Double Bass Ron Crotty

[damonsmith]

I went to the Oakland museum today, and had lunch in the cafe and Ron Crotty was in there playing duo with a Flugelhorn player.
He was the bassist in Brubeck's early groups, the trio with Cal Tjader, etc.
He is 79 and just playing great. He had a huge, unamplifed sound from a beautiful old bass. He said it was made in Tyrol and that he had it for 60 years.
He plays there in the afternoons each day the museum is open in different duos.

He had a really full, bouncy west coast swing when he walked and his solos were beautiful. It was really inspiring to hear.

 

[damonsmith]

Here is youtube from my little digital camera, quiet but better than nothing:

 

[Marcus Johnson]

That's frickin' cool. Thanks for that. I remember him, he plays his *** off.
Is that a flugelhorn? Looks and sounds more like some kind of tromboniumophone... giant bell, low range.

Very nice sound, whatever it is.

 

[damonsmith]

On the card I got for there duo it says "fulgelbone". It was great sound.