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Double Bass In praise of George Mraz

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Marcus Johnson

Nov 28, 2001
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#1
The jazz arco thread got me thinking about George Mraz. Like him? I sure do. What's not to like! Flawless intonation, great melodic concept, maybe the best arco in jazz.

Many of you have probably visited www.georgemraz.com... it's worth checking out. There are some nice vidclips there, and the "photo gallery" section features a nice audio sample of George bowing "The Peacocks". George is another one of those guys that makes me want to get back to Spiros, too. :rolleyes: But that's a tale for another thread.

What the hell; I feel like paying homage to people while they're still alive.

PS... yeah, I know there's another thread from a few months ago.... I don't care, he deserves two threads! :D
 
#2
Mr. Mraz is usually in a category of bassist that I "admire" more than like. Nothing to pick at. I think of him being very comited to a guitarlike sound and style and it enables him to play really technically in a way that I can't even think about, but it's not the tone that moves me normally. But, yes, he's great, no doubt and it's clearly what's he and everyone who hires him is going for.

So, why do I bother pooping on your Christmas Mraz love post? Because, my friend, I had my iPod on shuffle the other day and came to a version of "Yesterdays" that I really liked, the first chorus was some really tasty bass and clearly Stan Getz on tenor and I said "I need to transcribe that, who is it?"....George Mraz, with Kenny Barron and Victor Lewis. Not what I normally think of his tone sounding like. Which makes me sorry I categorized him.

I should listen to more of his stuff (after I've finished transcribing that song or maybe album) and see. I know that he has legions of followers. I clearly don't have a full picture of what he's about.
 
#3
Poop away, my dear boy. I'm not always crazy about his tone either. It works better in some contexts than in others, to my ear. The John Abercrombie stuff is a good example.

I did notice that his tone on the vidclips was more palatable to me than some other things I've heard.
 
#4
I've had the good fortune to study with him for a 2 week master class. He was a really inspiring teacher, and I can say I was suprised at the tone he had acoustic. It was beautiful and loud, not at all what I expected based on the recordings I had. I think there is a lot of opinion on his tone which is more a reflection on the sound of the eighties, during which he cut a lot of good records. Marc Johnson has some terrible sounding stuff in that era, as does Eddie Gomez, but these guys have beautiful tone on more modern recordings (and they played wonderfully back then).

One of his best solos in my opinion is on the tune called Elm, by Ritchie Beirach, on the album by Dave Liebman called Quest. A wonderful melodic solo, crafted perfectly - really worth checking out.
 
#5
I've also always admired more than loved Mraz's playing, but yesterday I was listenbing to Norma Winstone's 'Well Kept Secret' and was blown away by George Mraz's playing. He is heavily featured on the record, Jimmy Rowles and Joe LaBarbera make up the rest of the band (and stacey rowles on a couple of tracks) and Mraz is the most featured soloist, beautifully recorded and great playing.
 
#6
ninnlangel said:
I've had the good fortune to study with him for a 2 week master class. He was a really inspiring teacher, and I can say I was suprised at the tone he had acoustic. It was beautiful and loud, not at all what I expected based on the recordings I had. I think there is a lot of opinion on his tone which is more a reflection on the sound of the eighties, during which he cut a lot of good records. Marc Johnson has some terrible sounding stuff in that era, as does Eddie Gomez, but these guys have beautiful tone on more modern recordings (and they played wonderfully back then).

One of his best solos in my opinion is on the tune called Elm, by Ritchie Beirach, on the album by Dave Liebman called Quest. A wonderful melodic solo, crafted perfectly - really worth checking out.
Click to expand...

In the eighties digital recording was first being introduced and engineers were often getting a cold, clinical sound in the studio. This almost killed Jazz altogether. Many of them that first got to use digital equipment were probably primarily Rock engineers w/o much experience recording DB. They seemed to favor recording the bass direct into the board from the pick up as as if it were a BG.
This made for easier isolation, but thankfully now it's more universally realized that this produces that quacky, electricy sound for DB. Also back then DB pick ups weren't as good.
Unfortunately many great bassists had their studio sound butchered in this way. This was often NOT a reflection of their true sound live. Thankfully nowadays engineers have learned the value of a warmer, more acoustic sound. Using high quality mics on DB in addition to or instead of a direct signal from the pick up.

I heard George Mraz live several times during that era and his tone and playing was beautiful. Not at all that twangy piezo sound that you often hear on recordings from the 80's and early 90's. He is a giant.

BG
 
#7
Digital has also improved and (good) engineers have learned how to use it. The last few records I was on were all straight to protools but using an analog board and vintage mics. Mics only on the bass. They sound great IMHO.

The bigger issue was the near infinite number of tracks that engineers had at their disposal. In a article I read it talked about how musicians, in particularly acoustic music, started to revolt because they had spent a lifetime getting the THEIR acoustic sound only to have a 25 y.o. engineers come along and mess it up.
 
#9
I have been enjoying the Oscar Peterson Trio disc "Walking the Line" featuring George and Ray Price on drums. Certainly not one of Oscar's best known trio lineups but IMHO a great disc. George gets a pretty good studio tone on this one, recorded around '70 or '71.
 
#10
wendell said:
I have been enjoying the Oscar Peterson Trio disc "Walking the Line" featuring George and Ray Price on drums. Certainly not one of Oscar's best known trio lineups but IMHO a great disc. George gets a pretty good studio tone on this one, recorded around '70 or '71.
Click to expand...

Also check out the other studio recording by this same trio "Another Day" recorded in 72-73. I recently stole Oscar's arrangement of "Greensleeves" for the Holidays. A killer arrangement of "I'm old Fashioned" also...I believe these two are on CD now.
 
#11
I had the pleasure of doing a tour in japan in 2006 and we played before Mraz Quintet each night, so i got to hear and watch each night. He used a Full Circle PU on a very old beautiful bass and though it did sometimes have that tone I personally hate, his playing was so good every night it kind of didn't matter. Arco was awesome, so in tune and beautifully phrased. He saw that I had some Golden Spirals on and remarked -"Oh I used to LOVE those strings!" I never got around to asking him more about that, but he did talk a lot about learning classical bass as teenager from very demanding professor in his old country. He is very entertaining and loves a drink......
 
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#13
Yes, I know that this thread has been dormant for awhile, but I am with Marcus; this guy is so good I want to bring him up again. :)

What I have always admired about George Mraz remains true; his humility, his workmanlike manner, his vocal-based playing, his versatility, and his relentless self-improvement. He is no "one trick pony;" the man can play any kind of music on the bass, arco or pizz, really beautifully, with real technical freedom.

I recently bought a few of his newer discs. He just keeps getting better and better...
 
#15
Geez, Eric, you are Johnny-on-the-Spot. What shows up today on EMusic? How about one of the all-time legendary Michael Brecker side-sessions, with George Mraz himself on double-bass (and Al Foster at the kit).

Scope Mike Nock's In Out and Around. Check out that 1978 double-bass "sound" -- and check out Mr. Brecker beginning to point toward a sea-change in his music.
 

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