Double Bass Cameron Brown

[Mike Crumpton]

I popped into the Vynil Exchange - a local second hand shop and found current release 'Celebration' Sheila Jordon and Cameron Brown recorded live at the Triad NYC in 2004 on the occassion of Sheila Jordon's 78th birthday.

The line up is Sheila and Cameron dueting for the whole cd (apart from a brief guest spot by fellow vocalist Jay Clayton.

Cameron's playing is a joy and the sound of his double bass is some of the best recorded bass sound I've heard. The cd is a model of swing and Cameron's keeping of the momentum is a model. In fact, Sheila's singing is great too.

There is nothing remotely avant guard about it all, but neither is it cheesy. If you want a lesson in playing with singers or comping with bass alone this is it - except that few of us are likely to play with talents equal to Sheila Jordon.

The cd is on HighNote - anyone else hear it?

 

[olivier]

Yes indeed. I've Grown Accustomed to the Bass is another great live recording from the Sheilan Jordan and Cameron Brown duet. (Motor City rules ! )

 

[Mike Crumpton]

Thanks Olivier - I'll try and get that one - and check my spelling!

 

[appler]

I really love that album. I've had the great pleasure and luck of having lessons with Cameron Brown a couple times over the past two years and he's just awesome. His sound, feel, and style are so smooth and his playing just draws you in. I really dig the interplay between the two on that record... his playing fits perfectly into that context.

 

[appler]

I just wanted to add a bit more to this thread. I had a few more lessons with Mr. Brown that were very helpful and enjoyable. He has a nice exercise that goes through all the major and minor scales and arpeggios without stopping, worked out by himself and, if I remember correctly, Dave Holland. This is probably much more well-known than I am aware of, but it was the first time I'd seen it and a cool scale/arpeggio routine nonetheless. As an aside, I believe Cameron Brown was Dave Holland's first student. He also studied with Ron Carter.

Cameron's bass sounds incredible. It's a couple hundred years old with a very "complex" and musical sound, if that makes sense. He's excellent with the bow, as well. He mentioned that lately, he only practices arco. I also got to try his Walter Woods amp which was fantastic, to say the least. I'm just a student... I spent much less than the cost of a Woods amp on my bass and bow.

Regarding the dates with Sheila Jordan, Cameron said that he put in a lot of work getting his playing in tune for those recordings. He said something along the lines of, "Man, you think you can play in tune until you play a duet with a vocalist." I've never played a gig with just a singer before, but it sounds really challenging.

Peace.

 

[Sam Sherry]

Mr. Brown is a true gentleman, and his bass is a Thing of Beauty.

Playing duos with a vocalist is hard, hard work. If Mr. Brown thinks it's tough with her then just imagine what it's like to work with Josephine Blow whose pitch is, ah, "less consistent" than Ms. Jordan's.

(I often work with Cadence recording artist Chris Humphrey, who is a wonderful, creative singer. Please don't mis-interpret this post as an implied comment on Chris.)

 

[philly]

I saw Cameron Brown and Sheila Jordan live at the cornelia st cafe in New York during the transit strike. A revelation in many ways. Mr. Brown, as has been said, sounded great. Big, fat, solid, lyrical, never flashy- Just a great player.

Sheila Jordan couldn't be more authentic and warm. The two really have a great connection although they appear to be of very different personalites, Jordan the extrovert, Brown a little more shy and retiring. During the break Sheila made it a point to not just greet, but warmly hug almost everyone in the audience.
Not to sound too treacly but truly a special person.
And you could tell from his expression onstage that Cameron Brown thinks so too.

 

[wallydoesbass]

Cameron Brown and Sheila Jordan are appearing this Saturday in Toronto - [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] - see you there.

 

[wallydoesbass]

I saw Sheila Jordan/Cameron Brown yesterday and they essentially played the entire "Live at the Triad" set. Cameron's tone and musicianship were stunning. I haven't listened to Cameron's recordings since his Archie Shepp days, but I intend to correct that error.

 

[oliebrice]

anyone know Cameron Brown's album on Omnitone? I was looking at it in a shop yesterday, looks interesting. It has Sheila Jordan, Dewy Redman, Dave Ballou and Leon Parker on it.