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Double Bass Reggie Workman

#3
I'm a big fan of Reggie Workman as well, although I wouldn't limit it to his later work, I love him with Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Wayne Shorter (throughout Juju - wow, some of the greatest bass playing ever), The Jazz Messengers and countless other things. Definately one of the all-time great. I have to admit though, i was a bit disappointed by the only one of his own albums I've heard, 'summit conference'. The line-up is full of great players, (Andrew Hill, Sam Rivers,
Julian Priester, Pheeroan akLaff) and I expected to love it, but for some reason it didn't grab me. I'll have another listen to it now and see if thats changed...
 
#5
The first time I met him was a little intimidating; a buddy of mine was going to the New School (about 88 or 89) and I fell by a workshop that Reggie was leading. He got through the workshop part and then started grabbing students to come up to play. He pointed at me and said "Unpack your bass". I started stammering about how I wasn't really a student there and suchlike and he just stopped me and said "Is that your bass?" I said yes. He said "Then unpack it and get on the stand." I felt about an inch tall.
Cut to a couple of years back, when we started being the rhythm section for sophomore juries at the New School and Reggie is adjudicating them. He really makes me feel like I'm one of the cats, very warm and welcomed, and he's got all of this history behind him.....
 
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#6
As a former New School student I can attest to the at first intimidating nature of The Work Man. I suffered it on not one but two auditions (first on guitar, then a year later on bass -- HIS bass, mind you). Then as a student (the bass player) in his regular ensemble class. then as one of two bassists in his "Futuristic Concepts of Music" class (it was the only offering the school had at the time for improvised modern music, or what is commonly referred to as "free jazz") and then in my sophomore jury.

I guess I was intimidated because he didn't hold back criticism and he has a very strong and stern face and voice. But in retrospect he is a very encouraging and nurturing teacher. As I mentioned, he lent me his bass for my audition since mine was garbage. I have the utmost respect for the man both as a musician and an educator. He is one of the biggest assets both to the school and the music.
 
#7
I heard some similar stories from Randall Hunt (a mutual friend of Jamie and I and a really fine bass player).
Peter Kowald told me that he had been asking Reggie for a bass lesson since the '80s, Reggie had him come over and help paint his apt. but still no lesson. Later in Atlanta they had a double bill, Kowald solo and Reggie in trio with Peter Brötzmann and Aelxander Von Schlippenbach (!).
Kowald said after the solo Reggie wanted a lesson from him, probably kind of a joke. It does show how open he is. His groups still push things and he has had all kinds of collaborators and keeps expanding his history.

There is a certain way he uses glissandos both arco and pizz that just kills me every time.
Probably my very favorite is the trio on Leo with Marilyn Crispell and Paul Motion. There have been some great recent things on the TUM label.
 
#10
damonsmith said:
Sorry, I had to bury the lame Sir Paul thread. I pulled out a great one, Trio Transition.
With Mulgrew Miller and Freddie Waits.
Click to expand...

hehh...

Reggie on Blakey:


Another thing I wanted to mention is that Reggie is a pretty small guy, diminutive, but he has a HUGE presence and personality which can be disarming. When he's in his element teaching, or playing, he makes these gestures with his arms that make him loom like a tower.

Another interesting Workman project worth checking out is Cerebral Caverns:
Geri Allen, Al Foster, Gerry Hemingway, Julian Priester, Sam Rivers
Even has some synth iirc correctly.
 
#11
MingusAmongUs said:
hehh...

Reggie on Blakey:


Another thing I wanted to mention is that Reggie is a pretty small guy, diminutive, but he has a HUGE presence and personality which can be disarming. When he's in his element teaching, or playing, he makes these gestures with his arms that make him loom like a tower.

Another interesting Workman project worth checking out is Cerebral Caverns:
Geri Allen, Al Foster, Gerry Hemingway, Julian Priester, Sam Rivers
Even has some synth iirc correctly.
Click to expand...


I actually saw the "Summit Conference" band, they were so incredible. Another time I saw Trio 3 (Oliver Lake & Andrew Cyrille), Lee Konitz and Paul Bley opened. They were subdued, nice not at all bad but more of a late night ECM cd thing than a live thing. The seats were uncomfortable and they made you feel it. When Trio 3 came out I forgot about the seats and Bley and Konitz. They just killed it for an hour with not a thing out of place - a really perfect set.
 
#12
damonsmith said:
The seats were uncomfortable and they made you feel it. When Trio 3 came out I forgot about the seats and Bley and Konitz. They just killed it for an hour with not a thing out of place - a really perfect set.
Click to expand...

Excellent. I saw them a few times too and they did pretty much the same thing. Cyrille taught (teaches?) there too. I had the unique opportunity of sharing a rhythm section with him a few times (as a student, not on stage). He and Charlie Persip both -- playing bass with either of those guys was like riding into town on a 50 foot horse. Raw power, and ocean deep pocket.
 
#16
MR PC said:
What's the point of saying that?
Click to expand...

It was at the top on the front page for a bit, that clip has been posted before and is not very interesting.
I am still on a big Workmann listening kick, this morning I listened to Gaia with Crispell and Doug James and a chamber quartet of Steve Cohn's (piano, etc.) with Tom Varner (french horn) and Jason Hwang (violin). Very nice. I am back to Trio Transition. One his more straight projects but very nice.
 

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