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Double Bass Performing with upright and vocals only

M

metaphor

Nov 10, 2011
17
0
#1
I'm wondering if we are the only ones doing this.

Many times I feel bad not being able to pay my sidemen a decent wage -because I'm not getting paid decently.-

As of late we "Meet The Seavers" have been performing with just my upright and our vocals. Most times, the club will become silent and everyone will stop to listen. If you've ever played Nashville, you know how rare that happens. ( I think it helps that my wife is hot)

The downside of course is that my horn parts don't get played and I have to limit the material to songs that have a solid bass theme throughout.

Here's a video we did.



How about some feed back?
 
#4
I love the sound of bass and vocals alone, and you guys did a good job of it in the vid (how do you handle the wardrobe changes live?). The toughest part in the big picture for playing gigs like that is getting enough variety of texture over the course of multiple hours.

Is that an exceptionally small bass, or are exceptionally tall?
 
#5
I've been working on a sax/bass duo thing for a while now. I think the bigger hurdle is to train your ears to artistically hear differently. With less instruments, obviously the time has be much better, but also I feel like I need to be accustomed to playing with a heck of a lot more space. It's much easier if you have more tools in the arsenal: slapping, snapping (like you're doing), arco. More arrangements, intro, just overall more focus on being more musical. You can't just get by playing the head in, solo, then head out and be done with it. Doing so, you paint yourself into a corner really quickly.

But once you get into it and open your eyes, there's LOTS of possibilities. It just takes a heckuva lot more work.
 
#6
We didn’t do the costume changes live, Only on the Video. Although Dorothy (my wife) is working with a costume designer in order to do something similar in a live environment.

On the intitial recording I used my ¾ Anton Schuster. Circa 1910. I love this instrument. The other Bass is a ½ sized kay. It doesn’t sound nearly as good but it’s great for gigiing in hostile enviroments and busking.

It was really hot the day we filmed the video and I didn’t want to damage the big bass. That’s why there are two basses used.

You are right HDiddy. The duo thing is a bit of a challenge. I’ve had to write songs that are Bass centered. I have found that walking works for a short while but the songs really need more of a vamp bass line to help the listener. Most people (other than us bass players of course) have lost the ability to hear changes.

I remember years ago living in Chicago, seeing a couple of guys busking with an upright and a bass clarinet. I decided on that day to eventually transition to upright. It’s such a great instrument.
And everybody knows, the bassist always gets the girl!
 
#14
Roger Miller could have pulled this off on his "King of the Road", if he'duv been a mind to. I never realized the bass part was so prominent in this song until recently. I don't know who the player is, or was, but I'm pretty sure it was an upright on the recording..at least is sounds that way to my untrained ear. The guy plays some great bass lines, then modulates up a half step and plays them all over again, flawlessly to my ear. This is out of bounds for me as a player, but this guy is great! The bass and Roger's vocals are all that stands out to me. Copy and paste and listen.
Roger Miller King Of the Road - YouTube
 
#15
@metaphor -
Loved the film clip, your wife is a natural performer and seems very comfortable holding peoples attention.

There's a theatrical/ storytelling theme in the song, which flows and maintains people's interests. Your playing serves the songs message well and you do everything that is needed and you don't spoil it by overplaying. Kudos!

I am reminded of Peggy Lee's Fever, and also Nina Simone's My Baby Just Cares For Me. Heartfelt and memorable by their simplicity. Got any more clips?

I'm playing with a group that has a stripped back 'unplugged' vibe - you've inspired me to change things further!! Cheers.
 
#17
+1 on the Nancy King/Glen Moore and Martin/Grenadier. Surprised it has not been mentioned yet, but Sheila Jordan has a long tradition of working with just a bassist. The first example being "Dat Dere" w/Steve Swallow from her 1962 album "Portrait of Sheila Jordan" (which is uniformly excellent). She went on to record entire albums of duets with Arild Anderson, Harvie S., and Cameron Brown (any others?).

When I was playing seriously, I played a couple of duet gigs with an excellent singer. While extremely challenging, these were some of the most rewarding gigs I've done. A lack of (jazz) singers that are willing to try this is one of the things I lament about since moving to the country...
 
#18
Yeah, Sheila Jordan and Harvie Swartz (now Harvey S.) have done some great bass/voice duos. I was fortunate enough to catch one of their performances in 85 at, I think, the Public Theater in NYC.

And, of course, Esperanza could easily be a duo of one - although I've only seen her play by herself during intros to songs or very short pieces, not for an entire concert.
 

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