Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Wasn't RED a GREAT Player?
- Thread starter powermans
- Start date
Thanks Marcus on your advice... took the 50 mile drive and have the Lyle Ritz CD in my collection as we speak. very nice!
Just one other to mention and, it's funny how you can often have a gem right under your nose and you don't know that you have it! (pre- my addiction to Red Mitchell)
I had cause to go through my 2000 plus jazz libary and look up an old Mercury recording for a friend who does a Jazz Program on radio. I remembered buying a 4 CD complilation some 15 years ago titled Mercury 40th Anniversary V.S.O.P. Album with numereous artists featured.
While looking for the particular track for my friend, I came across 3 tracks on Disc2 "Cherokee" "Blues in the Night"and "Suppertime" recorded in L A on April 20th and 26th 1955. featuring The Herb Geller Quartet with Herb on Alto, Lorraine Geller on Piano , RED MITCHELL D/Bass and Mel Lewis Drums. And as you might imagine "Cherokee"moves along at Lightning Speed and Red's right on top of it!
Liner Notes go on to say quite a lot on this quartet but apparently, as stated (quote) The three fine 1955 quartet pieces heard here, however, are strictly mainstream jazz. It is hard to understand why Cherokee remained unissued for 30 years for it's a brilliant performance,taking it's cue from Parker's Ko Ko.(unquote)
I gotta go back through my collection for a closer look for more gems like this!
Just one other to mention and, it's funny how you can often have a gem right under your nose and you don't know that you have it! (pre- my addiction to Red Mitchell)
I had cause to go through my 2000 plus jazz libary and look up an old Mercury recording for a friend who does a Jazz Program on radio. I remembered buying a 4 CD complilation some 15 years ago titled Mercury 40th Anniversary V.S.O.P. Album with numereous artists featured.
While looking for the particular track for my friend, I came across 3 tracks on Disc2 "Cherokee" "Blues in the Night"and "Suppertime" recorded in L A on April 20th and 26th 1955. featuring The Herb Geller Quartet with Herb on Alto, Lorraine Geller on Piano , RED MITCHELL D/Bass and Mel Lewis Drums. And as you might imagine "Cherokee"moves along at Lightning Speed and Red's right on top of it!
Liner Notes go on to say quite a lot on this quartet but apparently, as stated (quote) The three fine 1955 quartet pieces heard here, however, are strictly mainstream jazz. It is hard to understand why Cherokee remained unissued for 30 years for it's a brilliant performance,taking it's cue from Parker's Ko Ko.(unquote)
I gotta go back through my collection for a closer look for more gems like this!
I think I use to have that Geller session on vinyl....is 'I Remember You' on that?powermans said:Thanks Marcus on your advice... took the 50 mile drive and have the Lyle Ritz CD in my collection as we speak. very nice!
Just one other to mention and, it's funny how you can often have a gem right under your nose and you don't know that you have it! (pre- my addiction to Red Mitchell)
I had cause to go through my 2000 plus jazz libary and look up an old Mercury recording for a friend who does a Jazz Program on radio. I remembered buying a 4 CD complilation some 15 years ago titled Mercury 40th Anniversary V.S.O.P. Album with numereous artists featured.
While looking for the particular track for my friend, I came across 3 tracks on Disc2 "Cherokee" "Blues in the Night"and "Suppertime" recorded in L A on April 20th and 26th 1955. featuring The Herb Geller Quartet with Herb on Alto, Lorraine Geller on Piano , RED MITCHELL D/Bass and Mel Lewis Drums. And as you might imagine "Cherokee"moves along at Lightning Speed and Red's right on top of it!
Liner Notes go on to say quite a lot on this quartet but apparently, as stated (quote) The three fine 1955 quartet pieces heard here, however, are strictly mainstream jazz. It is hard to understand why Cherokee remained unissued for 30 years for it's a brilliant performance,taking it's cue from Parker's Ko Ko.(unquote)
I gotta go back through my collection for a closer look for more gems like this!
No Paul, that track is not on this 4 CD collection. From what I can gather it's the Mercury Stars of the day (1950,s)and features such artists as Roland Kirk, Cannonball Adderley, Sarah Vaughan, Sam Jones , Billy Cobb, Art Farmer etc etc....
Yeh ! just the three tracks as I listed with Red, although Herb Geller is listed on 1st and 2nd Track on Disc 3 with Maynard Ferguon but with Ray Brown on Bass on this session.
Yeh ! just the three tracks as I listed with Red, although Herb Geller is listed on 1st and 2nd Track on Disc 3 with Maynard Ferguon but with Ray Brown on Bass on this session.
I missed the fact that you said compilation. I'm sure that tune is on that session though.
By the way, Lorraine Geller ended up on Reds band. That 'Presenting Red Mitchell' record with the cat on Reds bass......similar to Durrls cat on his bass.
By the way, Lorraine Geller ended up on Reds band. That 'Presenting Red Mitchell' record with the cat on Reds bass......similar to Durrls cat on his bass.
I had to bring this thread back to life as Reds playing is starting to have a really big influence on not only my playing but my life. I have been really depressed lately(cold winter and not many gigs happening has something to do with it I am sure). Music, especially the bass has always been my main focus every single day, however lately I have been having second thoughts. I just haven't been motivated to practice much, and I have to work a lot more since I am not gigging. I have thought about maybe putting music on the back burner and going in a different direction. I decided to put the Oliver Jones cd "Northern Summit" on a week ago, and it had a pretty big impact on me. Red's playing on this album is just beautiful. His playing brings a tear to my eye. Funny how these things happen, but it really motivated me. It really makes me want to approach the bass almost in a different way. Red seemed to have the ability to not only play the bass as a supporting voice, but also contributing melodically to the music. Anyway, sorry for the rant! There just a lot of musicians, let alone bass players who have really impacted me in this way. I am off to practice!!
YO said:
Amen, bro. When I get all dark like that and start to have second thoughts, I listen to Red for a slightly different reason, but the outcome is the same...When I hear Red play, I think about getting back into piano again and working on becoming a double threat - kind of like a poor man's Red or Don Thompson. Off to practice!
I don't think that this thread can be resurrected too many times. Red needs to be heard by as many musicians as possible. If there was ever a more melodic, rhythmic, complete bassist and musician than Red Mitchell, I don't know who it could be.
I fully agree. There are a lot of wonderful musicians out there but not many truly complete musicians. I think it is time to start lifting....maybe even the big switch to 5ths.
Ok, I'll have to admit that I don't own any RM recordings. So . . . what would the experts suggest be my first RM recording to acquire?
Bassist/Pianist/Vocalist/Composer Jim Aton told me this story: When he came to LA latter part of '54 or early '55, one of the first club dates he landed was a little place in Hollywood. It was just a Duo, but something to get established with. His partner? Red Mitchell. When they both discovered that each played piano, they began trading instruments on every set. I'd loved to have witnessed that. This would have been prior to Red switching to alternate tuning. Jim was no slouch himself...by that time he'd already toured with Herbie Fields' band (backing Billie Holiday), Stan Kenton and worked Chicago with Calvin Jackson and Maynard Ferguson. Not long after that club date with Red Mitchell, he went on staff at Gold Star and then became Anita O'Day's road bassist for six years. At age 80, he's still performing in the Lake Tahoe area. And he still talks about his piano-bass duo with Red.
I do love to see these Red threads pop back up.
The last two records I bought were Red/Joe Beck duo (at Bradley's) and Red/Roger Kellaway Duo (Fifty-Fifty). I've had the Red/Lee Konitz Cole Porter tribute record for a couple of years and have been consistently amazed by it every time I play it and the other two duo albums I have are headed in the same direction for me.
There's one part on that Red/Harold Land album (Hear Ye!) where he play's this repeated note figure, just like 8 eigth notes but the way that he articulates it is just incredible.
The last two records I bought were Red/Joe Beck duo (at Bradley's) and Red/Roger Kellaway Duo (Fifty-Fifty). I've had the Red/Lee Konitz Cole Porter tribute record for a couple of years and have been consistently amazed by it every time I play it and the other two duo albums I have are headed in the same direction for me.
There's one part on that Red/Harold Land album (Hear Ye!) where he play's this repeated note figure, just like 8 eigth notes but the way that he articulates it is just incredible.
The infamous duo album with Jim Hall is the best, IMHO. Infamous, as in "in-famous"....hard to find.
I have all 3 of the trio albums Red recorded with Hampton Hawes, imho some of the finest piano/bass/drums jazz trio recordings ever made, right up there with the trios of Bill Evans, Ahmed Jamal, Oscar Peterson, & Wynton Kelly. Oscar Peterson mentions in his Jazz Odyssey auto biography that he wanted Red for his trio after Ray Brown decided to leave, but that Red wasn't available, althought they had jammed together on several occasions. I have been told that at that time, that was probably one of the best paying (and prestigous) gigs available for a jazz bassist. Oscar decided on Sam Jones, no slouch in his own right. Red was a very under rated player.
Nice to see this thread return to the front page.... He's quite rightly made a BIG impression on many of us fellow bassists right around the planet! The good thing about bringing back a thread like this is, as I type this , I am reaching above my head to my selection of Red CD's and I think we'll go with Adrian's selection of "Northern Summit" with Oliver, Herb and YES .....RED!!!!
Don't you just love that big grin on Red's face on the back cover of the cd!
Don't you just love that big grin on Red's face on the back cover of the cd!
in this thread there are some posts concerning a video with red, tal farlow and tommy flanagan.
some small clips (one where they play "I Hear a Rhapsody") of this can be seen here, i think:
http://talfarlowfilm.com/film_excerpts.htm
hope this may be interesting
some small clips (one where they play "I Hear a Rhapsody") of this can be seen here, i think:
http://talfarlowfilm.com/film_excerpts.htm
hope this may be interesting
Somebody mentions how Red is affecting thier life, not only in terms of music, but as a hero for life. As a Red lover for life, believe me, you couldn't pick a better person to pattern yourself after.
Don Thomson was hanging at my house once when he was here with Shearing and I played the Body and Soul cut off of the Home Suite record. Red plays piano and sings on this cut.I looked over at Don in the middle of the cut and there were tears streaming dow his face.
The only other person who could move me to tears is Bill Evans and maybe Miles.
Don Thomson was hanging at my house once when he was here with Shearing and I played the Body and Soul cut off of the Home Suite record. Red plays piano and sings on this cut.I looked over at Don in the middle of the cut and there were tears streaming dow his face.
The only other person who could move me to tears is Bill Evans and maybe Miles.
VTDB said:
If you look at the machines on the Tyrol bass that Red plays on the cover picture, you'll see that luthier Paul Toenneges pirated some Joseph Bohmann machines and put them on this bass to make it a fiver. Bohmann is the maker of my five string bass. It has the only complete set of five string machines in the world. The Bohmann machines on Reds bass are actually only a four string set. Paul added another machine to make it a fiver.
This album is a great example of Reds arco work.....beautiful!!
