Double Bass RIP Paul Warburton

[TroyK]

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Thinking of his irreverent humor, posting things that only he could get away with. He had a very unique gift for making people laugh. I understand that his health had been in decline over the last few years but he had a good run, and loved life. R.I.P. Paul Warburton. You will be remembered.

 

[bassmanbrent]

PW (we knew him as "Pee Dub", among many other monikers) was a great mentor to me in the early days of TB. Some highlights:

In those days, before you could just send mp3 files easily as attachments, he offered to snail mail exchange recordings with me, and asked if I wanted him to critique them. Of course I said yes. He was direct and helpful with his critiques, but also incredibly encouraging at the same time. He encouraged personal honesty in assessing my own playing, which reminded me a lot of my previous great life/musical mentor.

Over the years, we kept in touch, and he was responsible for turning me on to Red Mitchell, who was one of his great mentors and role models. He even sent me a box of Red recordings on minidisc, including a wonderful bootleg of Red playing the piano and singing in the most musically pure and quirky way, which remains a treasure. PW said he could hear the piano player in me coming through on my bass recordings, and that it put him in mind of Red when I was "on".

As I was teaching graduate theory and improv classes at the U, I started incorporating PW's recordings into my teaching. Each semester, the grads each need to transcribe and analyze a chorus a week of solos from great recordings; I would transcribe the entire recording and we would compare notes each week in class. A couple of solos from PW's recording with Ron Miles and Eric Gunnison made it into the rotation, and he students always learned a lot from them, coming as they did with stories about how Paul recounted riding those guys pretty hard to get them to play outside their normal limitations and comfort zones. When I told him about this in an email and sent him a copy of the lifts, he just laughed and said "Jesus (expletive) Christ DURRL, I'm glad I don't have to take your class!" But I could tell part of him was pleased that anyone thought enough of his recorded work to honor him in this way.

In 2017, I was at the ISB convention in Ithaca and ran into Marco Panascia in the Cincy Bass Cellar booth. We were amazed that PW's old Bohmann 5 string bass was there for sale. We decided to play an impromptu duet in the booth dedicated to Pee Dub where Marco was playing the Bohmann. I think we played "What Is This Thing Called Love". Marco uploaded the video to FB and I know Paul saw it and loved it. I haven't been on FB for years, but I wonder if that video is still up on Marco's page somewhere? Only things I remember about this recording was that Marco kept talking about "Eye-Talian Espresso" before we played, and that Arnold Schnitzer stumbled into the middle of the shot before he realized we were recording, then turned around and walked out without a word. Good times!

Last, and far more recently, a friend contacted me and let me know that Paul was in hospice and that would appreciate a call from me since we had corresponded so often but never met. I called and he picked up and we spoke for a few minutes. It was so wonderful to hear him, because he knew his time was almost up and was at peace with it. I remember him saying something along the lines of "there's nothing sad or dark about any of this. It's been a great run and I wouldn't change a thing" near the end of the short conversation. Like everything else he handled the end of the road on his own terms, and head on, without any apologies or regrets.

RIP, old friend. You will be missed, but not forgotten.

Where's the 'love' button for this post? RIP Paul Warburton. One of the greats has left us.

 

[ryco]

Aw gee....
Interesting and knowledgable guy. Always admired the wisdom he brought to the forum and loved the advice from experience he would pass on.

Heard from him a lot more often when I first joined and this was a smaller community. TalkBass has lost some very interesting and funny people over the years. Will cherish the memories.

Prayers to his friends and family in this sad time. May they find strength and peace.

For us here at TalkBass - cherish the memories and laugh at his brusque sense of humor. Yes, I'm from "the other side" and he came over to give me a couple of good jabs.

 

[basshawk]

I met Paul when he was playing for Eartha Kitt at a Denver restaurant/night club back in the 90's. I approached him after the show and told him how much I enjoyed his playing. He was humble, kind, and gracious. I asked about his 5-string upright, and kindly spoke about it and other topics bass. He asked me to keep in touch and wished me well on my bass journey. Just thought I'd share a nice moment I had with Paul. RIP.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Spinning this now, I highly recommend it. He's spectacular on My One and Only Love.

The reason I play BOPLICITY is because of this recording, I just wish I could sound that beautiful....

.

 

[Jeff Elkins]

Spinning this now, I highly recommend it. He's spectacular on My One and Only Love.

That… was amazing. Every corner he turns on that cut is a delightful surprise. Incredible.

RIP, Paul.

 

[Carl Hillman]

Julia posted on FB that Paul (PeeDub) passed away last night.

I never met the man in person, but over the years I feel as though we became friends, both on TB and FB.

I am heartbroken.

Rest in peace, my friend.

Some people think that simply being a great musician (and great person) doesn't really do much overall to make this big world a better place.

Not me.

Rest in peace, Paul.

 

[TroyK]

The reason I play BOPLICITY is because of this recording, I just wish I could sound that beautiful....

.

I put it in my transcription queue a few hours ago.

 

[chuck3]

RIP Paul. I didn't know him except as occasional poster here, but he always struck me as a pro's pro and he was certainly a fantastic resource for TalkBass -- but I know he was much more than that.

 

[Reiska]

It' s strange nowadays that some hack from this side of planet can talk directly with a jazz legend who actually played with Bill Evans. A bass and music giant with great sense of humour, RIP Paul Warburton.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Found it! Apparently I don’t have to be on FB to search for a video:

 

[Rama Temmink]

Rest in peace.

 

[LouisF]

I had some online chats with Paul when I bought a bow by Keith Bearden that he once owned. He had used it with the Bohmann 5-string, and it was a perfect match for my Upton Concord. When I donated the Concord to Adam Booker's bass program at Appalachian State, I included Paul's bow. We joked that it was as close as he ever got to academia, but he was happy (as was Adam) that a little piece of jazz history would, literally, be in the hands of students.

As I said yesterday about Andrea Spada, I'll post this in the other thread. My head is spinning at the losses.

 

[Sam Sherry]

PW (we knew him as "Pee Dub", among many other monikers) was a great mentor to me in the early days of TB.

Oh yeah. Pull Warmbaton was an inspiration always. Hangin' here, trading tapes and insults, and getting tips from somebody who played in the Bill Evans Trio in 1962? Priceless, man. Just shut the fork up and listen!

Like all the finest improvisers Mr. Wornbuttocks' music was chock full of things which are extremely hard and risky, and he made them sound simple and inevitable every time. In that respect, Woombottom's name truly belongs with such all-time greats as Charles Mingus and Michael Moore.

Rest in prowess, maestro. Thanks for all you did and all you showed.

 

[BobDeRosa]

Only things I remember about this recording was that Marco kept talking about "Eye-Talian Espresso" before we played, and that Arnold Schnitzer stumbled into the middle of the shot before he realized we were recording, then turned around and walked out without a word.

Marco would have satirically called it "eXpresso," the much more common -- and much less correct -- expression (or is it "espression")?

 

[damonsmith]

Very sad and a huge loss. He was a lot of fun here and a really great player.

 

[damonsmith]

Of course Red Mitchell is huge for me as well. I am Red Mitchell completist and have most of his LPs - even some quite rare ones. I loved that Paul was influenced by Red but had such an original take on Red's ideas as well. That big five string sounded incredible. The low B instead of tuning in fifths was a nice move to get Red's range. The trading of bars at the end here is very "Red".

 

[LouisF]

I never played Paul's Bohmann (which is at the Cincinnati Bass Cellar) but I did try out a 5-string dragon-head bass he designed with Bob Ross in Denver, that was based on the Bohmann, I believed. I even played a concert at Disney Hall with it. It was a floor-shaking canon and comfortable to play for its size, but it weighed a ton and I passed on it. I couldn't see lugging it around.

 

[longfinger]

Sad news. I enjoyed his many posts here on TB when I started reading here about a decade ago. He brought wisdom and experience to this forum.