Double Bass Roland Guerin (Marcus Roberts Trio)

vanderbrook

Heretic
Aug 21, 2001
483
432
4,826
Denver, CO, USA
I can't beat the One-Handed Double Bassist thread, but...

Saw the Marcus Roberts Trio last night at the Lakewood Cultural Center (Denver suburb). They played about 2 hours (minus a 20-minute intermission). The theme was "New Orleans Meets Harlem." A total of 17 selections, from Scott Joplin to Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Monk, Ellington...

Quite a show. Very tight, very arranged, very swinging performances by all concerned (including Jason Marsalis on drums). I was not familiar with Guerin prior to the performance, but perhaps I should have been. Perfect intonation at all times, and phenomenal slap technique. Never took the bow from the quiver, however. I'd hoped I'd get a chance to meet him after the performance, but that apparently wasn't in the cards.

Great show, nice venue, superb sound. Everything was mic'ed and amped perfectly, including the 11-foot Yamaha grand that was allegedly trucked in from Colorado Springs for the performance. Great-sounding bass... couldn't tell much about it from up in the nosebleed section (first row, balcony).

If you like Roberts' somewhat understated and often cerebral approach to this sort of material (which I do, although I wouldn't want a steady diet of it) you might want catch these guys if they're headed your way.

Mark