Double Bass Famous Jazz Bassists and their instruments

[jazzizded]

Is anyone aware of a database or website of famous jazz bassists, what instrument they play/played and who owns them currently?

I recently saw a thread on talkbass about one of minguses basses and wondered if anyone is keeping track of all the other basses played by our idols.

thanks,
eric

Interested in, but not limited to (if anyone has info):

Name: Make/Model: Current owner:
Wilbur Ware
Jimmy Garrison
Paul Chambers
Sam Jones
Doug Watkins
Ray Brown
Bob Cranshaw
Richard Davis
Gene Taylor
Charlie Haden
Percy Heath
Red Mitchell
Oscar Pettiford
Jymie Merritt
Leroy Vinegar

(add more, dont' hate me for forgetting your favorite)

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Which ones? A few of those folks only played a couple of instruments during their careers but some of those played a BUNCH of different basses.

And ultimately, it doesn't really matter. They could sound like themselves on pretty much ANY bass.

 

[jazzizded]

Which ones? A few of those folks only played a couple of instruments during their careers but some of those played a BUNCH of different basses.

And ultimately, it doesn't really matter. They could sound like themselves on pretty much ANY bass.

Yeah, i expected this kind of response from folks.."they could swing playing a tin can".. You're right it doesn't matter, but it's still interesting to me from a historical purpose, so if you have nothing to contribute but negativity, then keep it to yourself... thanks.

 

[bassmanbrent]

Here's the bass that Charlie Haden played for a huge chunk of his career.

Robertson Violins - Bass Inventory

I may have remembered this wrong, but I thought someone told me once that Rufus Reid owns Sam Jones' former bass.

And doesn't John Clayton have Ray Brown's bass that he played in his later career?

And, Ray's old bass that was photographed for his book (the instrument with the skeleton key tuners that Ella Fitzgerald bought for him when they were married) is in Toronto and is played by a member of the TSO. Sorry, I forgot the player's name.

 

[Jmilitsc]

Pretty sure Christian McBride also owns one of Ray’s basses - there was an interview linked somewhere on TB that I recall seeing him talk about that extensively.

 

[GretschWretch]

These responses suggest to me that there is no convenient online list such as OP seeks; he is going to have to do his own legwork. Player biographies can offer information on the basses they used; but as to where those basses are now, in most cases that has never been documented.

 

[Sam Sherry]

You're right it doesn't matter, but it's still interesting to me from a historical purpose, so if you have nothing to contribute but negativity, then keep it to yourself... thanks.

I will testify that Mr. Fuqua has contributed more than negativity to TB/DB.
Conversely, you signed up with the handle of JazzIzDead and have posted twelve times in ten years.

But hey, you've put up a fair question, not that you need me to tell you so.

These responses suggest to me that there is no convenient online list such as OP seeks . . . as to where those basses are now, in most cases that has never been documented.

Yes.

I think that this question falters to the extent that for lots of players instruments come and go. Obviously, if somebody owns the former instrument of a living player than the player decided to part with it.

Ultimately it comes down to that particular instrument. Would it be cool to have the Pollmann that Dave Holland used in Miles' Lost Quintet? I dunno, I've played a few Pollmans and most of them did not speak to me. Would it be cool to have Dave Holland's touring CzechEase? Not for me! But if you dug one of those instruments, the connection to Dave Holland would probably be coll as all get-out.

A couple of years ago I got to play briefly on a DB which had been owned by Stanley Clarke. You bet it was cool. You bet I played "Spain." You bet that would make a difference to this Fan Of Stan.

 

[Jeremy Darrow]

Chris' interview, he talks about the bass in the written transcript.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[damonsmith]

I think it is a great project. I think Ed's words of wisdom should also be heeded. Getting a bass like theirs will not make you into them.
I am playing the Koussevitzky/Karr bass in my avatar. It was incredible, and it was easy to see where both of them got that tone. It was pure singing projection without a lot of resonance. It was a great experience.

 

[GretschWretch]

I think it is a great project. I think Ed's words of wisdom should also be heeded. Getting a bass like theirs will not make you into them.
I am playing the Koussevitzky/Karr bass in my avatar. It was incredible, and it was easy to see where both of them got that tone. It was pure singing projection without a lot of resonance. It was a great experience.

I confess I am having a hard time getting my head around all three of these musical qualities. "Projection" is fairly easy: the bass pushes out a lot of sound. "Singing" I think most of us would get as well. But how can you have "singing projection" AND "without a lot of resonance"? To me that suggests a vocalist singing from the throat rather than the diaphragm.

 

[shwashwa]

Pretty sure Leroy vinegar's bass right now is at the David Gage shop. Dave Holland owns it. At least that's what I was told back in January when I was there and got to play it.

 

[jazzizded]

absolutely right. i apologize Mr. Fuqua, i was just trying to shift the focus. i couldn't agree more that getting one of these basses isn't going to make you sound like the masters, just that these guys (sometimes) chose these basses for a reason, and i find it both personally and historically fascinating. I appreciate everyone who contributed a lead or a story, that's more what i was looking for As some have mentioned there's something about playing (even for a few minutes) a bass that has such deep roots. great points sam and thanks for posting.

I will testify that Mr. Fuqua has contributed more than negativity to TB/DB.
Conversely, you signed up with the handle of JazzIzDead and have posted twelve times in ten years.

But hey, you've put up a fair question, not that you need me to tell you so.


Yes.

I think that this question falters to the extent that for lots of players instruments come and go. Obviously, if somebody owns the former instrument of a living player than the player decided to part with it.

Ultimately it comes down to that particular instrument. Would it be cool to have the Pollmann that Dave Holland used in Miles' Lost Quintet? I dunno, I've played a few Pollmans and most of them did not speak to me. Would it be cool to have Dave Holland's touring CzechEase? Not for me! But if you dug one of those instruments, the connection to Dave Holland would probably be coll as all get-out.

A couple of years ago I got to play briefly on a DB which had been owned by Stanley Clarke. You bet it was cool. You bet I played "Spain." You bet that would make a difference to this Fan Of Stan.

a

 

[GretschWretch]

From searching the print advertisements, one would be amazed at the number of "big name" players from the forties through the sixties who were at least photographed with Kays. Instead of the swing and post-swing era players, I want to know more about the first-generation jazzers. What did Pops Foster, Wellman Braud, Slow Drag Pavageau, and Montudie Garland use?

 

[damonsmith]

I confess I am having a hard time getting my head around all three of these musical qualities. "Projection" is fairly easy: the bass pushes out a lot of sound. "Singing" I think most of us would get as well. But how can you have "singing projection" AND "without a lot of resonance"? To me that suggests a vocalist singing from the throat rather than the diaphragm.

Yeah, it is hard to understand! It is easy to get big loud notes out of it, but a plucked note wouldn't go on forever. It had a lot of string tension. Some of it was set up, it had solo tuning. The projection as singing I am describing is arco, also.

 

[GretschWretch]

Yeah, it is hard to understand! It is easy to get big loud notes out of it, but a plucked note wouldn't go on forever. It had a lot of string tension. Some of it was set up, it had solo tuning. The projection as singing I am describing is arco, also.

Ah! All makes sense now. Thank you!

 

[eh_train]

I find this thread moderately interesting, in that it'd be nice to know where some of these instruments are now. A great bass once owned by a great player would be worth keeping track of.

About a dozen years ago there was an Ebay auction for one of Leroy Vinegar's basses, with the statement that the proceeds would be used to set up a jazz education fund of some sort. To be honest, I don't recall if the bass was anything special. It could have been the one bass that he kept in the basement and rarely played!

And I have to agree with Ed's comment about the sound residing largely with the player. I read somewhere (very possibly on TB) about bassists from the Chicago Symphony sitting in the front row to see how Slam Stewart got his sound. With a run of the mill Kay bass and bow....

 

[damonsmith]

I think many jazz bassists' sound has to do with the bass, Charlie Haden sounded best on that French bass. I sound best on my bass. For pizz playing once we pluck the note the bass does more of the rest.
I think people like Slam and Israel Crosby both sound like they are playing ply basses and they still sound great.

 

[bassmanbrent]

I really like the idea of a database (databass!) like this. To me there's something very deeply satisfying about knowing where an instrument has been and who has owned it. I'm sure that there are Strad and Amati instruments whose entire ownership history is traceable back to when they were brand new some 300 or 400 years ago. That, to me, is really amazing - even if we're not talking about a bass.

And yeah, Ray Brown could probably make a broomstick strung with baling wire sound great. That is not the point here, to me.

 

[Mrlen613]

The bass chooses the bassist, Mr. Potter...

 

[Phil Rowan]

I remember back when I was studying with Dennis Irwin, and in one lesson he used this old beat up cutaway plywood bass that had been sitting in my school’s bass room.. He made that thing sing, both arco and pizz, and his voice came through loud and clear (and the bass had steel or some such strings, not gut). Yes, he had his main axes, but make no mistake that it was/is largely in the player’s hands.