I just picked this up the other day after hearing several cuts on the radio. I like most of it. What do you guys and gals think? 
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Bromberg's "Wood II"
- Thread starter fcleff
- Start date
I've come to love this album. The first listen I had I didn't really enjoy it, but over time it's gotten way better for me. The playing is amazing, though Bromberg can get a little notey sometimes.
I'm still digesting a lot of it. The tunes that really floor me are "I'll Remember April" and "Caravan"
His playing really is amazing but does get on the 'busy side' sometimes. One thing that really makes this album work for me is the drumming by Vinnie Colaiuta. I saw him years ago with Allan Holdsworth and was just floored. He's been a favorite of mine ever since. I also really like Bromberg's walking lines (more so than his solo's, I think).
His playing really is amazing but does get on the 'busy side' sometimes. One thing that really makes this album work for me is the drumming by Vinnie Colaiuta. I saw him years ago with Allan Holdsworth and was just floored. He's been a favorite of mine ever since. I also really like Bromberg's walking lines (more so than his solo's, I think).
- Jan 25, 2006
- 1,292
- 6
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist; Arnold Schnitzer/ Wil DeSola New Standard RN DB
fcleff said:I just picked this up the other day after hearing several cuts on the radio. I like most of it. What do you guys and gals think?
So far i've only heard the cut "Butterfly". It's pretty damn impressive! You can't argue w/ his robust sound and rythm section playing as well as his killer bass solo. Some might say that Brian's set up may be very low to achieve his pyrotechniques, but i think that his recorded sound here proves that it's not too low to sacrifice killer tone. And he does seem to be playing reasonably hard w/o his set up bottoming out. He just has great chops and a great bass. It's recorded very well. I love the down low, aggressive playing w/ the rythm section, but then again I'm a "Spiros on a dark sounding bass" kinda guy as well, so I may be biased.
BG
Yeah, the recording quality is fantastic. I really, really like Bromberg's tone, too. I realize that these are two things that keep me listening. The overall sound is just very pleasing.
The quality of this recording amazes me. I feel like I'm sitting two feet in front of Brian's bass as he's playing.
+1 on the sound, really great, and I was just listening on the crappy Borders headphones.
I got a kick out of what he did with "Shining Star". He really copped the vocal phrasing nicely... it doesn't come off like "jazz guy plays Earth, Wind, and Fire".
Nice CD.
I got a kick out of what he did with "Shining Star". He really copped the vocal phrasing nicely... it doesn't come off like "jazz guy plays Earth, Wind, and Fire".
Nice CD.
Can anyone explain the appeal of two handed tapping on a double bass to me? I'm not knocking Bromberg as a bassist; he obvioulsy has the skills to have a high level career in the "real world" of bass playing, including top level sessions, jazz gigs, movie soundtracks, as well as a solo career. I just don't understand the tapping......imo, it's completely tasteless. I mean, I dig chops guys like Gomez, NHOP, Patitucci, etc. and I like slapping by Milt, etc...but the tapping...
I really like Wood, but have some reservations about it. His bass sounds awesome. His chops are amazing. At times though, he seemed to overplay at the expense of that beautiful tone.
Can anyone compare Wood to Wood II?
RD
Can anyone compare Wood to Wood II?
RD
Well, you could ask Brian himself, since he checks in here fairly often. But my guess is that the tapping, and all the other things that he does, are simply a means to get the music in his head out into the ether. Just like any of us.musicman5string said:
I spent some time listening to "Wood II" on Rhapsody this weekend (ah, Rhapsody--thank you for dispensing with all of my free time) after hearing "Butterfly" on the radio (local community radio, I mean). His solo on that cut kicks some serious butt, and I was relieved to learn that it was Bromberg and not some new unknown (to me) player coming out of the woodwork to scare the heck out of all of us.
I try to appreciate players based on how well they realize their potential--as in, is so-and-so managing to express himself fully and get the sound "in his head out into the ether" as Marcus so aptly put it? Brian Bromberg's definitely doing this. And, although "busy" is kind of an understatement as a descriptor of some of those monster solos, I think he's just engaging in the same kind of solo virtuoso fireworks that many of us laud non-bassists for (like Jon Faddis and Arturo Sandoval, or pretty much any "classical" concertizing artist). It's his album, after all; he's not a sideman here. And judging by his walking on something like "Four Brothers," he's a welcome sideman in any straight-ahead jazz setting.
Regarding the tone: does anyone else think there's a really nice compressor somewhere in there? Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, and every recording is compressed; but I would like to know if that is an ingredient in his recorded tone. On the other hand, I've been playing some high-quality basses recently and I've come to learn that they all sound kind of "compressed"--at least, in the sense that all of the notes on a truly great bass will be equally full and perfect.
I try to appreciate players based on how well they realize their potential--as in, is so-and-so managing to express himself fully and get the sound "in his head out into the ether" as Marcus so aptly put it? Brian Bromberg's definitely doing this. And, although "busy" is kind of an understatement as a descriptor of some of those monster solos, I think he's just engaging in the same kind of solo virtuoso fireworks that many of us laud non-bassists for (like Jon Faddis and Arturo Sandoval, or pretty much any "classical" concertizing artist). It's his album, after all; he's not a sideman here. And judging by his walking on something like "Four Brothers," he's a welcome sideman in any straight-ahead jazz setting.
Regarding the tone: does anyone else think there's a really nice compressor somewhere in there? Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, and every recording is compressed; but I would like to know if that is an ingredient in his recorded tone. On the other hand, I've been playing some high-quality basses recently and I've come to learn that they all sound kind of "compressed"--at least, in the sense that all of the notes on a truly great bass will be equally full and perfect.
Johono5 said:
With those big budget Artistry Music studio recordings, who knows?
Still, spirocores sustain for days if you let them vibrate. To me, he's instead expressing stellar left-hand orchestral technique in keeping the string stopped until he goes after the next note.
Pretty good record, but I think April was a little dragging....
I've really been digging It's About Time...highly recommended if you like the Wood records. Lots of burning stuff with the great Ernie Watts.
I've really been digging It's About Time...highly recommended if you like the Wood records. Lots of burning stuff with the great Ernie Watts.
Hi, it's always nice to drop in every once in awhile and see what's going on in the real world. Again thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to talk about my CD's. To address a couple of things: First I actually hate playing with compression because it effects the feel of how I pluck the strings. I don't want anything to get in between my fingers and the note that comes out. With that said, a compressor can be invaluable in helping uneven instruments become more even and a little smoother. The key is to use it if needed but and set it so you can't hear it doing it's thing.
When you master a recording, the whole stereo mix is compressed quite a bit to add volume, punch, and impact. The most important thing is balance. You don't want a wimpy sounding CD, and you also don't want your CD sounding like it is being broadcast over the radio either.
To address what was said in here about me playing to busy. It's funny but there are many times when I totally agree. The hard part for me is that I play the way I play, and sometimes it just comes out in certain ways. Again it is all about balance. I play live and completely improvise. If I hear a phrase or something that bothers me I have a choice to either fix it and redo it, or leave it alone because that is what I played live and that's it.
If I truly play something that sucks or is way out of tune, I will fix it because on a CD it lasts forever and I don't want to hear myself playing badly over and over again. But if I play a passage that makes musical sense, is relatively in tune, and I define all of the chord changes, I'll leave it alone even if I say to my self that I'm playing to many notes or etc..etc. If I have to go re-do something the challenge becomes to make it fit with what I was playing when it was being created. If I have to think to much about re-doing a phrase then to me it loses some of the quality's of what spontaneous improvisation is all about. There is a real art to punching in on a solo and making the notes all fit together, but being a true jazz player, my goal is to play as one continuous musical statement.
One more thing, someone was questioning why I tap on the upright? Why does Stanley Jordan tap his guitar? Because that's how we play. I don't think about it, I just do it, always have. I've been tapping on my upright since I started playing bass in my teens. I started as a drummer and was always used to hitting and tapping (so to speak) with alternating left and right hand movements from playing drums. It naturally evolved into my upright bass playing. When I improvise a solo I don't think "OK, I'm going to tap now" I just play and don't think about it. Whatever comes out, comes out.
Because of my drumming background, I naturally gravitate to playing two handed grooves on the bass, it's just part of my DNA. If that doesn't make sense to you that's cool. If you don't like it, that's also cool. Remember we play for ourselves first. There are many amazing bass players to listen too out there if you don't like my approach, plus I love the challenge to play four note voicing's on the upright and trying to make them in tune, sustain, and be musical at the same time. Bottom's up.............................
When you master a recording, the whole stereo mix is compressed quite a bit to add volume, punch, and impact. The most important thing is balance. You don't want a wimpy sounding CD, and you also don't want your CD sounding like it is being broadcast over the radio either.
To address what was said in here about me playing to busy. It's funny but there are many times when I totally agree. The hard part for me is that I play the way I play, and sometimes it just comes out in certain ways. Again it is all about balance. I play live and completely improvise. If I hear a phrase or something that bothers me I have a choice to either fix it and redo it, or leave it alone because that is what I played live and that's it.
If I truly play something that sucks or is way out of tune, I will fix it because on a CD it lasts forever and I don't want to hear myself playing badly over and over again. But if I play a passage that makes musical sense, is relatively in tune, and I define all of the chord changes, I'll leave it alone even if I say to my self that I'm playing to many notes or etc..etc. If I have to go re-do something the challenge becomes to make it fit with what I was playing when it was being created. If I have to think to much about re-doing a phrase then to me it loses some of the quality's of what spontaneous improvisation is all about. There is a real art to punching in on a solo and making the notes all fit together, but being a true jazz player, my goal is to play as one continuous musical statement.
One more thing, someone was questioning why I tap on the upright? Why does Stanley Jordan tap his guitar? Because that's how we play. I don't think about it, I just do it, always have. I've been tapping on my upright since I started playing bass in my teens. I started as a drummer and was always used to hitting and tapping (so to speak) with alternating left and right hand movements from playing drums. It naturally evolved into my upright bass playing. When I improvise a solo I don't think "OK, I'm going to tap now" I just play and don't think about it. Whatever comes out, comes out.
Because of my drumming background, I naturally gravitate to playing two handed grooves on the bass, it's just part of my DNA. If that doesn't make sense to you that's cool. If you don't like it, that's also cool. Remember we play for ourselves first. There are many amazing bass players to listen too out there if you don't like my approach, plus I love the challenge to play four note voicing's on the upright and trying to make them in tune, sustain, and be musical at the same time. Bottom's up.............................
Brian Bromberg said:
I always assumed it was intended to make me personally look bad. It certainly succeeds at that!
Thanks for these insights, Mr. Bromberg. I've enjoyed your albums, as well as your playing at the Lionel Hampton Festival back in 1993 or so. That was an eye-opener, for sure.
Brian Bromberg said:
That's cool Brian; as said in my post, I wouldn't ever question your abilities as a bassist...you are certainly an established and well respected figure in the music industry and that cannot be disputed. Personally I think your time and basslines are mint.
Hey, not everyone can dig everything, as they say....surely there are things from well known artists you don't dig either; and that's the way it has to be. I don't dig the tapping, on acoustic OR electric, but that's just me and it don't matter in the grand scheme of things. However I think it's healthy when I'm on an internet forum dedicated to bass playing to offer a different view than 99% of what I'm reading on a particular subject if I do in fact feel that way. Pretty sure that's why we're all here.
Best of luck in all you do and congradulations on your success.
