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Double Bass Ron Carter

#61
I personally have dug Ron for a long time.... My latest craze has been a re-issue of early Ron w. Bobby Timmons Trio Live at the Vangaurd 1961 w. Tootie Heath. I have had the album for years and now the re-issue CD has a full version of 'Dat Dare' which was the trio's break tune. Killin...
This might be desert island material here and it swings hard and Ron is in gut land and pre Miles and thee slick CTI stuff. { I like this era too ]
Check it out ...
 
#62
I heard that he used a pick! :hiding:

I am kidding.

To the OP. Check out Carters stuff. If you dig his stuff. Find some material that you like and have your instructor go over it with you. Tell them that you are having trouble with learning it. That should get them squirming. I mean you are paying them to learn to play bass better.
 
#64
ron is a legend for sure.

however i do agree with a lot of the negative statements that've been said about him. i saw him at the blue note a week or so ago with his trio, if anyone wants to hear him when he doesent know hes being recorded, feel free to PM me and i'll gladly foward you the recording. his intonation leaves something to be desired.. sloppy playing.. nasal tone..

but at the same time, he's still a god and "worth" listening too for sure..
 
#65
As a teacher I can understand NOT reccomending RC for educational listening. There are a ton of records he sounds great on, but so many other bassists are less spotty, he just wouldn't make a reccomended listening list by name alone, maybe specific recordings - like if a student was working walking with wide intervals I'd reccomend the Joe Henderson trio lp or something. Personally, I have only really been moved by Miles Davis when PC was in the band.
I did get a great Atilla Zoller trio with RC and Joe Chambers the other day, and it sounds great.
I am also a big fan of his horrible 'cello playing (and the great bass playing) with Dolphy!
 
#66
From a musical point of view: only the idea to criticize RC is just ridiculous, huge influence on all jazz bass players in the world in the last 50 years from all point of view If someone thinks not to be influenced from him (also only just a little)in my opinion it's not possible (well its possible if you have never heard his playing...). I precise that he isn't one of my favourites : i prefer the percussive approach to the legato approach whose he is the master .
The man: i did a week long workshop with him some years ago in Italy where i lived and i can say only good things about him, a real gentleman.
For example: he had a concert in a theatre during the workshop, and when he knew that the students had to pay to see the show he protested asking free entrance and then offering to buy the tickets for all (later he made us enter through the artist entry)
At the end of the workshop he asked the adress to all of us and without saying nothing some weeks later he sent everyone a free copy of his method and a couple of his CD. Me too I heard some stories about him not being nice but in my experience this happens to all successfull people that have straight opinions and say what they think (Wynton Marsalis come to mind...)
 
#69
neoman09 said:
Correct if I am wrong... Ron Carter is listed on the credits of the Paul McCartney LP, "Ram". I believe he plays stand up bass on the song, "Heart Of The Country". Now, if Paul McCartney hires a bass player to play bass on one of his own songs, what does that say ???
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You're on the wrong side for that question, pal! Ron has a lot of great qualifications and that little side job just isn't one of them.
hdiddy said:
I'd give my left nut to play like Ron Carter having a bad day.
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Oh, so you don't own a copy of his solo bass LP, then? I do. Seriously, Ron Carter on a bad day is pretty damn rough - keep your left nut!
On a good day he is damn good. However, he made the choice to put quite a few recordings out into the world that are questionable at best - several under his own name.
Criticism of your work is part of working in public and as we all know the bass is a day to day affair and the bass doesn't care what your name is!
 
#70
Scott McC said:
I didn't plan for that implication. Wow. Well, for your sake, I hope its not the case;) In regards to Mr. Carter, I've got a recentish trio record he did with Paul Motian and Bill Frisell that is amazing. I dig the scoopy RC, its quirky.
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that record is brilliant. "on the street where you live" is one of my favourite tracks of all time. Rons solo is so playful, and full of great classic motifs.
 
#71
Paul Warburton said:
I don't agree.
If you are a pro jazz bassist you had better be prepared to solo on most tunes called on the gig. I like to solo on every tune called, incuding ballads. We have every right to express our musicality in solo work as well as back up for other soloists.
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+100000

i hate how many people categorize bass as an "accompanying" instrument. The majority of musicians that I work with expect me to solo on just about every tune. Even if the tune is blazing fast, I'll take a walking solo.
 
#75
Joshua said:
With the possible exception of the "left nut" part, I agree 100%.
Speak No Evil (Ron and Elvin? Yes, please!) and Alone Together (duo w/Jim Hall) were the first jazz recordings I really dug into.
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&
Joshua said:
Speaking of Ron and Elvin; The Real McCoy. This disc is also worth digging into...
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Those aren't bad days! Far from it. Anyone would give their left nut to play those gigs and play them that well!
There is a lot of water under the bridge between those and the solo LP, the piccolo bass fisacos, Ron Carter plays Bach, ect.
 
#76
I suppose, but I'll add that I kind of like some of the less popular stuff, and even if I don't really dig it I respect his courage in putting it out there for public consumption.

Heck, even Willie Mays only got a hit 3 out of every 10 times up!

:D

(Apologies for the fanboy-ness too, RC is simply one of my faves...)
 
#78
bigtiny said:
I'm late to this discussion, but I HAD to chime in. Can anybody really seriously doubt Mr. Carter's credentials as a bass player? Really?!?!?

bigtiny
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No, not the credentials, those are set in stone. He is great player with a long career with huge variance in quality. Because of that he either worshiped unconditionally or written off entirely by most people.
I think it is possible to enjoy his great moments while still having our ears open to the rest.
 
#79
damonsmith said:
No, not the credentials, those are set in stone. He is great player with a long career with huge variance in quality. Because of that he either worshiped unconditionally or written off entirely by most people.
I think it is possible to enjoy his great moments while still having our ears open to the rest.
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I agree, I was half questioning a lot of the posts here and half questioning the op's post about his teacher telling him to ignore Carter. I'm always astounded when I read threads on forums about Master players where people basically just dismiss someone because they didn't think an album or two was up to snuff or something. I"m a trumpet player, and on a trumpet forum right now, there's a discussion going on because someone put up a post whose title is 'Was Maynard Ferguson a Good Jazz Player'. This thread on Ron Carter rang similar to me.....

bigtiny
 
#80
For my part I just think it is interesting - I mean he just kills when he is on and when he is bad like the solo album I mentioned it is just rough - I'd be embarrassed if a student of mine sounded that bad!
I don't quite get it. Haden is similar, but there is an easy reason for that - sometimes Haden just needs more than the golden ear.
As far as I know RC is studied bassist with great technique. I think string and amplification choices might figure in, but it is still a mystery.
 

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