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Double Bass Favorite bassist

#84
This thread's been around for awhile, so it gives me a chance to rethink the original question on a regular basis. When I do, I always seem to think of one name each time; John Clayton. He just does a lot of things really well, with great taste and time, all over the fingerboard. I don't know if that makes him my favorite, but he's way up there.
 
#85
As a kid who first got into bass on the BG side of things I was really into Jack Bruce, but when I heard Ron Carter, man, that sound just grabbed me and I knew that someday I would play DB, which now I do. I'm only sorry that I didn't start sooner, but that's OK cause it was worth the wait. Mingus, Chambers, Stanley, Christian McBride, and Isreal Crosby also are among my fav's.
 
#88
Originally posted by Dave Irwin
That's the big three for me. As much for their compositions as for their playing.
Don't know what to say about Meyer other than he makes me want to practice arco even though I find it very difficult.
Dave
Click to expand...
Edgar is it, man! Mingus and Jaco are jamming upstairs now. Mingus is rumored to have once killed a man with his bass. Jaco was an electric player but he knew the upright and made his electric sound much like one. Very "woody".

As you may know, Edgar Meyer was a child prodigy virtuoso orchestral bassist before he conquered all of the other fields that he has entered. He would probably acknowledge the other two as major influences on his own style. I have met him and personally know Cornelia Heard, his wife. Edgar is one cool, wise musician. His performances are nuts, though!

Wait till Edgar's son George finishes growing up. He's eleven or twelve now. He may be king of the world someday (as a musician).
 
#89
I didn't see his name anywhere, but I have to mention him........ Ralphe Armstrong.

His playing on Earl Klugh's (sp?) trio vol 1 disc is simply awesome (even if his tone is a bit thin). That disc alone should give anyone a ton of ideas about how to improve using the melody...... and I don't think his arco is too shaby either.

I used to know (can you "used to know" someone?) Earl's old bassist, Ken Lugar, and he says Earl just has a way of bringing that out in his bassists.
 
#94
Well first and foremost, I can't consider myself even attempting to write one of these unless it starts with Mingus. He's the reason I started to really take jazz seriously when I was a youngblood. Definitely a big Dave Holland fan. It was Jack Bruce that got me in to bass. But this is an upright forum, although he did play upright with the early groups. I think Holland and Mingus are fantastic composers as well as beautiful players. Each beautiful in a different way. Mr PC is a big influence. Someone mentioned Jimmy Garrison on A Love Supreme? Yeah he's the man huh? The first thing that got me hip to him was Coltrane's Ballads album. Eddie Kahn! Although I've only heard him on a few Dolphy albums. Whoever plays cello on Dolphy's 'Outward Bound' also whoever plays cello on 'The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus'. Wilbur Ware. The only place I've heard him is on 'Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane'
Haven't found the time to delve into the 'new school' just yet. As far as jazz goes I find myself limited to the past masters.
 

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