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Original Mahavishnu Orchestra
- Thread starter sonic 7
- Start date
Rick Laird was the bassist on the gig and I respect his choice to be the foundation for the band, to provide the bridge between the players musical visions and personalities and let those brilliant talents explore and explode and provide a safe landing. That after all is the primary job of every bassist in every band, on some rare occasions after fulfilling those duties we also get a chance to shine.
I got to see him twice.
First time with Zappa also, in 72. The second time with the Geroge Duke Billy Cobham Band in 76.
Laird had a long running ad for bass lessons in the Village Voice back in the day.
I can't say I agree. It is a bit like saying Led Zeppelin would have been better with Stanley Clarke on bass.
Rick Laird kept the rhythm section grounded in Mahavishnu. He was their JPJ, if you like. All of the other guys could fly off the hook, musically. On live cuts from the Inner Mounting Flame era of the band they often did! All of them effectively soloing freely, with Rick thumping away to keep it all aligned. Billy Cobham seemed to introduce cross rhythms and weird polyrhythmic grooves wherever he saw fit.
I've never heard anything in Rick's playing that suggested that he was a slouch, or a lesser musician, compared to the others. Rick always seemed to know what was happening around him. He was a strong anchor in a particularly violent storm.
How dare everyone disagree with me, I’m taking my bat and ball and going home.
By the way, how did you guys like the album that Jan Hammer did with Jerry Goodman “like Children “ I believe that Jan Hammer also played drums on that. It’s one of my old favorites.
By the way, how did you guys like the album that Jan Hammer did with Jerry Goodman “like Children “ I believe that Jan Hammer also played drums on that. It’s one of my old favorites.
So, Rick Simple.
And at approx 1:40 in this next clip, simple as some of you might find, further-cemented my bass playing passion when it came out... ( especially wrapped in the rest )
No White Jacket Required
And at approx 1:40 in this next clip, simple as some of you might find, further-cemented my bass playing passion when it came out... ( especially wrapped in the rest )
No White Jacket Required
Alright. Last post for this topic. But this is a good-quality video of my "last word". Cheers.
I believe I read somewhere that at some point, Rick stopped playing bass professionally and ended up as a photographer.
He had a pretty solid resume as a bass player ... house bassist at Ronnie Scott's Jazz club in London, backing up cats like Wes Montgomery, Sonny Stitt and Buddy Rich. He played on a Sonny Rollins album (Alfie), went to Berklee and then hooked up with John McLaughlin. After Mahavishnu Orchestra he toured with Chick Corea and Stan Getz.
Not the flashiest player ever but I'm guessing the dude could hang pretty well. He certainly has a better resume than me
He had a pretty solid resume as a bass player ... house bassist at Ronnie Scott's Jazz club in London, backing up cats like Wes Montgomery, Sonny Stitt and Buddy Rich. He played on a Sonny Rollins album (Alfie), went to Berklee and then hooked up with John McLaughlin. After Mahavishnu Orchestra he toured with Chick Corea and Stan Getz.
Not the flashiest player ever but I'm guessing the dude could hang pretty well. He certainly has a better resume than me
You Know, You Know ... yet another one of those almost understated, under the radar yet totally crushing tunes from MO. The piano break on the studio version is so cool and funky given the odd feel of this tune ... and the maj and min 10ths in the bass line is a lot of fun to play. And of course, Cobham's drum breaks are just killer.
A jazzy/fusion/world music band I'm in (with a killer violin player) does Lotus On Irish Springs ... cool tune.
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Today, he is a successful photographer as well as a private bass tutor and an author of a number of intermediate- to advanced-level bass books.I believe I read somewhere that at some point, Rick stopped playing bass professionally and ended up as a photographer.
He had a pretty solid resume as a bass player ... house bassist at Ronnie Scott's Jazz club in London, backing up cats like Wes Montgomery, Sonny Stitt and Buddy Rich. He played on a Sonny Rollins album (Alfie), went to Berklee and then hooked up with John McLaughlin. After Mahavishnu Orchestra he toured with Chick Corea and Stan Getz.
Not the flashiest player ever but I'm guessing the dude could hang pretty well. He certainly has a better resume than me
Richard Laird, as he is known in the art world, in March 2009 came across a collection of photographs in a file cabinet that he had taken in years past of legendary jazz artists but had mostly forgotten about. The discovery of these historic photos that feature Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Elvin Jones, Keith Jarrett and many others led to the formation of an online archive[3]
Rick Laird - Wikipedia
Probably not. What I’ve read of his career before NRPS, he might have been Canadian, but I’m not sure.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,054
- 45,945
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
Yep. Born in Canada, but he's been a U.S. citizen for a few decades now and mostly lived and worked here for a few more before that. In any case, imagine playing pedal steel in the New Riders Of The Purple Sage and hearing the MO go off, from the green room knowing you're up next.
