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Recommendations on Bass Soloists and Jazz

#22
Little G said:
Matt Garrison
Marcus Miller
Steve Jenkins
Peter Muller
Chyco Simeon
Bill Dickens
Victor Wooten
Jeff Berlin
Jaco Patorius
Steve Lawson
Mike Manring
Otiel Burbridge
Laurence Cottle
Richard Bona
Paul Jackson
Anthony Jackson
David Dyson
Melvin lee Davis
Janek Gwizdala
Stuart Zender (Jamiroquai)
Julian Crampton (Incognito, Down To The Bone)

Some not necessarily jazz but great solo bassists
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This looks like a pretty good list. The standouts would be: Jaco, Jeff Berlin, Richard Bona, Otiel Burbridge -- and I would add Christian McBride to that list.
 
#28
I'll second the Scott LaFaro nod! The Sunday at the Village Vanguard series with Bill Evans, has some of the best jazz bassplaying ever laid to tape :bassist:
 
#29
jerry said:
I'll second the Scott LaFaro nod! The Sunday at the Village Vanguard series with Bill Evans, has some of the best jazz bassplaying ever laid to tape :bassist:
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You know, I just...*really* don't like Scott LaFaro's playing on that. It's the only thing I've got that he's played on, but I find it to be almost obnoxious when listening to it with headphones on. Speakers, it seems to fit more -- the whole hard-mixing thing definitely does not flatter his playing and it becomes really obtuse (both the bass sound and the playing) when listening to it with headphones. Also, his soloing just seems kinda...clunky.

For acoustic jazz, I'll toss in:

Christian McBride's stuff as a sideman (I haven't heard much of his solo stuff, and what I heard wasn't really "acoustic straight ahead jazz")
Rufus Reid
Ray Brown's work with the Oscar Peterson Trio
Charlie Haden's fantastic! Check him out with Pat Metheny.
Charles Mingus -- he always impressed me more as a composer and bandleader than as a bassist in general, but he was by NO means a slouch on his instrument -- just that he was a freakin' fantastic jazz composer and bandleader ;).

Electric solo stuff:
Marucs Miller
Victor Wooten
Michael Manring
Stanley Clarke (also great acoustic work)
Alain Caron (also with his band UZEB)
Jaco Pastorius
Steve Lawson

Also, while I've heard precious little of Matthew Garrison myself, I've heard a lot of TB'ers complaining that his music is far from "mature" -- very simplistic melodies, etc. Not stuff you'd hear from a seasoned veteran of multiple decades on the instrument, I guess, but I don't think Matt's even too many decades old :D.
 
#30
For some great writing and upright playing (in incredible sound), check out These Are the Vistas by the Bad Plus. Here's a video interview/performance from NPR to give you an idea: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

As widely respected as LaFaro is, I have to say that his work on the VV dates with Evans come across as too strong for my tastes. His solos often feel out of place and too busy for the general mood.

Charlie Haden's fantastic! Check him out with Pat Metheny.
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And on his seminal Atlantic sides with Ornette Coleman!
 

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