Double Bass Music & ensemble configuration?

[Octavian]

I'm coming up on a year of study on the double bass and would like to explore gigging options with a small duo/trio/quartet. The band I play electric bass (and sometimes double bass) with has connections to get us into minor league gallery openings, restaurants and may be the occasional private party.

The trick is what is a popular and aesthetically pleasing configuration for such a group? In addition to the bass, I have a pianist/clarinetist/aspiring flutist in one musician...and that's it. I'd like to add at least one more instrument (violin?)...if we can find someone...and am open to suggestions.

And, I'd love to hear your suggestions on what music recommendations for "acoustic wallpaper" type gigs like these. What I've seen for double bass and clarinet seems more oriented toward a dissertation performance instead of pleasant ambient music.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

 

[Don Kasper]

I find this to be "Pleasant Ambient Music"...
YMMV.

 

[Tom Lane]

I find this to be "Pleasant Ambient Music"...
YMMV.

You can't beat Eric for some quiet background music to support entertaining conversation, can you? And he swings too!

 

[Nathan Levine]

Sounds like you have the makings of a Hot Club type ensemble. Get a jazz guitarist or two looking for a reason to drop some coin on fancy Dupont guitars, tell them to simplify things a bit in their left hand and really focus on their right hand. Finding a swingin' violinist is key and if the clarinetist can really play then that might work as well. Spend lots of time with a metronome keeping your new fresh beats moving along at a nice clip and voila... you'll be gigging with the newest iteration of a hot club du somewhere ensemble. Good luck!

 

[Ed Fuqua]

.

 

[Carl Hillman]

I second the idea of a guitarist.

Get somebody who can play some jazz on an arch top and also pull off a little acoustic classical. That opens up a pretty wide range of styles you could cover as a trio.