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Double Bass Wasn't RED a GREAT Player?
- Thread starter powermans
- Start date
Paul,
I've enjoyed your knowledge of Red Mitchell. Could you recommend a short list of recordings so that I can start listening to his work?
Thanks, Jim
I've enjoyed your knowledge of Red Mitchell. Could you recommend a short list of recordings so that I can start listening to his work?
Thanks, Jim
Jim, I already did this. Please do a search under Red's name and it should come up. I remember writing all the label names and #s. If you don't come up with anything, lemme know and I'll do it again......jimclark68 said:
Thanks Paul, I'll search again... I searched earlier before I posted, but missed the list. I'll try again.
Thanks again Paul, I found the list. I realized that I had done too narrow of a search the first time.
Olie, try clicking on my profile, and then ALL of my posts. It has to be in there. If not, lemme know and i'll do it again.
If you have a problem, email Red's widow Diane www//home.teleport.com/~mimumarake said:
Or Joel Quarrington
Also, you guys who were asking about some of Reds recordings....alot are available through this site!
Paul:
I didn't know Red Mitchell played on the Nelson Riddle arrangements with Sinatra. Was that when Sinatra was on Capitol (early sixties, late fifties?). The bass playing on those Sinatra tunes was something I listened to long and hard to try to get that bounce on those tracks. Most of it was played with a two feel that really felt great.
I didn't know Red Mitchell played on the Nelson Riddle arrangements with Sinatra. Was that when Sinatra was on Capitol (early sixties, late fifties?). The bass playing on those Sinatra tunes was something I listened to long and hard to try to get that bounce on those tracks. Most of it was played with a two feel that really felt great.
I know Red was on alot of them.....There's one with a picture of Sinatra in front of the....I was going to say BAND, but it was a big orchestra, with Red in the background.
Yeah, that bounce of his is very cool.
I wish I could tell you which sides were Red....there were many really good bass players from that era in L.A...Rolly Bundock, Joe Mondragon, Ralph Pena, Monte Budwig, Leroy Vinnegar, Gene Cherico...was Sinatras road bassist....Frank would use alot of Italians in the band, HA! There was another guy used to work with pianist Lou Levy for Peggy Lee, among others.....switched to slab and worked alot. Maybe one of you guys can remember his name? and a bunch more i'm not remembering were very busy in the music/movie studios in those days. Red was principal bassist at MGM. The stuff you mention on Capitol and then Sinatra's Reprise label provided alot of work for these guys. I've always wished that one of those L.A. guys would write a book on that era. Diane Mitchell was talking about writing Reds Biography....that would make a helluva book...So many stories.
Yeah, that bounce of his is very cool.
I wish I could tell you which sides were Red....there were many really good bass players from that era in L.A...Rolly Bundock, Joe Mondragon, Ralph Pena, Monte Budwig, Leroy Vinnegar, Gene Cherico...was Sinatras road bassist....Frank would use alot of Italians in the band, HA! There was another guy used to work with pianist Lou Levy for Peggy Lee, among others.....switched to slab and worked alot. Maybe one of you guys can remember his name? and a bunch more i'm not remembering were very busy in the music/movie studios in those days. Red was principal bassist at MGM. The stuff you mention on Capitol and then Sinatra's Reprise label provided alot of work for these guys. I've always wished that one of those L.A. guys would write a book on that era. Diane Mitchell was talking about writing Reds Biography....that would make a helluva book...So many stories.
Paul: Thanks for the info. Yeah I'd love more info on that era. Didn't Gene Cherico play on one of the first Stan Getz bossa albums?
abaguer said:
Probably....I don't know what happened to Gene.....a helluva player!
As i've mentioned before, this era reminds me of NYC in terms of musical activity. There was alot more work in L,A. for the John Doe bass player, and for the "IN' people it was amazing.
There was work in Vegas for people that wanted to have a break. In those days, most of the casinos had lounge acts and of course the "big" shows....Sinatra, Tony Bennet etc.
It also provided work for luthiers like Paul Toenniges which, as i've said was L.A.s answer to David Gages shop in NY.
Then, when things were slow, you could go out on the road with many different bands and singers. Actually, some pretty great players would show up here and of course in most major cities, on bands like Woody, Kenton ETC.
In Hollywood during one of the rehearsals under Andre Previn, Red hit a couple of clinkers. Previn ignored this for a while, until finally he questioned Red. Red then explained that he changed over to tuning his bass in 5ths and is still working on it. Previn was impressed because as a conductor he could relate the bass tuning with the cellos. It took Thomastik almost two years to come up with a set of strings that satisifed Red. Incidentally, Red had a $10,000 Pfretschner French bow that he was in love with. After it was stolen (while he was in Sweden ) he never soloed with a bow again.
Hey another Red freak! I was gonna tell that story about the bow, but I didn't think anyone would believe it.
Any other Red stories alavakian that I haven't told? I've told alot of them here on TBDB, but there are many more.
Do you know Red's widow Diane?
By the way, Max Benett was the slab players name I was trying to remember that use to play with Peggy Lee in that other post above.
Any other Red stories alavakian that I haven't told? I've told alot of them here on TBDB, but there are many more.
Do you know Red's widow Diane?
By the way, Max Benett was the slab players name I was trying to remember that use to play with Peggy Lee in that other post above.
I'm listening to this album now.......Red on piano and vocals! in an interview on the CD, he says that he gave up being a pianist cause he wasn't gonna get his left hand working like he wanted to......
He also displays much dark humor in the tune "Where's Don Ellis Now?", in which he pokes fun at Don's silly time signatures --"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 1,2,3,4,5,6,8......9, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, Where's Don Ellis Now?"
Um......actually, he had been dead for a few years.
Ah Red.....
He also displays much dark humor in the tune "Where's Don Ellis Now?", in which he pokes fun at Don's silly time signatures --"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 1,2,3,4,5,6,8......9, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, Where's Don Ellis Now?"
Um......actually, he had been dead for a few years.
Ah Red.....
Hey Mingus....I've heard of this, but haven't heard it.....guess I'd better get it. Thanks Man!MingusFingus said:
Yes Paul, if you're a Red fan (which we know you are), you will love it. I think Red "held back" a lot of his talent!! I got a feelin' he could have been a major composer - he had the ability and intelligence.
It's a fun album - Red describes it as doing his Fats Waller thing (great 20 minute interview tacked on at the end).
I still crack up at "Where's Don Ellis now?".....a bit of bad taste by Red (I mean the guy was dead, RIGHT?) but I love him all the same!! In the interview, Red says he remembers Ellis' band doing "Take Five" in 4/4 LOL. Seems he was really not very fond of Don.
It's a fun album - Red describes it as doing his Fats Waller thing (great 20 minute interview tacked on at the end).
I still crack up at "Where's Don Ellis now?".....a bit of bad taste by Red (I mean the guy was dead, RIGHT?) but I love him all the same!! In the interview, Red says he remembers Ellis' band doing "Take Five" in 4/4 LOL. Seems he was really not very fond of Don.
No, I don't know Red Mitchells' wife Diane. The only contact I ever had with Red (we called him "Keith") was very briefly at Julliard in 1947-48 where we studied bass with Fred Zimmerman, along with Al Strazza, Stuart Sankey and a few others who went to fame. I remember he had a great interest in engineering. I also remember Red dropping out quite early. For some reason unbeknowns to us, Red and Zimmerman did not get along. He went to study with someone else and the rest is history.
