Scofield just kills it. Not crazy about Swallow's tone but the playing is fantastic all around.
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Steve Swallow seems to have a new bass...
- Thread starter cnltb
- Start date
Seems like Sco is hunting for something, and only finding it occasionally. Sometimes he sounds like a "shreds" video!
Bill and Steve are awesome, and John sounds better and more focused (as he always has to me) using a pick. But he keeps switching back and forth, one phrase to the next, and it feels scattered. A shame cuz he could really play once upon a time.
Bill and Steve are awesome, and John sounds better and more focused (as he always has to me) using a pick. But he keeps switching back and forth, one phrase to the next, and it feels scattered. A shame cuz he could really play once upon a time.
Scofield has been one of my favorite guitarists since I first heard him in a very long time ago.
I like the two pairs of Martian antennae in front of Steve.
View attachment 923071
LOL, they're music stand lights, I use the same lights. But now that you mention it, maybe I should paint an alien face or stick a picture of Ray Walston on the back of my music stand.
Bryan R. Tyler
TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
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It's funny- the last thing I'd use to describe his tone is "deep" or any number of adjectives you'd normally associate with a 36." It's not too dissimilar from the muted fuzzy sound he had with Gary Burton 40+ years ago. Still love his playing.
That's what I was getting at. His brain is doing things his hands won't do. Lost musicality after a very short time. I get what he was getting at, he just didn't get there and there was a lot of sloppy picking that wasn't done on purpose. At several points you can hear him searching for notes. The bass and drums trade-off was pretty nice though.
Sorry but you're the one that can't hear it. Sco has found his voice. Love it.
His bass mastery seems to eclipse his need to satisfy your fashion sense about his facial hair. He has had no problem getting the gig, studio or live for decades. He's played with the who's who. It always hurts when you see this "type" of fellow with a slamming girlfriend or wife. My point? It's his face don't look. He has however made his place in the bass world. 
Maybe its just free form Jazz? From the 2:10 mark it got really interesting for sure.
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The style of jazz Steve plays has never particularly been my cup of tea, but I do love that he has such a unique setup, style and tone.
Dude....chill. I've been listening to Steve for at least 30 of my 50 years and followed his search for the perfect piezo bass. I wouldn't have even clicked on the thread if the words "Steve Swallow has a new bass" hadn't appeared. Let's have a sense of humor please.
JB
That's nothing compared to the dual heresy (in some jazz circles) of playing jazz on an electric bass - and with a pick!
Anybody with enough kahunas to go their own way like that - and make it work - will always be ok by me.
Carol Kaye, who always considered and considers herself a jazz player and not a pop or rock and roll player, is of course another jazz bass player who uses a pick. Quite rare though.
Interesting…I never heard much in the way of what I'd call a jazz vibe coming from Carol Kaye, nor have I heard her name spoken in jazz circles. I always put her squarely in the LA studio style of pop music and soft rock. Maybe she plays jazz on her own time?
Either way that makes only two pick players I've heard of doing jazz so far.
Anybody know any others?
