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Just discovered Jimmy Haslip

R

rodoherty1

May 26, 2003
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Athlone, Co. Westmeath, Irelan
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#1
Hi Guys,

Bit of a pointless post ... but there is a question at the end of this rainbow.

I've just bought my first Yellowjackets CD and I am so impressed by Jimmy Haslip's confidence, taste and rock-solid groove

I knew from Bass Player magazine that he's a technical monster but I love the way he lies nice an low in the mix and delivers every note with such confidence and zero ego.

I'm a bit of a newbie to Jazz but I can (just about) work through a chord chart. Would it be worth investing in one or two of the YellowJackets chord books? Would it be no different in style or difficulty to any of the Real Books (I own New Real Book Vol.1)?

Rob.
 
#2
congrats dude, you just discovered one of the coolest bassists on the planet. Check out jimmyhaslip.com - if you ask him a question he will always answer you!

My favorite stuff of his is on the Yellowjackets' 'Four Corners', 'Politics', and 'The Spin' records. Sweet stuff like 'Prayer for El Salvador' (The Spin) and great BASS playing on 'Foreign Correspondent' (Politics).

He also is on a record called Jing Chi with Robben Ford and Vinne Colatuia (sp?).

Among others. He has many, many credits to his name. One of my all-time favorites, he has it all, groove, feel, chops... :bassist:
 
#4
Haslip has the knack of making something in 4/4 sound 'odd'...while also making something odd sound smooth & even. He & ex-'Jackets' drummer William Kennedy are masters of this.
Haslip can swing, funk it up, rock out, groove, & solo. He has a lot of it covered.

Peter-
I think there's 2 Jing-Chi albums out; I have the 1st(some of it sounds like Cream on 'roids)...a LIVE one came ot over the Summer(IIRC).
 
#10
stretchcat said:
I've been listening to the first Yellowjackets album lately and it makes my head hurt to think about how he does some of that slap stuff on there.
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Pffft! You think your head hurts now, try listening to Keith Horne. He's another cat who is a lefty and plays a righty bass upside down and does way more slapping than Jimmy Haslip. In fact Jimmy doesn't slap much these days. Keith Horne does some incredible sh** that has to been seen to be believed! Invalid Link Removed. There is a Real Audio video file there.
 
#11
DW-
... I miss the days of seeing Secrets & Keith Horne at the Va. Beach Jewish Mother. Literally, I used to sit 3 feet away. It is a sight to see someone play/slap with the strings reversed. For a while, I thought about reversing mine, too! ;)
 
#12
bimplizkit said:
Just a reminder to those of us who live in Spokane WA and those of us who don't... our culture and awareness are 'several years' behind modern times :o :) .
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Over time, it's gotten a little better...but Norfolk can sometimes be a few years behind the times, too.
 
#13
JimK said:
Over time, it's gotten a little better...but Norfolk can sometimes be a few years behind the times, too.
Click to expand...
No sh**! I moved here 3 years ago from NY! Huge difference in music scenes! Circles are small but tight as a mutha! Hell, in NYC, I could put up an ad about forming a band (any genre) and have a whole band in a weeks time! Down here, Cats either be hiding or spreading themselves thin playing in every frikkin' band in the neighborhood! Takes forever hooking up.
 
#14
I agree there...I used to play in a couple projects; now I'm probably, as you say, one of those "hiding out". I am in a period of ennui; I've grown weary of those who-
a)Want to play the SOS; they won't play anything different because they can't or because of there's no money in playing something outside their comfort zone.
b)Want so & so in their band because so & so is 'the s***'. Granted, so & so may be 'the s***", but so & so is already in 3 bands & is a notorious band jumper(Grass is always greener when the green is always greener?)

I can on & on...but I won't. ;)
 
#16
rodoherty1 said:
Thanks for the info, Lads. I'm looking forward to get into their back catalogue.

Can anyone recommend other bands with a similar style/background to the Yellowjackets? I've always been a fan of Instrumental music and I'm finding myself leaning a little closer to Jazz this weather.

All the best ...

Rob.
Click to expand...
Hmmm...the Yellowjackets are kinda unique in their style and may be the only modern contemporary jazz band doing what they do. If you can find some Flim & The BB's cd's, their style was similar/parallel to The Yellowjackets. Vital Information is another eclectic band with a similar but more fusiony style. Steps Ahead was another band that was deep and fusiony as well. The David Blamires Group, Turning Point, Metro (my favorite band), anything by George Duke, Chuck Loebs earlier cd's, Fourplay (hit and miss) are all non radio conforming artists who have put out some excellent music. some of these cd's will be hard to find but if you search hard enough, something will come up.

If you desire some easier listening not so deep music, I can recommend some Spyro Gyra, Rippingtons, Dotsero, T-Square, Casiopea, Mezzoforte, Incognito (yeah they did a couple of instrumental cd's), Urban Knights, Pieces Of A Dream, Special EFX, Acoustic Alchemy, Kombo & Shakatak.
 
#18
Remember-
Early Steps Ahead was acoustic...my favourite period of Steps.

In addition to the bands mentioned by DW & Bimplizkit-
...there are a couple Dave Samuels albums with both Haslip & Will Kennedy. Kinda in a Spyro Gyra vibe(no doubt).
There is also Bob Mintzer 'solo' album with Haslip, Kennedy, & Russell Ferrante as the 'backing band'...basically, a Yellowjackets' album under Mintzer's name.

Something with a little more 'hair' on it is Tribal Tech, although their 1st 2 albums might be close to what the Yellowjackets were doing back in the daze of Politics, Four Corners, & Shades.
 
#19
JimK said:
Remember-
Early Steps Ahead was acoustic...my favourite period of Steps.

In addition to the bands mentioned by DW & Bimplizkit-
...there are a couple Dave Samuels albums with both Haslip & Will Kennedy. Kinda in a Spyro Gyra vibe(no doubt).
There is also Bob Mintzer 'solo' album with Haslip, Kennedy, & Russell Ferrante as the 'backing band'...basically, a Yellowjackets' album under Mintzer's name.

Something with a little more 'hair' on it is Tribal Tech, although their 1st 2 albums might be close to what the Yellowjackets were doing back in the daze of Politics, Four Corners, & Shades.
Click to expand...
<Bones McKoy voice>Dammit Jim, don't make me pull out my cd binders!</Bones McKoy voice>
 
#20
rodoherty1 said:
I'm a bit of a newbie to Jazz but I can (just about) work through a chord chart. Would it be worth investing in one or two of the YellowJackets chord books? Would it be no different in style or difficulty to any of the Real Books (I own New Real Book Vol.1)?

Rob.
Click to expand...

There is a Yellowjackets Songbook that includes parts for every player on about 20 songs. see [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The Realbook does often include separate bass or keyboard parts, but I would still recommend the Yellowjackets Songbook.

I would also recommend checking out Jeff Lorber. Also, some of the Zawinul Syndicate and later Weather Report cds may interest you.
 

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