Earl
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Michael said they both rushed like crazy.
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Double Bass Brian Bromberg - Nardis
- Thread starter Michael Drost
- Start date
Michael said they both rushed like crazy.
Sounds like a bunch of people I went to high school with "oh, Neil Peart...Getty Lee..."
Exhausting. I would have quit too.
Exhausting. I would have quit too.
There is a lesson here, but not the one you probably think there is. It is nice to have technical standards and goal posts, it turns out they don't always matter in the way we think they do. There is a whole planet full of drummers and pianists no one cares about that don't rush. Rushing is indeed a sin for a basic, local-yokel on a standards gig. It turns out it does not mater in the least if you making great art. Picasso doesn't resonate with me, but I am not dumb enough to attack him for drawing a guitar incorrectly.
It is just a guess, but I'd put my money on Bill just going with Philly Joe. Bill doesn't get enough credit for opening up the concept of jazz time, but his trio with LaFaro and Motian is an important step for free music that often goes uncredited.
Maybe something like the Yamahiko Double Sensor Set M8 thread Double Sensor Set CPS-DB-DS | Item | YAMAHIKO 山彦 . Although the jack fixing on the video looks like the Full Circle.
jdthebassman
play to live live to play
What kind of strings do people recommend for that mwah sound brian gets. I know he uses low action.
Haha it makes me think of this thread : https://www.talkbass.com/threads/making-my-upright-sound-like-a-fretless-electric.1108735/page-2
Hey — when the legends come on TB I not only listen — I take screenshotsGet an engineering degree. There's no point in pursuing jazz music.
Ah the beauty of Talkbass! I just saw these posts for the first time and I had to jump in, just because.
First of all, if the pianist puts up a Real Book chart of Nardis on his piano, who cares? If it makes him feel more comfortable, so what? Is this a test, an exam, are there rules? Do I give a ****? No. Do I care? No. What I do care about is that he is a lovely, giving, honorable human being, who also is a huge Bill Evans fan, and happens to be a dear friend of mine and a great musician. His heart and soul is in every note he plays, and it is my pleasure to give him this opportunity to play this music that we love so much. He never overplays, he always listens, he plays with complete honesty, and again is a friend the 22 hours of the day we are not on stage playing music. I will say this again, do I give a crap if he has a chart on the piano? No, I don't. He plays his ass off on the upcoming LaFaro Tribute album, so musical and respectful. Made it a joy for me as a soloist as he never gets in the way and just supports me when I am trying to do my thing. Trust me when I say that it is wonderful to play with a pianist who listens and doesn't overplay because they have no idea how to comp a bass solo. So, with that said he is there for a reason. Music is not a sport or a competition.
As far as those who judge me for having low action and because of that don't respect me or take me seriously....It is a free world, you don't have to like my playing or sound. There are a lot of great players out there who play more traditionally than I do. Listen to them, all good. I play for me, nobody else. In fact, I didn't spend half my life practicing and playing 5-8 hours a day because I was doing it for anyone other than me. None of us work this hard for anyone but ourselves. For those who judge me for low action? There are others with lower action than me, trust me. But, so what? Who cares? Why does it matter? Again like I give a ****? Are there rules? When the doctors told me that I either change my approach to playing and re-learn how to play, or quit as the damage that I was doing to my tendons was going to make it so I could never play again, as well as the pain was brutal when i played. The doctors wanted to do surgery on my forearms to scrape the mineral deposits off my tendons that was building up in my arms from acute tendonitis, I had to change my whole approach to the bass, or quit. Quitting was not an option for me, period. So, I changed my setup and approach to the bass so I could keep playing the instrument that I love. I learned how to play with touch, grace, and smoothness. Do you have a problem with that? Again, do I care? If you have a problem with that then again you don't have to listen to me, all good.
And by the way, Marc Johnson is a bad ass. For those of you who don't know, I have a career because of Marc Johnson. When I was 18 and living in Tucson, The Bill Evans Trio came to Tucson for a week to do workshops and performances. I went to everything they did, got to know Bill, Marc, and Joe. In fact Marc hung out with me for a few days after their gigs were finished. Seven months later Marc recommended me to Stan Getz. Marc called me up and said Stan Getz was going to call me to audition and play in his band. I was like "yeah right, give me a break". Sure enough, the next day Stan called me, and I found myself on a plane with my bass flying to NYC to audition. I auditioned and got the gig with Stan, and that launched my career. I had no idea that at 18 I played well enough to play with musicians like Stan Getz, it was crazy. Another thing that Marc did for me with Bill Evans was that he and Bill talked and Bill invited me to play a whole set with his trio at the Village Vanguard. At that point, I might have been 19, but I effed up as I was too insecure to do it and I chickened out. The biggest musical regret of my life, makes me sick. A real learning experience for sure.
First of all, if the pianist puts up a Real Book chart of Nardis on his piano, who cares? If it makes him feel more comfortable, so what? Is this a test, an exam, are there rules? Do I give a ****? No. Do I care? No. What I do care about is that he is a lovely, giving, honorable human being, who also is a huge Bill Evans fan, and happens to be a dear friend of mine and a great musician. His heart and soul is in every note he plays, and it is my pleasure to give him this opportunity to play this music that we love so much. He never overplays, he always listens, he plays with complete honesty, and again is a friend the 22 hours of the day we are not on stage playing music. I will say this again, do I give a crap if he has a chart on the piano? No, I don't. He plays his ass off on the upcoming LaFaro Tribute album, so musical and respectful. Made it a joy for me as a soloist as he never gets in the way and just supports me when I am trying to do my thing. Trust me when I say that it is wonderful to play with a pianist who listens and doesn't overplay because they have no idea how to comp a bass solo. So, with that said he is there for a reason. Music is not a sport or a competition.
As far as those who judge me for having low action and because of that don't respect me or take me seriously....It is a free world, you don't have to like my playing or sound. There are a lot of great players out there who play more traditionally than I do. Listen to them, all good. I play for me, nobody else. In fact, I didn't spend half my life practicing and playing 5-8 hours a day because I was doing it for anyone other than me. None of us work this hard for anyone but ourselves. For those who judge me for low action? There are others with lower action than me, trust me. But, so what? Who cares? Why does it matter? Again like I give a ****? Are there rules? When the doctors told me that I either change my approach to playing and re-learn how to play, or quit as the damage that I was doing to my tendons was going to make it so I could never play again, as well as the pain was brutal when i played. The doctors wanted to do surgery on my forearms to scrape the mineral deposits off my tendons that was building up in my arms from acute tendonitis, I had to change my whole approach to the bass, or quit. Quitting was not an option for me, period. So, I changed my setup and approach to the bass so I could keep playing the instrument that I love. I learned how to play with touch, grace, and smoothness. Do you have a problem with that? Again, do I care? If you have a problem with that then again you don't have to listen to me, all good.
And by the way, Marc Johnson is a bad ass. For those of you who don't know, I have a career because of Marc Johnson. When I was 18 and living in Tucson, The Bill Evans Trio came to Tucson for a week to do workshops and performances. I went to everything they did, got to know Bill, Marc, and Joe. In fact Marc hung out with me for a few days after their gigs were finished. Seven months later Marc recommended me to Stan Getz. Marc called me up and said Stan Getz was going to call me to audition and play in his band. I was like "yeah right, give me a break". Sure enough, the next day Stan called me, and I found myself on a plane with my bass flying to NYC to audition. I auditioned and got the gig with Stan, and that launched my career. I had no idea that at 18 I played well enough to play with musicians like Stan Getz, it was crazy. Another thing that Marc did for me with Bill Evans was that he and Bill talked and Bill invited me to play a whole set with his trio at the Village Vanguard. At that point, I might have been 19, but I effed up as I was too insecure to do it and I chickened out. The biggest musical regret of my life, makes me sick. A real learning experience for sure.
You have my eternal respect Mr. Bromberg. I've been a fan of your playing (and sound!) almost since I first got into jazz after my first teacher hipped me to your playing. I'm eagerly awaiting the new record! Thank you for responding to the thread and telling it like it is!
Great to hear from you, and I appreciate your comments very much. Your pianist is fortunate to have a friend like you, too; few people have ever stood up for me as you just stood up for him (not that he needs it; just in case my earlier posts weren't clear, he's a great player.. just wasn't my favorite player in the group, that's all).
Just to clear up a couple posts of mine that may or may not have come across well or even as intended...
The short wise-guy one re/ getting an engineering degree instead of jazz was meant, ONLY, as a continued use of tread-worn comedic aspersions towards the relative long-shot of jazz being a secure way of securing the proverbial millions-of-dollars life-style. If it was taken as a comment, in any way, about the competency of ANY players in the trio... it wasn't that. At all.
Re/ the comments on tone, string height, vibrato, etc... all of that is, pure and simple, personal preferences, and no one asked for my comments. There is probably a lesson to be learned there for me, but in the company of musicians, discussing the things that awe us and the things that confound us are part and parcel of moving forward, at least to me. It's hard not to verbalize them, and learn from the responses. My positive comments about the things that awed me in Brian's wonderful playing and musicianship were overshadowed by my comments about the things that confounded me, and by my ill-chosen words extolling Marc Johnson, i.e, "..just stinkin' plays BASS," enthusiastically expressed my admiration for Marc's playing, yet implying something that I did NOT mean to imply, as it would be asinine... that Brain does not "stinkin' play bass." He most certainly does, and at the upper strata levels. Just very poorly expressing my preferences.
I'm primarily a pianist, and a life-long Evans fan. I'm the first call guy for a bunch of folks in my area.... and the second or third call guy for others, including one of my closest friends who is an absolutely wonderful saxophonist. The two guys he calls first play differently than I do... some would say "better," some would say "safer," and some prefer my playing. It used to bother me a lot, but in the past decade or so I've come, finally and way too late, to the realization that, at a certain level, it's not a question of good or bad, better or worse, right or wrong, or anything else like that. It's just that some folks like and gel with certain approaches, not which approach is "correct." Brian is CERTAINLY way above that level.
@Brian Bromberg - I had no idea of your connection with Marc, nor your unfortunately missed opportunity to play with Bill. Thanks for sharing those experiences. Can't imagine what that feels like in hindsight, although I can identify with how it may have felt (not confident enough to play with Bill) at the time. Heck, I'm 63 now, working steadily, and would probably still feel that way if YOU called me in a bind and invited me to play a set. On the other hand, I'd do it now... not much left to lose!
All the best, and my apologies
Musechaser, thanks for responding. You really don't have to apologize as you were just sharing your feelings and preferences, we all have them. I actually think for the most part we play the way we play, and that's it. Meaning that we end up sounding like we sound and having the technique that we have on our instrument, it kind of it what it is and we have to accept the outcome of who we become as musicians. What I have learned to do as I have gotten older and matured is to appreciate what is vs. what isn't. The honesty of a player playing at the top of their ability is just as real whether you are a virtuoso freak of nature or just a passionate player who loves playing, but might not "one of the guys" so to speak. We all don't reach the top of the mountain, and that is ok, because the journey is what's important, not just the destination.
Hmm. I’m going to give these guys permission to use whatever charts and changes they want. I think they’ll make out all right.
Man, you're an astounding musician and most of us commenting on your work are doing it from the starting point of assuming that we all agree that you have reached the upper echelon of the art form. I personally happen to prefer Verdi to Puccini, for example, and enjoy bantering with folks about why I feel that way.
That's amazing ! I'm so enthusiastic about the rhythmic vocabulary he uses on the solo
Too bad I don't setup my action that low (something I won't change for now), so I don't think I could replay the fast passages on my instrument. Yet, I'm thinking about transcribing parts of it.