Ray Brown plays this on electric, and I think it is some of the best electric bass ever recorded. I especially like the extensive walking segment. I have never heard a bass guitar swing harder.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
Welcome to TalkBass! Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
@PDbass: do an analysis of Quincy Jones’ Walking in Space
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Ray Brown plays this on electric, and I think it is some of the best electric bass ever recorded. I especially like the extensive walking segment. I have never heard a bass guitar swing harder.
I just found this album again in an unpacked box 5 years after moving in to my house. Whenever someone asks how to get a good upright tone on electric, this should be the answer. It sounds like Ray is playing a fretless. Could it be a first year fretless Precision? Maybe it was an Ampeg scroll bass? Either way, the tone owes more to Ray's hands and technique than the bass itself. It would be cool to hear PDbass give us a rundown on the album if he felt so inclined.
Kind of a coincidence, PDbass mentions Killer Joe in his latest video but the Benny Golson version.
Okay--I just saw this.
For the record, for me, this is probably the greatest walking bass line ever recorded. It's genius, especially when you look at how it's constructed and when you hear about how him and Grady Tate were put together for the first time.
Rest assured - it has been on my list for some time and I will definitely be talking about it at some point!
FWIW, Ray definitely plays upright bass on this track. The sound is a little different b/c we're hearing his pickup a bit (which was new for that time), but it's bass fiddle. You can even hear him pick up the bow and start bowing on the third bar of the bridge!
For the record, for me, this is probably the greatest walking bass line ever recorded. It's genius, especially when you look at how it's constructed and when you hear about how him and Grady Tate were put together for the first time.
Rest assured - it has been on my list for some time and I will definitely be talking about it at some point!
FWIW, Ray definitely plays upright bass on this track. The sound is a little different b/c we're hearing his pickup a bit (which was new for that time), but it's bass fiddle. You can even hear him pick up the bow and start bowing on the third bar of the bridge!
For sure it's upright on Killer Joe and that would be a good one to use for one of your vids PD. The first post was originally referring to the title track walking in space and that was the one I said Ray was playing electric on.
I think there's a Quincy Jones album Milt Hinton plays on too but the Judge probably didn't crossover on electric for Quincy like Ray did.
Really glad to see this mentioned here. My father had this record in the house and it’s one of the first “Jazz” albums I remember getting into as a kid. I still have the vinyl version and have subsequently bought it on CD.
The whole album KILLS but for me, the classic is (of course) Killer Joe. I’ve heard this version described as “muscular” and that’s perfect. I think it’s the definitive version of the tune.
This album is when Q started crossing over from straight-ahead jazz into popular R&B. To put this work into context, you have to consider what other artists were doing at that same time … especially in Black Music.
Cats like Charles Earland, Les McCann, Gene Ammons, Jack McDuff and others were straddling that line into a genre called “Soul Jazz” making some great music. With this album, Q melded his big-band Jazz roots with an R&B accessibility, and struck gold.
The other tune on this album that swings HARD is the cut before Walking In Space … “Dead End.” And check the bass segue between the two. Ray Brown killing it.
The whole album KILLS but for me, the classic is (of course) Killer Joe. I’ve heard this version described as “muscular” and that’s perfect. I think it’s the definitive version of the tune.
This album is when Q started crossing over from straight-ahead jazz into popular R&B. To put this work into context, you have to consider what other artists were doing at that same time … especially in Black Music.
Cats like Charles Earland, Les McCann, Gene Ammons, Jack McDuff and others were straddling that line into a genre called “Soul Jazz” making some great music. With this album, Q melded his big-band Jazz roots with an R&B accessibility, and struck gold.
The other tune on this album that swings HARD is the cut before Walking In Space … “Dead End.” And check the bass segue between the two. Ray Brown killing it.
Last edited:
ThomAudubon
Supporting Member
Well damn Doc!You keep reaching into my Dad's old 8-track collection.
Reminds me or the big cross country family move of 1972!
Was played on the cars 8 track.
Along with Crusaders 1 The Crusaders.
Reminds me or the big cross country family move of 1972!
Was played on the cars 8 track.
Along with Crusaders 1 The Crusaders.