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Double Bass Gary Peacock on Trio 64

Mike Arnopol

Mike Arnopol

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Commercial User
Jan 4, 2005
3,423
2,813
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Chicago
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Owner of MAS Soundworks
#1
I have to be honest. Gary Peacock's playing since he's been with Keith annoys me to no end. Bad sound , mushy time feel, bad intonation, marginal solos. And personally he's entering the category of number 2 weenie in jazz. (behind Keith---check out the threads about him with Elvis Costello)
OK, I've said it. I'm expecting death threats any day soon.
Now--- check him out on Bill Evan's Trio 64. Michael Moore turned me on to this side 30 years ago. It's his favorite Bill side. I thought he was kidding---I though for sure that a Scotty side would be his favorite. I had kindof dismissed that side and never listened to it. I really dug a lot of Gary's 60's avant garde stuff. I thought that he REALLY understood conception and space in that style. As far as TRio 64 Michael said that he's never heard before or since someone who could play that open in essentially the standard jazz context. As opposed to another notable later bassist of Bill's, Gary manage to open things up and never be assertive as to get in Bill's way. I heard later that Bill was a bit scared and freaked out playing with Gary because he wasn't sure how to play in that context. Actually it was a lot more modern than the Vanguard sessions. But Bill was such a master that putting him in a context that challenged his comfort zone was exactly what he needed.
 
#3
I thought the early Keith trio stuff was refreshing, plus I was a teenager so those were some pivotal recordings exposing me to jazz playing; I really dig Standards 2, tribute, and Still Live, and a few others. But at a certain point, I think the stuff became really stale when every record became a rehash of the same old tunes and those guys just started walking, albeit without a deep pocket...as for the bass chair, I mean time feel and groove? Sound and intonation? Believe me, Jack holds that stuff together, I have absolutely no qualms with Jack, he makes the best of the situation and continues to play his ass off in many other contexts with impeccable time.
But don't get me wrong, death threaters, there are plenty of Keith and Peacock albums I love!
The Keith quartet stuff with Dewey really does it for me a lot more these days. And I've always been a big Charlie fan.
But man, I love Gary's open playing: have a nice record, December Poems, I believe it's called. And I like his stuff with Paul Bley, and a great record with John Surman, Paul Bley, and Tony Oxley.
Trio 64 is certainly a nice band vibe for mid 60's Evans and i like the balance of the rhythm section and the openness under Evans. I always wondered why that trio didnt last. I also may be a rarebird that loves the Town Hall concert with Chuck Israels, my favorite playing of his. Not a record that redefines music by any stretch of the imagination, but just a nice album.
Incidentally, I heard a rare bootleg on the radio once, a live recording Evans did in the UK with Tony Oxley on drums, I think from mid to late 60's. The cut I heard was Nardis and Oxley definitely took Evans out of his element...never found a copy since, and would love revisit it for curiosity's sake if anyone knows where to find a copy. I think it had Gomez on bass.
 
#7
Trio 64 is great! shame it's quite short. He's in a league with Vitous at this time. Scottie was gone 3 years then (June 61, I think) and the world was looking at Chuck Israels and Peackock to step up to the plate. Peacock really is on form here but I think you are too hard on the Jarrett trio stuff. There are some nice solos and great drive there too.
 
#9
Trio 64 is a fantastic album! Gary rules!
I also love his playing on Paul Bley album, I guess is called just Paule Bley with Gary Peacock, or introducing Gary peacock.. don't remember exactly, have to look it up.
They also did an album much later, I believe in the late 90's.
I also love his work with Bill Frisell, with Ralph Towner.
Well, I absolutely love all of his work with Keith as well. Maybe that's my guilty pleasure! :-)
 
#11
Mark Carlsen said:
If you guys dig Peacock on Trio 64 you should check out " The Remarkable Carmell Jones featuring Harold Land " on World Pacific reissued on Affinity. I believe this is from around 1960-61.
Click to expand...

This was recorded when Gary was in L.A. studying with Red Mitchell. (when Scott and Charley Haden were doing the same...AND Albert Stinson). This was the period (round about) when Scott and Charlie were room mates.
It was the fore-runner of The Red Mitchell/Harold Land Quintet. Album title: "Hear Ye, Hear Ye".
Muscle-city in the section for Gary.
OT. About this time, Red was instrumental in getting Ornette signed with Atlantic Records. There's a pic of Red and Ornette sitting in the CEO's office signing up, in an old Downbeat Magazine.
 
#12
Paul Warburton said:
This was recorded when Gary was in L.A. studying with Red Mitchell. (when Scott and Charley Haden were doing the same...AND Albert Stinson).
Click to expand...

Shows how much I know...I didn't even know any of those guys studied with Red. interesting

For anyone interested in "the complete" Stinson...I just ordered a few new things I came across...Larry Coryell 1969 (which I couldnt find) has two cuts with Stinson, you can also find the "Jam with Albert" on "the Essential Larry Coryell." Kind of a drag to buy a whole album for one track but...
Also just ordered Chico Hamilton's "The Dealer" and "Transfusion", both with Stinson...but what I want to really get my hands on is that Budimir album
 
#13
Yeah, Charlie talked about that time a bit at the masterclass I did with him in 84. He said all Scotty did was practice and do push ups in the kitchen.

Red gave Charlie his first gig in LA, subbing for him (long term, he got a film recording date) with Hampton Hawes on a Central Avenue gig.
 
#14
Ed Fuqua said:
Yeah, Charlie talked about that time a bit at the masterclass I did with him in 84. He said all Scotty did was practice and do push ups in the kitchen.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the OJ.
Again, Red was Scott's mentor. Scott got his two finger pizz technique from Red.
I have a list of famous "Red's kid's" around here, somewhere. You'd be surprised. How they got Scott's Pressy, how Red delivered it to Kolstein's after the crash.

The night Albert sat in with Bill and Joe, we talked alot about Red. So did Bill.....he was a fan too.
 
#15
I remember a bass player friend showing me a video of Gary playing w. Shorty Rogers that was from 1962. I called him up to find out more info....
It was from a series called "Jazz Scene USA " that was produced by Steve Allen and this show also had Shelly Manne's group.... Gary had the two finger right hand technique alla Red/Scotty/Etc. He also is playing guts and it's pretty cool to see... It is not up on YouTube at this time. They play " Greensleeves" and 3 other originals.
 
#16
Gary sounds amazing on Trio 64.. same on Spiritual Unity. I've heard some of the early 60s straightahead stuff he's on and he sounds awesome. A friend of mine recently turned me on to Paul Bley's album "Annette", w/ Gary and Franz Koglman on trumpet. IMHO Gary's sound is a little fuller on it compared to the stuff w/ Keith Jarret.
 
#19
when i asked gary about "trio 64" he chuckled & said little lulu
& santa claus caught him by surprise...he played them from memory & ear. you sort of hear him feeling his way during these solos, tho his ear training & ability to hear harmony & where it's going rank with the best.

on some of his other solos, if you listen close, you'll hear gary quietly singing along. trio 64 is the only disc i've heard gary doing this.
 
#20
Mark Carlsen said:
If you guys dig Peacock on Trio 64 you should check out " The Remarkable Carmell Jones featuring Harold Land " on World Pacific reissued on Affinity. I believe this is from around 1960-61.
Click to expand...

Just got the complete Land sessions, 2 discs worth...real nice stuff on Gary's part! nice to hear him swinging and with an interesting freer take melodically and occasional doublestops. And some nice doubling of a pretty tough melody on one track... Thanks for the tip, Mark!
 

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