Double Bass Brian Bromberg - Nardis

[Michael Drost]

I believe this is a taste of what he will be doing on his new “Lafaro Project” album.



I’ll comment on the Real Book chart of Nardis on the piano players stand so we can get past it and just listen to his absolute shredding. Good stuff! Haha.

 

[lurk]

Yeah. His album Wood has some questionable harmony in a few spots that I think come from using Real Book info instead of ears. Why would such a brilliant master musician record like that?

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Just ridiculously amazing playing on that cut. And live as well. Good to see Brian out there still tearing it up!

As for the whole Real Book trope, I seriously wish we could get past that when discussing players at this level.

 

[TroyK]

That's some nice trio playing.

 

[Joshua]

That's some nice trio playing.

Amen!

 

[Michael Drost]

Just ridiculously amazing playing on that cut. And live as well. Good to see Brian out there still tearing it up!

As for the whole Real Book trope, I seriously wish we could get past that when discussing players at this level.

Agreed! Let’s get past it and enjoy this incredible playing!

 

[MuseChaser]

Great playing all around. I have to admit, as a pianist, I sometimes leave music on the stand just as a place holder for where we are in a pre-planned set, but yeah, having to refer to Nardis on a pro gig is more than a little suspect. To the pianist's credit, at least he doesn't seem to need to constantly look at it.. although he was my least favorite player in the trio. Still... a great group, and thanks for the post.

While I'd LOVE to be able to play as well as Brian (and I don't play bass that well, and never will), Marc Johnson's performance here (his solo starts at just past 5:00 into the clip)...



.. is much closer to my "desert island" bassist perfection. Brian's tone (very low action, depending upon pickup a lot?) and constant vibrato, at least to my ear, serves more to obscure his wonderful playing and musicianship than enhance it. Marc, on the other hand, just stinkin' plays BASS, man.... and still with ALL of the fluidity and virtuosity. Scott LaFaro, and Marc Johnson. Baby.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

Phenomenal! I love Bromberg!

 

[mdcbass]

I heard that trio with Marc Johnson and Joe Labarbera and prior to that, Rufus Reid and Philly Joe. I'd like to have seen him with Chuck Israels who I think sounded more like the playing the bass than Bromberg, Johnson or Gomez.
Nardis - Bill Evans Trio 1965 (youtube.com)

 

[MuseChaser]

I heard that trio with Marc Johnson and Joe Labarbera and prior to that, Rufus Reid and Philly Joe. I'd like to have seen him with Chuck Israels who I think sounded more like the playing the bass than Bromberg, Johnson or Gomez.
Nardis - Bill Evans Trio 1965 (youtube.com)

Interesting. The given, of course, is that at this level of exceptional musicianship is that it's ALL great.

Having said that, Chuck Israels, as fine a player and as great a sound as he was /had, didn't quite, at least to my ears, grasp Evans' "conversational" trio concept as well as LaFaro, Johnson, Peacock, or Gomez. Those are my favorite Evans' bassists, with Gomez last because his sort of "rubber band" sound doesn't appeal to me..., but that's picking nits. History and tragedy aside, Johnson is probably my favorite, much as my heart wants to say LaFaro. Again, ALL amazing players.

You mentioned Philly Joe.. great drummer, and perfect for so many other groups comprised of or led by giants. Still... He didn't fit with Evans' trios to my ear.

 

[mdcbass]

Interesting. The given, of course, is that at this level of exceptional musicianship is that it's ALL great.

Having said that, Chuck Israels, as fine a player and as great a sound as he was /had, didn't quite, at least to my ears, grasp Evans' "conversational" trio concept as well as LaFaro, Johnson, Peacock, or Gomez. Those are my favorite Evans' bassists, with Gomez last because his sort of "rubber band" sound doesn't appeal to me..., but that's picking nits. History and tragedy aside, Johnson is probably my favorite, much as my heart wants to say LaFaro. Again, ALL amazing players.

You mentioned Philly Joe.. great drummer, and perfect for so many other groups comprised of or led by giants. Still... He didn't fit with Evans' trios to my ear.

I remember reading somewhere that Philly Joe was one of Bill's favorite drummers. They'd worked together before what we know as the Bill Evans Trio.

 

[MuseChaser]

I remember reading somewhere that Philly Joe was one of Bill's favorite drummers. They'd worked together before what we know as the Bill Evans Trio.

I don't doubt that.... It's true. However, that was in the context of the Miles sessions and others where Bill wasn't the leader. Philly Joe, as perfect as he was in so many settings and one of my favorite drummers too, didn't fit with Evans' trio concept as well as others. I wish I could remember unequivocally whose statement to that fact I read recently... Bill's or someone else... but I remember reading it and concurring.

 

[Lee Moses]

I remember reading somewhere that Philly Joe was one of Bill's favorite drummers. They'd worked together before what we know as the Bill Evans Trio.

My recollection is that Bill called Philly Joe his favorite drummer, period.

 

[Sam Sherry]

Brian's tone (very low action, depending upon pickup a lot?) and constant vibrato, at least to my ear, serves more to obscure his wonderful playing and musicianship than enhance it. Marc, on the other hand, just stinkin' plays BASS, man.... and still with ALL of the fluidity and virtuosity. Scott LaFaro, and Marc Johnson. Baby.

Brian Bromberg is also a top-drawer professional record-producer. His recorded sound is intentional.

I'll wager that if Mr. Bromberg was able to produce that lovely TV-show clip you posted he could make Marc Johnson's sound identical to that of . . . Brian Bromberg.

You know that's one of the big differences between DB and piano. Pianists have a decent clue, in the moment, what they are sounding like in the room. DB players almost never hear the sound that people in the room hear.

 

[lurk]

Michael Moore told me that the reason he quit Evan's trio, which had been his dream for years, was Philly Joe, who was clearly an historically great drummer, but to many of our ears a poor match for late period Evans. Bill loved playing with him for reasons that aren't apparent to most of us. I'll keep listening though, and trying to get it. For me it's like late Coltrane. I have so much love and respect for his early stuff and great quartet stuff that I dip into the late recordings from time to time and try to get it.

 

[damonsmith]

Marc Johnson plays the double bass at the highest level and has done for years. I would say he & Bromberg are peers as musicians, one puts everything into the double bass and the other also doubles on bass guitar at a very high level. I don't see it as a fair comparison in this area: Marc puts everything he has into the double bass and came up with Evans. Of course he will have the edge in contexts like this. Bromberg still sounds great. As much as I will defend the fact that the Real Book is its own reality and by now those versions have their own histories, for a Bill Evans project, the Evans versions should probably be used and I am sure you can get accurate charts of them without having to transcribe.
Music isn't about competition in the same way as sports, in that there is less definitive winners and losers. However, what you put your time into and where you get your information can make a difference in your work.

As far as Philly Joe, I would imagine his depth of time and swing was amazing to play with. I could see that being preferable to Evans if he can't have the real Paul Motian. I could also see it boxing in Michael Moore while he is trying to get to his version of the Lafaro style equal partner concepts.

 

[TroyK]

We all have our versions of band mates who we admire, but don't feel like we lock in well with.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Does anybody else see two Full Circles on that bass? I've always wondered about how that might work.

 

[damonsmith]

We all have our versions of band mates who we admire, but don't feel like we lock in well with.

I'd say it probably more in line with wrong tool for the job. I am a thousand percent sure Moore and Jones would be locked in deep on a more quarter note heavy gig. The Bill Evans trio stuff with Lafaro and Motian is a model for a lot of early free improvised music. Lafaro played with Ornette and Motian did tons of free music, lots of it with Bley. You need to know about playing free and still keep the form for that gig. Philly Joe played with Archie Shepp in Paris, but that was more dense energy playing.
It is good reminder that it is entirely possible to play great and still #$%^ up the gig!

 

[Sam Sherry]

Bill loved playing with {Philly Joe} him for reasons that aren't apparent to most of us.

It could just be that they were old, old running buddies.
Evans' personal biography reflects that he probably was not an easy person to get on with.
Philly Joe knew him from his youth and first blazing success.

Michael Moore told me that . . . Philly Joe . . . was clearly an historically great drummer, but to many of our ears a poor match for late period Evans.

I started studying with Michael in the fall of 1978. I was just a high-school kid! It's impossible to overstate how generous, patient and gracious Michael was to me. If I am anything as a jazz bassist that's because I absorbed a small fraction of what Michael tried to convey.

But anybody who hears Getting Sentimental can tell what's going on.

Michael Moore told me that the reason he quit Evan's trio, which had been his dream for years . . .

I've said this before: Michael Moore's time with The Bill Evans Trio is a real-life example of, 'Be careful what you wish for.' It's a story as old as stories: Our Hero desires something rare and fine, works for years to move toward it, achieves or acquires it . . . and it sucks so bad, and Our Hero's life is irrevocably changed.

Apologies for re-posting this riff but let's take a peek into an alternate world, in which Michael stays with Bill, Philly Joe leaves and the team is Michael and Joe LaBarbera. From 1978:

Marc Johnson plays the double bass at the highest level and has done for years. I would say he & Bromberg are peers as musicians

Damon, one of the things I respect about you is that you are so open and enthusiastic about music which is different from that which you personally love and play.