Why all the Tal smack talk?

[JerBo]

I think she's got great groove and great instincts.
Most people hating on her are most likely jealous. Just because you can play every scale and arpeggio at 180 bpm doesn't mean that's what people want to hear... Sorry.
I bet a lot of the haters probably overplay as well.
Not to mention, she looks like she's having an absolute blast and it comes through in her music.
It's that "it" factor... IMO

 

[Highs&Lows]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLiLfkgIi40

another young talented australian bassist... check his solo

 

[fractiouslowend]

unfortunately, i was in the boat with all the rest of us who were ready to write her off, simply cos she's young / pretty.
I decided to actually give her a go, so i went on youtube and watched a bunch of her videos, unfortunately, i have to say, that i was not impressed.
sure, everything she plays is in time, and i didn't see any major mistakes, but nothing special, or even remarkable imo.
maybe it's cos she's out of my genre, but i just can't see what all the fuss is about :S

 

[Mike19]

There are plenty of female players that could do a much better job and play circles around her, probably on this forum too.

Like who?

 

[SpasticFingers]

unfortunately, i was in the boat with all the rest of us who were ready to write her off, simply cos she's young / pretty.
I decided to actually give her a go, so i went on youtube and watched a bunch of her videos, unfortunately, i have to say, that i was not impressed.
sure, everything she plays is in time, and i didn't see any major mistakes, but nothing special, or even remarkable imo.
maybe it's cos she's out of my genre, but i just can't see what all the fuss is about :S

What were you listening to her play? Was it from the 70 to 90% of her work over the last 3 years - Jeff Beck? I'd recommend you listen again, this time compare her work with him, to the bass players that he performed with previously. THAT is the only fair way to judge her abilities. In fact, you'll find that Jeff's live playlist has changed very slowly over the last 20 to 30 years, and Tal's interpretations of those songs in most cases have the most groove, introduce nuances never heard before, and provide new quick melodies underneath tried and true pieces on a regular basis. Her "competition" are no slouches, that's for sure.
Here's another interesting way to assess Tal: Just listen to the Live At Ronnie Scott Exhaust Note ROIO - its easy to find - and listen to the differences of the two recorded versions (from subsequent nights) of 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers - she provides an almost entirely different feel to the song's groove and her solo based on the overall different feel that Vinnie, Jeff and Jason were laying down. Since you've said that you needed to watch some Youtube videos of her, I can safely assume that you weren't really aware of her work before you made this assessment. Its easy to apply a preconceived notion and to find "data" to support it - its harder still to look at the objective data and reach a valid conclusion.

 

[beezerjoe]

Like who?

Rossana Nicolsi. Italian jazz bassist. Her band Novecento backed up Billy Cobham a few years back.

Laura Love. singer song writer and bassist, very good.

Lets not forget those punk, funk japanese chics. Talk about having the fire. I don't even care for some of that style of music but I was impressed.

 

[beezerjoe]

I think there are some intangibles at play here too, maybe the people she plays with feel their game lifted a bit, maybe she is just a great hang[one of the most important things on getting and keeping a gig], just like love, it's not always easy for those on the outside to know what the chemistry of a particular marriage is.

This is a distinct possibility. She could also be being used as a marketing tool or maybe they all just took a liking to her and wanted bring her up. Who knows?

 

[crossstick]

Tal just sounds good and i thought that was what music was about ?

I love Victor Bailey, does that mean sting can't be one of my favourite bass players anymore because he can't play what bailey can, do i have to sell all my sting/police CD's now. Must i not utter his name anymore ?

Hmm who should i keep in my CD collection, Marcus Miller or Louis Johnson, only enough room for one of them right ?

Do all you guys just have one artist in your CD collection, not enough room in your head for few more, has this one artist you all hold so highly been thoroughly scientifically researched to make sure you've chosen the right one to listen to ?

Come on people remove the padlocks from your ears and just let the music in, embrace it all and live a happy life.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Tal just sounds good and i thought that was what music was about ?

I love Victor Bailey, does that mean sting can't be one of my favourite bass players anymore because he can't play what bailey can, do i have to sell all my sting/police CD's now. Must i not utter his name anymore ?

Hmm who should i keep in my CD collection, Marcus Miller or Louis Johnson, only enough room for one of them right ?

Do all you guys just have one artist in your CD collection, not enough room in your head for few more, has this one artist you all hold so highly been thoroughly scientifically researched to make sure you've chosen the right one to listen to ?

Come on people remove the padlocks from your ears and just let the music in, embrace it all and live a happy life.

Very nice thought. But what if that's exactly how you "discovered" this particular player and found this player to be... Wanting?

I bought the Jjeff beck live at ronnie scott's CD a while back and without even looking at the cover, popped it into my CD player.... It took me about 10 minutes of listening to say "Lord, where did Jeff get that bassist? He's awful..." - Then I looked at the liner notes. All was explained. But I won't mention the player... I won't - because I've already been flamed *hard* for daring to say anything critical about this player. Apparently, this player is immune to criticism. Lucky her.

 

[crossstick]

If you don't like an artist then don't listen to them, i don't like Beyonce but she's not actually doing anything wrong, that's a problem with me. An artist can't go out there to please everyone, the artist must please themselves, some people will "get it" and some people won't.

I've got the Blu Ray of that beck concert and i love her playing on it, who's right, you or me ? How do we decide this ?

Tal should be Tal, you should be you and i should be me. It's not a popularity contest it's music, it's for the heart, that's where you play from and that's how you connect with others. And if the heart don't want it then don't listen to it.

Very nice thought. But what if that's exactly how you "discovered" this particular player and found this player to be... Wanting?

I bought the Jjeff beck live at ronnie scott's CD a while back and without even looking at the cover, popped it into my CD player.... It took me about 10 minutes of listening to say "Lord, where did Jeff get that bassist? He's awful..." - Then I looked at the liner notes. All was explained. But I won't mention the player... I won't - because I've already been flamed *hard* for daring to say anything critical about this player. Apparently, this player is immune to criticism. Lucky her.

 

[Mike19]

If you don't like an artist then don't listen to them,

+1

I have met people who are classical music fans who told me thay do not like Mozart. I know a couple of excellent guitar players (one plays blues, the other plays jazz) who dismiss Hendrix as an effects player rather than a guitar player.

I love Clapton, Page and Beck, but I hated the Yardbirds.

To each his own.

 

[Norwegian Bass]

I bought the Jjeff beck live at ronnie scott's CD a while back and without even looking at the cover, popped it into my CD player.... It took me about 10 minutes of listening to say "Lord, where did Jeff get that bassist? He's awful..." - Then I looked at the liner notes. All was explained. But I won't mention the player... I won't - because I've already been flamed *hard* for daring to say anything critical about this player. Apparently, this player is immune to criticism. Lucky her.

"About 10 minutes"? Last time you told the same story it was "about half way through".

Your screen name suits you...."old".

 

[Deluge Of Sound]

"About 10 minutes"? Last time you told the same story it was "about half way through".

Your screen name suits you...."old".

:scowl:

 

[Norwegian Bass]

:scowl:

What??? Too harsh?

 

[Webtroll]

There's smack talk about Tal? Pretty and talented, what's not to like? Or is it the same old whining some people make about success in others? Even without the pics her playing speaks for itself and she gets my approval. Unfortunately that ain't worth squat.

 

[crossstick]

One thing i promised myself when i started playing music 19 years ago is that i would always listen to music as a person and not a musician. I was so scared that i would lose the joy of listening without thinking. Just sit back and take it all in like anyone else.

To never single out an instrument, or to break down the track or buy a CD just because the musician was meant to be a technical genius while the music did nothing for me.

Tal's playing makes me feel good, what more can i say.

 

[Deluge Of Sound]

What??? Too harsh?

Nah, it just seems like a ridiculous point of contention.

 

[perfektspace6]

She's playing with jazz cats, not Lady Gaga.......I really don't think Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock care how cute she is.

I think you misunderstand. I agree.

I just can't understand why so many guys use the "she is a cute/hot/attractive argument to say why she is overrated in their opinion. She ain't attractive so she must have something else going on.

 

[SpasticFingers]

I bought the Jjeff beck live at ronnie scott's CD a while back and without even looking at the cover, popped it into my CD player.... It took me about 10 minutes of listening to say "Lord, where did Jeff get that bassist? He's awful..."

Have you ever listened to those tracks performed by Jeff with other bass players (there've been several, and they (by and large) garner much respect in the bass playing community), and what did you think of THOSE bass players performances of the same songs? Try to be specific, because I'm familiar with the original tracks that the Ronnie Scott recordings were covering, and almost every single one of them enjoys a strong, if not stronger treatment on the Ronnie Scott disc. I'm guessing that you're just not into Jeff's music, because if you're a bass player there wasn't anything she did or didn't do on those live recordings that could POSSIBLY bring NEGATIVE reviews. You can't and shouldn't ask her to reinvent the music, but she definitely in fact livened up most of those tracks, and lent a groove, and ability to spontaneously add melody and funk at will, and an ability to connect with her bandmates and audience. That's all you could ask for her - unless you wanted to count notes or time them with a stopwatch or apply some filter that only you define.
Lets see - 23 or 24 y.o - played with Chick Corea, Vinnie Collaiuta, Jason Rubello, Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, Steve Lukather, Oz Noy, Sting, Warren Haynes, The Allman Brothers, Piamenta, and several others.
On the other hand, we have Jeff's current bass player - Rhonda Smith, who has excellent skills and uses it to lay down a very solid and very funky bottom using her slapping technique like a crutch - INCESSANTLY. Its her sound, and I don't really like that sound dominating the groove - a groove that is, without much mellody, but lots of thrumping, slapping and pulling instead. In fact, the more I hear Rhonda, the more I miss Tal. IF this thread were entitled something about the hating on Rhonda, THEN I might understand - but hating on Tal - a woman of less than 25 years who has started a meteoric rise based upon a new fresh style of play should NOT be ridiculed in the LEAST by this group of supposed Bass players.

 

[Norwegian Bass]

Nah, it just seems like a ridiculous point of contention.

Sometimes, things are not what they seem to be.