EVER have to play solos if you don't feel like it. You're laying down that bottom. Believe me, the guitarists and keyboardists won't mind. It's more for them. But you'll have to be the one to point out problem areas and make most of the suggestions. No reason why you (or other bassists) can't do that.
 
#9
rdmjazz said:
So I emailed a new jazz club opening in my area and sent them a myspace link to one of the bands I play with and my own myspace page, to try and get some gigs.

The entertainment director emailed back that he had checked out the links and he loved my bass playing. He said to contact him when I was doing something with "my name" on it and had audio and photo promo materials.

How many of you out there are fronting your own project as a a bassist? What kind of stuff are you doing? I'm not sure if I'm ready to tackle coming out of the sideman shadows. :hmm:
Click to expand...
So you book the gigs? That makes you the bandleader right there. Just take a picture of yourself looking all soulful with your bass, get a few 8x10's made, and send the same music to the guy. And tell the band if they don't like it, they can hit the bricks!

But seriously, booking the gig does make you the leader already. So why not take it to the next level and see where it takes you?
 
#11
No big deal. When we got together, the guys basically left everything to me (and I do most of the vox,) so I ended up as 'bandleader' by default.

But:
We're a trio, and fairly good buddies who are all on (pretty much) the same wavelength as far as what we want to do with the band. So, while I go ahead and buy gear, book gigs, manage the website, doodle the art, engineer the recordings, etc., etc., we're all in constant contact and I've got a pretty good idea of what I can get away with.
 
#12
I'm still an amateur by all means but out of the 3 bands I've been in I find myself being the frontman (in 2 out of 3)mainly because the lack of quality singers out there. It also seems that I do most of the writing. I'm not sure why this is but what's wrong with that? Who says the bassist can't be the baddest mofo in a band? I play bass because it's the best instrument :P

It's my thought that if you can't pick out every note of a bassline in a song there's not enough bass :P
 
#13
JimmyM said:
So you book the gigs? That makes you the bandleader right there. Just take a picture of yourself looking all soulful with your bass, get a few 8x10's made, and send the same music to the guy. And tell the band if they don't like it, they can hit the bricks!

But seriously, booking the gig does make you the leader already. So why not take it to the next level and see where it takes you?
Click to expand...

This was the first time I've tried booking gigs, I've always dreaded having to deal with club owners but I just can't wait around for other people to fill my calendar anymore.

I was going to work up an acoustic guitard single to try and get more work. :eek:
 
#14
First....echo. Rob, awesome music on your myspace page! Smokin' cats and absolutely terrific bass playing...big kudos. Nothing like 'All Blues' in four, and you are just flat layin' it down with the drummer!

Second...every time I think I want to be the leader I gain more respect for the good ones who can pull it off with sanity intact and a modicum of profit. I'd much rather be the sideman who occasionally lands a few bookings. Definitely a personality thing, and if you're up for the challenge it can certainly be done.
 
#15
VroomVroom said:
First....echo. Rob, awesome music on your myspace page! Smokin' cats and absolutely terrific bass playing...big kudos. Nothing like 'All Blues' in four, and you are just flat layin' it down with the drummer!
.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the Kudos!:)

I am lucky as you can get, getting to play with those guys. Thats the infamous Reinhardt Brothers, Ron(keys)& Dave(drums). They used to be Jeff Berlin's guys for a while back in the "pump it" days and play with lots of the smooth jazz guys like Richard Elliot and Rick Braun and such.

One day I'll post a clip of Ron doing some Jaco stuff on keyboards, you'd swear it was a real bass player, I hate him sometimes!!:smug:
 
#16
I'd kill to be the leader at times. Because I have a lot of ideas and a bit of a power freak at times. But it is very hard to find:

A. People who appreciate how difficult/important bass is so that they understand how different the instruments are.

B. People with the same musical tastes in *narrow-minded* Singapore.

C. Myself good enough to even lead a band. >_<

Hahahaz. Anyway the more important thing that I posted on this thread is that I'm really digging your tracks, rdmjazz!

Wish I could play like that and that there was so much chemistry in playing together. Your band's absolutely killer.
 
#17
E2daGGurl said:
Hey - why not a bassist as a band leader? I think it makes a lot of sense. The bassist has the entire band in mind, all the elements of music at his fingertips, and many a cool way of showing people how to groove/what to play.

It should happen way more often than it does.

I'm a college teacher (not of music, music is an avocation) so I see many youngsters trying to start/manage bands (L.A. area). Thing is, you simply can't practice without a bass player (you can practice without a drummer if necessary). But if only the guitar players show up - that ain't practice.

Bass keeps it together. And doesn't usually fight tooth and nail for copious amount of solo time/special attention.

Right?
Click to expand...

Yes.
 
#18
I managed to jump into it, too.

I was subbing in with a group & at the end of the night-the guy who runs the event asked me if I'd put together a trio and be his new house band. So-we play 2-3 standards a night and then the rest of it is free/improvised behind the poets. The event is a Poetry Slam.

I decide on the tunes, how we're going to do them, and the feels. I make arrangements, I schedule rehearsals, etc. Booking gigs is an odd one for me. I put this group together solely to play as the house band for this poetry slam-so we'll play together until the gig ends. If my other 2 guys need to sub out/leave the group, I just bring in other people.

I'm also taking a more 'upfront' role music wise-I'm taking longer solos than I think I ever have and I'm dictating where the tunes go more than ever. It's been a great experience thus far.
 
#19
Sure, why not man! Look at Jack Bruce. He was the heart and soul of Cream. Bassist, singer, composer, organist, cellist, etc. etc. Im so tired of the notion that bass players are the less important, unforgetable, non-existant being that hides of in the shadows on the side of the stage. Step up and show 'em how its done! :bassist:
 
#20
I am working on putting together a band for the holidays. I have a friend who works for an event organizer company that is looking for trios to quintets for various events. I am putting together a set list and very light rehearsal schedule right now. I have scheduled a photo shoot for the 2nd rehearsal and will record our session. I will burn a few CD's, print a few glossys and put together a paragraph or two about the musicians and the wide range of music we cover (from background, to spotlight, to dance - sorry no C&W or surf).
 

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