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Double Bass Eddie Gomez with Bill Evans

DownLow

DownLow

Nov 30, 2007
67
2
#1
I'm currently reading the Bill Evan's biography: How My Heart Sings.

It's an excellent book and has inspired me to seek out more of Bill Evan's work with Eddie Gomez.

What are some of your favorite albums and why?

Disclaimer: I know there are already some Eddie Gomez threads going. I wanted to avoid all the "amp tone vs natural tone" bickering. I personally don't mind Eddie's 1970's amp tone. If tone is a key reason for your reccomendation, that's fine, but let's avoid all the negative back and forth associated with it.

Thanks!
 
#2
"You Must Believe In Spring" Eddie plays one of the most lyrical solos on the title song that I have ever heard, period.

"The Bill Evans Album" All Bill Evan's compositions.

"A Simple Matter of Conviction"

When you get right down to it, I really like all of them.
 
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#4
Montreux II - One of the best albums CTI ever put out.

Tokyo Concert - Another great live date.

California Here I Come - Bill and Eddie meet Philly Joe. Quite naturally, a very different feeling group from the trio with Marty Morrell or Eliott Zigmund.

As an aside, I saw Bill in Boston in '76 (or '77) with Philly Joe Jones on drums and Rufus Reid on bass. Philly Joe was definitely not happening that night and Rufus was looking very uptight. Anyway, I was sitting with a crowd of Berklee reprobates, right down front. During the first break, Rufus left his book of charts on the music stand. The pianist and I noticed that we could swivel the music stand around and see the book. We immediately, and as inconspicuously as possible, grabbed a handful of napkins and started copying the charts. We had about five completed when I became aware of someone over my left shoulder. Suddenly, here's Bill Evans reaching over, snapping the book shut and very deliberately turning the stand around. He didn't say a word, but his "evil-eye" stare certainly put us youngsters in our place. Still have those napkins.
 
#6
Eric Swanson said:
A great album overall. Yes, that solo is unforgettable. I can hear it in my head now.
Click to expand...

Gotta agree. "You Must Believe in Spring" is one of my favorite Bill Evans albums, along with "Everybody Digs Bill Evans" and "The Town Hall concert"...but Gomez's solos on YMBIS is some of the most lyrical playing I've heard of Eddie's.

If anyone's interested, I have transcriptions of 2 of Eddie's solos from that album up on my website...thomsonkneeland.com and then go to the "educational" link. bunch of PDF's up there from Albert Stinson to Eddie to Grenadier, with more to come.

When I was about 18 or so and had played upright for about a year, I managed to get an afternoon with Eddie at his hotel room when he was in Boston for a gig. I've heard stories to the contrary, but he was very cordial, very helpful, and we played duets for about two hours. It was definitely an inspiring experience for me.

And incidentally, one of the perks of living in NYC is so many the great musicians that have been part of the history...since moving here, I've had the good fortune to play with drummer Eliot Zigmund on a regular basis. I am always amazed every time when I look and over and realize that I am playing with someone I've listened to for years on one of my favorite albums. All my love and respect to Eliot for being such a great guy and musician!
 
#7
Eliot's got some pretty funny takes on that band.
I haven't checked, but for a different take on Eddie's playing see if there's any youtube around on the Benny Wallace trio - Bennie, Eddie and Danny Richmond.
 
#8
I love the two duo albums with Eddie. Great arco solo on "Elsa".Eddie reigns it in more in the duo context. I also like the later Warner Bros. stuff like YMBIS. I actually like "The Bill Evans Album" too. Montreaux II is good, too. I think Eddie sounds great on the Chick and Steps Ahead stuff.
 
#9
+1 for You Must Believe in Spring and California, Here I Come. Both stellar albums; one from the beginning of Eddie's tenure with Bill and one from the end. The Complete Bill Evans on Verve set which is still available second hand has almost a full additional disk of material from the gig that produced California, Here I Come.

Another good one is Jazzhouse; which was a live set from 1969 or 70. And a third is You're Gonna Hear From Me; also a live set from around the same time. Both feature stellar Eddie playing.

On the whole, I actually prefer the earlier stuff with Gomez (1966-1969 or 70) to the seventies bands. I actually think Evans played better then. Gomez also played gut strings in those days and he had unique take on how to get around on them. He went steel string and amplified around 1970. Given that, You Must Believe In Spring is a truly amazing album and it was the last album that Eddie made with Bill before leaving the band in 1977 or 78.

mark
 
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#10
Yeah! If you are really looking for great Eddie look no further than Chick Corea's Three Quartets and Friends albums. Amazing playing from all involved. Three Quartets featured Chick, Michael Brecker, Steve Gadd and Eddie. Friends had the amazing Joe Farrell in for Brecker. The Steps albums that Eddie was on are great as well particularly the ones originally released in Japan.

mark
 
#12
McCoy Tyner's "Supertrios" with Eddie Gomez as bassist in one of the trios with Jack DeJohnette on traps, and Ron Carter as bassist in the other trio with Tony Williams on traps is one of my favorite jazz albums.
 
#14
nice Eric!

I must admit to being a Eddie basher (only metaphorically), in the past, but having taken a closer listen, and to some different periods of his playing, I'm beginning to appreciate him a lot more.

That clip is great. Still not my favourite style all round, but that doesn't make him any less brilliant. I repent.

Hard to transcribe though! :help:
 
#17
More like this:


Mostly free baggish, open form swing stuff.

I heard them at some recital room at Harvard, Eddie had missed his shuttle flight so they started with some bassist from the music program there and Dannie Richmond just ATE HIM ALIVE.
 
#18
This tune, "It has happened to me"? Ha.

Not to sound all snarky and old.......OK, I ain't snarky, but I find it strange that as good as Charnett sounds in this clip, that he has to have his eyes glued to a chart of standard chord changes in the original key of Bb, four on the floor, of "It could happen to you" for the entire performance. How has he avoided not learning the tune at some point? And, Ed, don't tell me that he prolly ain't never played with a singer.

Sorry for the O.T., i'll go take my nap now.
 
#19
Ed Fuqua said:
More like this:


Mostly free baggish, open form swing stuff.

I hear them at some recital room at Harvard, Eddie has missed his shuttle flight so they started with some bassist from the music program there and Dannie Richmond just ATE HIM ALIVE.
Click to expand...


Ed,
Wow.Yes.
I have some vinyl with BW Trio with Eddie Gomez and Eddie Moore, and a quartet side with Tommy Flanagan(!), as well as a quartet with Chick Corea.
BW sure didn't/doesn't sound like Michael Brecker - who at the time, was influencing so many players, and listeners, (myself included).
Thanks for the link.
 
#20
Paul Warburton said:
This tune, "It has happened to me"? Ha.

Not to sound all snarky and old.......OK, I ain't snarky, but I find it strange that as good as Charnett sounds in this clip, that he has to have his eyes glued to a chart of standard chord changes in the original key of Bb, four on the floor, of "It could happen to you" for the entire performance. How has he avoided not learning the tune at some point? And, Ed, don't tell me that he prolly ain't never played with a singer.

Sorry for the O.T., i'll go take my nap now.
Click to expand...

Mr. Warburton,
Eb, isn't it? (who's snarky now!).
Yes, it's odd that he's looking at the chart, throughout.
Maybe it's because he HAS worked with "singers". PTSD?
Thanks.
 

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