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Double Bass Favorite bassist

#41
Originally posted by peteroberts
I don't like players like LeFaro and Eddie Gomez. I think their tone is too 'stringy' and they're trying to do too much on the instrument. It's an upright bass for crying out loud!!!
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Thats "LaFaro".
You have a right to your own opinion but...what the hell???...and 'stringy' is that slab slang for something????? After all it is a string bass.
 
#43
I'm surprized no one has mentioned him yet, but Dave Holland is way up there on my list of all time favorite bass players. And his writing is as inspired as his playing too - can't think of too many bassists you can say that about.
How about a slight spin on this thread: great bassists who are also great composers. I'd put Dave Holland, Charlie Haden, and Charles Mingus on my list. Anyone else?
 
#45
hey dont flame me just 'cause I misspelled his name!! I really don't like upright players like that - they just play too many notes. I like someone more like Ron Carter or Rufus Reid where sound and tone are more important. Complacent retardation??!!? I think not. Why would you basically call me an idiot when all I did was express my opinion; is it because it is not the same as yours??
 
#46
OK...my turn....I enjoy two DB players mostly. Ray Brown and Rufus Reid. Ray is the man. His mastery of thr fingerboard is something I wish I had half of and I find Rufus Reids use of harmonics in walking lines pretty cool stuff. Now I know hes not the only DB player to do that but.... If any of you have seen the Bass Day 97 video featuring Rufus Reid and Michael Moore you see where I`m comming from. Both of them hurt my feelings...lol




If the world didn`t suck we would all fall off;)
 
#47
Originally posted by peteroberts
hey dont flame me just 'cause I misspelled his name!! I really don't like upright players like that - they just play too many notes. Why . . . . all I did was express my opinion; is it because it is not the same as yours??
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Mr. Pete -- Nope. You're getting flamed because your opinion seems to overlook developments in jazz since Jimmy Blanton moved the bass out of TubaTown in 1939. How about Ray Brown & Oscar Pettiford -- aren't they "real" enough for you, even though they hit fifty years ago?

In my opinion, Scott LaFaro's importance to jazz approaches (if not quite equals) that of Parker, Davis and Coletrane because he dramatically changed the way people play his instrument, and he substantially changed the way that other instrumentalists approach the music. And all that happened forty years ago.

I haven't seen folks around here dissing Ron Carter or Rufus Reed. But before you cite them, inform your opinion by checking out what Rufus has to say about LaFaro.
 
#50
So there has been no talk of the current younger guys. You gotta check out Larry Grenadier, Matt Penman, and Ben Street. All different players that have amazing time and are always musical. It's cool to be into the older guys and definately a must but you must also check out the younger guys. Imaging if you were living in the time of Scott LaFarro but weren't checking him out because you're so into Ray Brown. I think you know what I mean.

C. Landry
 
#51
My all-time favorite upright player is probably Dave Holland. What an awesome combination of tone, technique, note choice, and feel. Lately, I've been listening to bootleg recordings of Holland playing live with Miles Davis' band in 1969. That band was scary, even with Chick Corea playing a Wurlitzer electric piano! I also like Holland's recent recordings with his own group.

Others: Ron Carter, Buster Williams, Cecil McBee, MINGUS, Paul Chambers, Gary Peacock (even the early recordings with Albert Ayler!), Jay Anderson, Christian McBride (my favorite of the relative newcomers), Charlie Haden, Richard Davis

Is anybody aware of my former teacher, Lyn Christie, in the NYC area? He had a unique approach that I always enjoyed.

Re non-jazz players: I've heard Viktor Krauss play several times with Lyle Lovett's band. To me, he sounds like Dave Holland translated into a country/bluegrass/Western swing context.

I will not mention my absolute favorite bassist, Steve Swallow, who might be looked upon as something of a traitor over here. However, he is the only electric bass player about whom my friend (drummer) Adam Nussbaum has anything good to say.
 
#52
Originally posted by RHFusillo
My all-time favorite upright player is probably Dave Holland.


I will not mention my absolute favorite bassist, Steve Swallow
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??????

I got to know Steve in the 60's, when he played the real bass. Very nice 4/4 sense, which he somehow was able to carry over to toybass, in contrast to the vast majority of players.
I also was friendly with bassist Buell Neidlinger, who played in Houston for a while. I never could figure out why, but he and Swallow shared a mutual dislike that was surprisingly intense.

I've sent you Lyn's e-mail address.
 
#53
Originally posted by RHFusillo
However, he is the only electric bass player about whom my friend (drummer) Adam Nussbaum has anything good to say.
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I have had similar things from other Jazz musicians, who mention Steve Swallow to me as an electric bassist who plays Jazz - but I really hate his tone and can't get past this! Probably is more my loss than anything....
 
#54
I also was friendly with bassist Buell Neidlinger, who played in Houston for a while. I never could figure out why, but he and Swallow shared a mutual dislike that was surprisingly intense.
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Hmm... both Connecticut natives. Maybe there was some shared, unpleasant history between the two. I did not know that Neidlinger spent time in Houston.

By the way, Don, I notice that you studied with Michael Moore. Great player. Another former teacher of mine, guitarist Linc Chamberland used rave about him.
 
#56
Have any of you done much listening to Don Thompson? As I write this, i'm listening to his solo on 'My One and Only Love'...nothing short of beautiful. Somebody mentioned Larry Grenadier. I'm curious to hear other opinions, because i still haven't decided how I feel about his playing. It seems the more I hear, the more I like, but I haven't quite got his approach yet. For those who haven't heard him, check out any of the 'Art of the Trio' albums by Brad Mehldau. No particular favourite...they're all wicked.

That being said, nobody does it quite as good as Gary Peacock.

CB
 
#57
I think I checked out Don on a Lenny Breau Album (Lenny being a Maine nattive). Don was cool on the album. Had a poor sound but I think it was because it was live and they might have miked his amp instead of his bass....As for Larry Grenadier he is the man. Art of the Trio vol 3 Songs is the best album. His playing and lock up in general with the trio is amazing. Funny that you should mention Gary Peacock because he is Larry's Favorite bassist. Everybody should check out Larry especially live in any situation.

C. Landry
Larry Enthusiast
 
#58
I'm not sure if this channel airs very south of the border, but Bravo! just had a 1 hour special on the Brad Mehldau Trio, taken from the 2000 Montreal Jazz Festival, where Larry played some excellent solos. For the most part, they were much more melodic than I normally hear. Excellent rhythm playing across the trio. Worth checking out if you hear of it.

For some superior Gary Peacock, check out Oracle with Ralph Towner.

CB
 
#59
...and as far as Don Thompson goes...I've got the Breau album you're talking about and you're right--bad bass sound. Have you checked out Lenny Breau's 'Live at Bourbon Steet'? It's a double album with Dave Young. Mainly standards, mainly Lenny, but inredible just the same. The DT album I was referring to earlier is 'A Beautiful Friendship'. It's also got Dave Holland on it.

CB
 
#60
I wouldn´t choose among so many great American
bassists, i´ve heard incredible things of Cecil McBee, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Mingus,
Dave Holland...

I´ll prefer to remember the "French connection".
Guys, listen to François Rabbath and Renaud Garcia-Fons !
Anyone knows the first albums of Henry Texier, back in the 70's ?
And you have some great albums of l´Orchestre de contrebasses.


As for classical, we have one bassist who play at the same level as the great violinists, Swedish
Hakan Ehren, who recorded the Tubin concerto.
Chi-chi Nwanoku is also a fantastic player.
As for Gary Karr, I´m not fascinated by his recordings, except one tune here and there, or the public performance of Lalo Schifrin, which is very impressive. Anyway he´s probably the most important bassist of 20th century and we´re all grateful to him.

I don´t like Jeff Bradetich and I´m not on the same line with Joel Quarrington, even if he´s very interesting and make beautiful things.
I don´t like the interpretation of Bach by Edgar Meyer but I´m really extremely fascinated with his sound and the new pespectives he opens to the bass players. But as for interpretation, I prefer him
in his other recordings, whch are all fabulous.

;)
 

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