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So Many Bass Guitars in Jazz?

#81
salmon256 said:
To my knowledge a major reason for the development of Bass guitar was to make it easier to transport.
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Not really, it was mostly 1.for improved intonation, particularly in non-jazz studio recordings 2. so guitar players could double whne they couldn't find a bass player for a gig.

People today still live by this, especially in cities where public transport is more used at least here in the US.
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I lived in NYC for 32 years and the vast majority of times used public transportation (including buses) to get to gigs, rehearsals, and sessions with my bass.


Even in my area with a decent amount of Upright Bassist there was lack of Upright bass teachers, hell even bass guitarist and I live in a music area I guess you can say. So it can also be just a lack of upright bassist or those who do not feel confident in their skills. I am not pro or expert this is just my thoughts.
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If you're in NYC, I'm not sure I agree, there are a plethora of excellent double bassists (my sub book had 32 bassists in it, all of whom I knew personally and had heard play. And I didn't know EVERYBODY) as well as teachers....
 
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#83
It' like responding to the old joke:"Don't you wish you played the piccolo?" As somebody who's played both DB and BG for many years, I consider the BG a very useful tool. If I need it for some particular reason I will use it as well as I can. If I want to be as musically valid, creative, and comfortable with my musical voice as I can I will play the DB. Others feel differently. That's their choice. All of this other discussion is secondary.
 
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#84
Ed Fuqua said:
I haven't seen a giraffe around here, they must be extinct.
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Did I say they didn’t exist. Or did I say that they were not common in modern jazz.

Not seeing more than a single upright at one of the biggest jazz clubs in LA, in hundreds of shows, *is* like someone on the African Savannah saying “yeah. We don’t see giraffes here much.”

To be fair though. The stage at the spud is fairly tight. Anything more than a 4 piece and you may have issues fitting on stage with an upright. Always possible that’s part of the reason.
 
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#85
tbz said:
Did I say they didn’t exist. Or did I say that they were not common in modern jazz.

Not seeing more than a single upright at one of the biggest jazz clubs in LA, in hundreds of shows, *is* like someone on the African Savannah saying “yeah. We don’t see giraffes here much.”

To be fair though. The stage at the spud is fairly tight. Anything more than a 4 piece and you may have issues fitting on stage with an upright. Always possible that’s part of the reason.
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My experience is the opposite. I rarely see a BG on Jazz groups. Live or recordings.

We probably listen to different modern jazz.


I get the impression that most folks here define modern jazz when they see an electric bass. If they see a double bass, than it's traditional jazz. That couldn't be farther from the truth.


Not saying you see it this way.

But it's the general vibe I get from the thread. Which basically says to me that most folks who participate here don't really listen to contemporary jazz.
 
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#86
J_Bass said:
My experience is the opposite. I rarely see a BG on Jazz groups. Live or recordings.

We probably listen to different modern jazz.


I get the impression that most folks here define modern jazz when they see an electric bass. If they see a double bass, than it's traditional jazz. That couldn't be farther from the truth.


Not saying you see it this way.

But it's the general vibe I get from the thread. Which basically says to me that most folks who participate here don't really listen to contemporary jazz.
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Yeah again I can only go by what I see. Which is at the longest standing “jazz” club in or around LA, you don’t see upright much.

That club isn’t really a stickler for jazz genres. Like. They won’t book or avoid booking you because you play fusion instead of trad. It’s more about putting butts in seats.

From my standpoint the fact that jazz is a just a giant melting pot of other genres is kind of what makes jazz great. So it’s odd to even consider the genre being limited by something like the OP.
 
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#87
tbz said:
Yeah again I can only go by what I see. Which is at the longest standing “jazz” club in or around LA, you don’t see upright much.

That club isn’t really a stickler for jazz genres. Like. They won’t book or avoid booking you because you play fusion instead of trad. It’s more about putting butts in seats.

From my standpoint the fact that jazz is a just a giant melting pot of other genres is kind of what makes jazz great. So it’s odd to even consider the genre being limited by something like the OP.
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I agree completely.
 
#88
I really can't comment about anything besides my own experience. When I was working with a jazz/fusion group, a few year's back, I really wanted an upright. Sometimes, I just couldn't get the feel I really wanted with EB. But, it just wasn't sensible.

DBs are expensive. I toyed with idea for some time, but ultimately, just the thought of lugging it around put me off. I didn't even know where it would live in my house let alone how I would get it to gigs. I also considered electric upright options, but never pulled the trigger. If I ever get into that kind of project again, I probably will go that route.

But, I got by just fine with fretted EB.

I've seen plenty of videos where the bassists use both during the same show, so I don't think there is any "rule" regarding which is "correct".
 
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#89
tbz said:
Did I say they didn’t exist. Or did I say that they were not common in modern jazz.

Not seeing more than a single upright at one of the biggest jazz clubs in LA, in hundreds of shows, *is* like someone on the African Savannah saying “yeah. We don’t see giraffes here much.”

To be fair though. The stage at the spud is fairly tight. Anything more than a 4 piece and you may have issues fitting on stage with an upright. Always possible that’s part of the reason.
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I'd say that has more to do with who the club is booking, rather than the presence or paucity of the instrument. And I imagine their booking policy has changed since the 70s and 80s when folks like Art Pepper, Warne Marsh, Monty Budwig, etc. were on the stand.
poopie, just looking at their lineup, it's more of a fusion club than a jazz club. But even in this calendar I see 5 double bass players, let me know if they show up with a bass guitar. Of the other names I recognize, they're all electric players. So it's not likely they're leaving the DB at home becuase of "space issues"...
 
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#90
mrcbass said:
DBs are expensive. I toyed with idea for some time, but ultimately, just the thought of lugging it around put me off. I didn't even know where it would live in my house let alone how I would get it to gigs. I also considered electric upright options, but never pulled the trigger. If I ever get into that kind of project again, I probably will go that route.
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I had those same exact feelings. Even if you are not still feeling upright bass, I really say give it a try. I know it's a giant beast, yeah I even had some space issues but figure it out kind of. Even if you never play it to a gig or don't lug it to one, the fun and knowledge imo is great. But everyone does their own thing. All the best.
 
#92
When it comes to preconceived notions of the proper bass for a genre, show up with a Jazz bass in a hillbilly string band. I’ve been doing it for a while now and so far no one has left the room before we started.
way back I’d heard of it happening, IIRC someone said they saw Clarence White playing bluegrass with an electric bass. They were hardcore and thought it was the not just bad music, but was “very disrespectful to the tradition”, but the first time I saw it was a New Grass Revival show several years later. Not only was it an EB, but John Cowin was playing a Kibicki so the visual was even more surreal for someone who had never seen bluegrass with an EB.
 
#93
J_Bass said:
I don't find it to be that big, really.

It's not like a BG, of course, but with a bass biggie (wheels), it's manageable. I only carry mine once a week, though.
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I didn't really either. I thought it was going to be a lot bigger in person tbh. But I think it's more of the carefulness one must be with it. Also tight spaces and corners make it feel huge though XD!
 
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#96
There is a newish wave of "jazz"using BG. It's actually been going on for a while. You see people like Tim Lefebvre with Donny McCaslin, Kevin Scott with Wayne Krantz, Jeff Hanley with Chris Cheek, etc... It's become more accepted and in fact it's almost time for a counter-wave of double bass players.
 
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#97
GeorgesEric said:
Don’t know, OP might be a fan of Barry, Maurice and the other fella? Or abbreviation might the new thing, “my band consists of 1RG, 1 LG, 1 BG, 1S and 1D” (…)
.
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Wendell "Poison Ivy a tenor sex player with the CC Travelers and Wilson Pickett, asked me what I had in the gig bag and I told him electric bass he said a bass player is a bass player when he calls it the electric bass and not a bass guitar.

I never really thought about it, but after a bit if reflection I figured it out... I was calling it an electric bass because my first method book...
I think I might know where it is but I'm not going into that void today.

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#98
another wild-a$$ thread! :laugh:

per the OP and some of the discussion:
IMO, if the tune/part calls for a bass instrument = use a bass instrument...any one of them is better than none! :D

if you are gonna play the tune/part = use the bass instrument you like --- the one you can play! ;)

IME: the bass instrument you choose won't define the style of jazz you'll be playing, but it will probably help shape the sound of the jazz you'll be hearing. :)

all of that is "cool beans" for me! YMMV



hi, my name is jim. i play electric bass....and jazz! :D
 

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