I just returned from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Lots of great music, but the absolute treasure was Wayne Shorter's Quartet, featuring Danilo Perez on piano, John Patitucci on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. Shorter is now eighty, but is at the height of his musical powers. John was fantastic. His tone, intonation, phrasing and creativity were amazing. He was playing his Pollmann, and it sounded significantly better than any other bass at the festival. Brian Blade is a monster! John and Brian had a level of communication that made a musical something that was much greater than the sum of their individual parts. In case you can't tell, I was blown away by this ensemble, and I have heard many great groups over the past fifty-five years(I'm now seventy).
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Double Bass John Patitucci
- Thread starter 61pollmann
- Start date
I caught John with Chick Corea years ago. He is the epitomy of a master bassist.
Incredible sound,tone ,feel, chops on both DB & electric.
Thanks for posting, I gotta get some new Shorta CD's.
Incredible sound,tone ,feel, chops on both DB & electric.
Thanks for posting, I gotta get some new Shorta CD's.
I heard the quartet play at the concert hall where I work (Helsinki Music Center) in November last year. I also had the chance to listen to their sound check. Mr. Patitucci was playing, and I was like, "wow, such a huge sound! I wonder what amplification he uses!" And THEN he turned the amp on. It's something to aspire to...
Here's a shot of John at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. I got a chance to exchange a few words after the concert. I commented on the fact that he was playing his Pollmann, and he said "Old Faithful". My Pollmann is a few years older than his, but were both made by Gunther. His is a phenomenal bass.
Attachments
I believe John was using Helicore Hybrids for the A-D-G. I think the E was a Spirocore. It had a red winding on the ball end. The red winding covered more of the string than the green/gold of the others. Is that normal for Spirocores? Haven't had them on a bass for almost twenty years. I was an early adopter of them in the mid-sixties. You had to call a guy named Keene, and he shipped them to you C.O.D..
Jake deVilliers
Commercial User
- May 24, 2006
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The A, D, and G look kinda like Evahs to my eye. Plus I now he dropped his D'Addario endorsement and started working with Pirastro around 2006 or '07.
Here's John Patituccis answer to a student's question about strings:
______________
I spoke with David Gage today to ask about the string height that i use in my setups that he always does.
He said that it runs around:
E string- 9 millimeters
A string- 8.5 millimeters
D string- 7.5 millimeters
G string- 6 millimeters
These measurements are the top end, i never go higher than those. I may, at some times in the year ( Summer in particular, when the strings go higher on their own) lower the bridge adjusters one turn or so, but the measurements you have now are very accurate. Thankfully , David keeps track of these things.
I have been using the Evah Pirazzi strings on my basses. I use the Orchestral gauge on the Geiger bass that i play on all the lessons in the curriculum, the Pollmann i have had forever and use on the road and the Vuillaume as well. Sometimes i have used a Thomastik low E string on the Pollmann because it has gotten a lot darker in tone over the years. I also use the 'Weich" ( lighter tension) version of the Evah's on my Martin Bass because i use it when i play in a chamber ensemble i play in where i use solo tunig sometimes. Actually , i helped them design the lighter guage version for those times when i have to bow a piece in solo tuning , but also play some pizzicato Jazz solos in normal tuning on the same concert. this is a way better sound than solo strings tunes to regular pitch.
I tend to change the strings once or twice a year, depending on how much i am playing a particular Bass. Twice a year is the max though. I don't like to change them too often and the Evah's sound nice and warm right when you put them on, so you don't have to wait for them to break in. I used to use a mixed set of the Pirastro Oliv strings on the D and G
with E and A either Obligatos or Evah Pirazzi's. That also sounded really nice. The only down side was that since the Oliv's had a gut core , they tended to go out of tune more easily, but i did love the tone!!!!!!
______________
I spoke with David Gage today to ask about the string height that i use in my setups that he always does.
He said that it runs around:
E string- 9 millimeters
A string- 8.5 millimeters
D string- 7.5 millimeters
G string- 6 millimeters
These measurements are the top end, i never go higher than those. I may, at some times in the year ( Summer in particular, when the strings go higher on their own) lower the bridge adjusters one turn or so, but the measurements you have now are very accurate. Thankfully , David keeps track of these things.
I have been using the Evah Pirazzi strings on my basses. I use the Orchestral gauge on the Geiger bass that i play on all the lessons in the curriculum, the Pollmann i have had forever and use on the road and the Vuillaume as well. Sometimes i have used a Thomastik low E string on the Pollmann because it has gotten a lot darker in tone over the years. I also use the 'Weich" ( lighter tension) version of the Evah's on my Martin Bass because i use it when i play in a chamber ensemble i play in where i use solo tunig sometimes. Actually , i helped them design the lighter guage version for those times when i have to bow a piece in solo tuning , but also play some pizzicato Jazz solos in normal tuning on the same concert. this is a way better sound than solo strings tunes to regular pitch.
I tend to change the strings once or twice a year, depending on how much i am playing a particular Bass. Twice a year is the max though. I don't like to change them too often and the Evah's sound nice and warm right when you put them on, so you don't have to wait for them to break in. I used to use a mixed set of the Pirastro Oliv strings on the D and G
with E and A either Obligatos or Evah Pirazzi's. That also sounded really nice. The only down side was that since the Oliv's had a gut core , they tended to go out of tune more easily, but i did love the tone!!!!!!
I study with him online and his "May Video Greeting" was awesome.
He talked about music as Earth, Wind ,Rain and Fire.
And gave an example of each.
Earth was what we usually do as bassists but he did some cool water and windy fills and fiery solos.
Even if you don't send in videos or do the lessons, just watching him play makes it worth every cent.
He talked about music as Earth, Wind ,Rain and Fire.
And gave an example of each.
Earth was what we usually do as bassists but he did some cool water and windy fills and fiery solos.
Even if you don't send in videos or do the lessons, just watching him play makes it worth every cent.
I have seen that quartet, too. It is one of the great bands of our time. Maybe the best jazz band playing now...
Not my "cup of tea"
I love to hear John swing like he did with Chick.
If anybody has some swinging links , I'd appreciate it.
Great music isn't meant to be anyone's cup of tea. It is about pushing sound forward. John swings great, but that is music of another era. The Shorter quartet is music he is helping to invent.
He is a great player and always plays well, but this is by far the most important music he has been involved in, and his contribution is crucial.
He is a great player and always plays well, but this is by far the most important music he has been involved in, and his contribution is crucial.
- Dec 13, 1999
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Watched the link to the Wayne Shorter quartet. I have caught them twice now. I was at the most recent N.O. Jazz fest performance and also there Jazz Fest show from 2004 or 5. It was a beautiful experience both times. As I watched the video here, I noticed a comment and from his avatar picture he looked to be in his early teens.
Here it is: "what a journey it would be! to dedicate a life time of study to such a beautiful art such as these 4 amazing gentlemen have done. They're sound is a living, breathing organism. It speaks, it laughs, it grows. I can only wish to one day achieve such an incredible feat, to make my sound become a reflection of my soul."
Wow what was I doing at 15. Thought he summed it up pretty nice!
Here it is: "what a journey it would be! to dedicate a life time of study to such a beautiful art such as these 4 amazing gentlemen have done. They're sound is a living, breathing organism. It speaks, it laughs, it grows. I can only wish to one day achieve such an incredible feat, to make my sound become a reflection of my soul."
Wow what was I doing at 15. Thought he summed it up pretty nice!
