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If this isn't beauty, I don't know what it is...

Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

TalkBass' resident Bongo + cowbell player
Nov 10, 2000
6,935
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Bucaramanga, Colombia, South A
...aside from a bass solo, of course. One of my students, who is about to perform his diploma concert, told me last week: "I'm going to play this tune. It has a terrific bass solo which I've transcribed and I want you to tell me if it's OK". I gave it a listening and ended transcribing it by myself. This is argentinean bassist-multi instrumentalist Pedro Aznar's version of "How Insensitive", and I think you'll agree with me that this solo is pure beauty:

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I put it in my learning list. It's a shame that Mr. Aznar is barely mentioned at TB (aside from being the guy who played with Pat Metheny years ago), since he's one hell of a bassist and an outstanding overall musician. :cool:
 
BrandonBass said:
can it be done a 4string?

Sure. In fact, as far as I know (and maybe I'm wrong - paging Papersen), Pedro Aznar plays 4-string basses exclusively. BTW, he has a very strong influence from Jaco and he's been known mostly for his work with fretless. I'm not an expert on him and that's why I say that this is the first time I hear him playing a solo on a fretted bass.
 
Alvaro Martín Gómez A. said:
Sure. In fact, as far as I know (and maybe I'm wrong - paging Papersen), Pedro Aznar plays 4-string basses exclusively. BTW, he has a very strong influence from Jaco and he's been known mostly for his work with fretless. I'm not an expert on him and that's why I say that this is the first time I hear him playing a solo on a fretted bass.

He always played 4 string basses. However, IIRC I´ve seen him playing a 5 string Modulus, I´m not completely sure.
He´s fretless phrasing is just amazing and his Jaco influence is definitely there.

The guy can proficiently play over 20 instruments (bass, guitar, piano, drums, flute, bandoneon, harp, etc, etc.) and has evolved from bassist to musician to producer (like Marcus Miller). He´s probably one of the most complete musicians I´ve seen in my life.

Thanks for sharing that tune Alvaro.
 
Well, I had not known about this thread before so I started another a few minutes ago, but until I heard Seru Giran (Aznar´s former band) I had never imagined a fretless bass could be used in a rock band, I didn´t know it sounded so cool when playing rock.
 
Pedro Aznar is one of my favorite bassists and musicians. As it's been said already, his fretless phrasing is truly beautiful as well as his original compositions and interpretations.
Check out the fretless solo in "Como la cigarra" (in the album Parte de Volar). I can't get the same feeling with my fretless even though I play the same notes.

As for the 5 string, I'm pretty sure it's a Tobias. Here's a pic (by the way he's playing with a screwdriver, for the song Muñequitos de Papel).

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Just found Pedro through a movie. I was watching the movie El Clan last night, and I kind of freaked out my wife by stopping the movie and re-listening to a song (that was part of the background/soundtrack). The song was Encuentro con el Diablo by Seru Giran - the bassist is Pedro. How have I been capable of playing bass so long, but yet remaining ignorant of such great musicians like Pedro and Seru Giran? On the other hand, how great it is to finally find them. Needless to say, I've spent the morning finding the song, the band and the bassist. The movie is good too.
 
It´s nice to discover "new" old musicians/bassists.

One of my fav tunes is the following.
He composed it years ago: great singing, arranging and playing (beautiful solo).

Check it out: