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Double Bass Talking about Red Mitchell
- Thread starter jazzclump
- Start date
Yeah, Diane got right on it. She sent me an email back including a tune by a young German bassist, called "Blue Red". I'll drop the file if I can later.
listening to Red and Bill Mays doing Willow Weep for Me. Red continues to be an inspiration to keep moving forward.
Just stumbled across this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-9IpCbE8Z4
Red totally nailing all of those double stops in the head... the short solo from 1:08 doesn't make much sense, but what can you do with solo bass on a ballad...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-9IpCbE8Z4
Red totally nailing all of those double stops in the head... the short solo from 1:08 doesn't make much sense, but what can you do with solo bass on a ballad...
Red's playing a slightly embellished version of the bridge to Sophisticated Lady.
Red's playing a slightly embellished version of the bridge to Sophisticated Lady.
Clear as day. it's a rather "drunken sounding" version because of all the portamento between notes, but the intent and result could not possibly be clearer to me.
As far as "what can you do on a bass solo on a ballad", I would answer "anything you can hear"!
As has been said many times, Red was among the most profound jazz soloists of all time. This includes all instruments. All of the slurs and articulations brought a human singing sound and feel to his solos, which in turn made them less bass solos and more just great solos.What I hear in this instance is a great personalized rendering of the bridge melody of Sophisticated Lady. To appreciate what he is doing in this case it is very important to know the song, that Red's bass was tuned CGDA and how he approached music. With complete respect to previous posters it doesn't sound random or drunk to my ears. Just the opposite; it sounds very very musical.
Any suggestions for some of his best sideman work??
I need to get more familiar with Mr Mitchell.
The more suggestions the better.
Thank you.
I need to get more familiar with Mr Mitchell.
The more suggestions the better.
Thank you.
Year Title
1954
Red Norvo Trio [Prestige] Original Jazz Classics
1955
Happy Minor Bethlehem High Fidelity
1955
Red Mitchell Avenue (Rhino) / Rhino
(1)
1956
Jam for Your Bread Bethlehem High Fidelity
1957
Presenting Red Mitchell OJC / Riverside
1957
Five Brothers Tampa
1961
Rejoice Pacific Jazz
1961
Hear Ye! Collectables
1969
One Long String Sunnyside
1971
Red Mitchell Meets Guido Manusardi Pausa Records
1973
Two Way Conversation Emarcy
1976
Chocolate Cadillac SteepleChase / Steeplechase
1976
Blues for a Crushed Soul Sonet
1979
Sketches from Bamboo Moers
1980
Home Cookin' Phontastic
1980
Hot House Storyville
1982
When I'm Singing Enja
1983
Simple Isn't Easy Sunnyside
1985
Home Suite Caprice Records
1986
To Duke & Basie Enja
1986
The Red Barron Duo Storyville
1988
A Declaration of Interdependence Four Leaf Clover Records
1990
Trio Capri
1992
Live at Salishan Capri
1992
We All Hope Sintez
1995
Live in Stockholm Dragon
1995
Evolution Dragon
1998
Red Mitchell-Warne Marsh Big Two, Vol. 2 Storyville
(1)
2004
Bass Club King
2005
Live at Port Townsend Challenge Records
2008
Stockholm '81 Gazell / Gazell Productions
Big Two Storyville
(1)
Complete Recordings American Jazz Classics
Remembering Red Jam
Talking Capri
1954
Red Norvo Trio [Prestige] Original Jazz Classics
1955
Happy Minor Bethlehem High Fidelity
1955
Red Mitchell Avenue (Rhino) / Rhino
(1)
1956
Jam for Your Bread Bethlehem High Fidelity
1957
Presenting Red Mitchell OJC / Riverside
1957
Five Brothers Tampa
1961
Rejoice Pacific Jazz
1961
Hear Ye! Collectables
1969
One Long String Sunnyside
1971
Red Mitchell Meets Guido Manusardi Pausa Records
1973
Two Way Conversation Emarcy
1976
Chocolate Cadillac SteepleChase / Steeplechase
1976
Blues for a Crushed Soul Sonet
1979
Sketches from Bamboo Moers
1980
Home Cookin' Phontastic
1980
Hot House Storyville
1982
When I'm Singing Enja
1983
Simple Isn't Easy Sunnyside
1985
Home Suite Caprice Records
1986
To Duke & Basie Enja
1986
The Red Barron Duo Storyville
1988
A Declaration of Interdependence Four Leaf Clover Records
1990
Trio Capri
1992
Live at Salishan Capri
1992
We All Hope Sintez
1995
Live in Stockholm Dragon
1995
Evolution Dragon
1998
Red Mitchell-Warne Marsh Big Two, Vol. 2 Storyville
(1)
2004
Bass Club King
2005
Live at Port Townsend Challenge Records
2008
Stockholm '81 Gazell / Gazell Productions
Big Two Storyville
(1)
Complete Recordings American Jazz Classics
Remembering Red Jam
Talking Capri
Somebody's almost as big a Red Freak than I am, Marshall.
There's also one from Stockholm with Red and Barney Kessel and one from a jazz cruise with Joe Pass called "Finally".
The three records that gave me my Red Jones aren't under Red's name as a leader but great examples of Red before the switch to tuning in 5ths with four gut strings tuned in 4ths. The Hampton Hawes Trio (with Chuck Thompson on drums) Volumes 1, 2 and 3 on the great old L.A. jazz label, Contemporary.
Two fabulous examples of Red's great arco work, that Marshall already mentioned are "Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye" with The Red Mitchell/Harold Land Quintet where the bass is featured as a third horn in the front line of some of the charts. Also the "Red Mitchell meets Guido Manusardi" in which Red bows the head on "God bless the child" that drips with so much soul that I had to have my carpet cleaned upon first hearing.
EDIT: This was Red's final recording with the great Nurnberger bow (or any bow, for that matter) because one night when the bow was laying on the piano, on a break a drunk started conducting to the recorded break music and when Red got back from the break, the bow was gone, as was the drunk. Red never bowed the bass again. He always said that with the bow, he was going for Gene "Jug" Ammons sound on the tenor. IMO, he more than succeeded. Also "Rejoice" that Marshall mentioned above features Red on jazz cello (tuned in 4ths) with Jim Hall, Frank Strazzeri on piano, Frank Butler on drums and Jimmy Bond on bass...........filth city, personified.
Thanks, Paul, for the info and the story! Great as usual. As I
mentioned to you in a PM, there is a second recording from
Stockholm in 1974 ( I think the same week as RM MEETS GM) with Guido Manusardi and the Nuremberg bow.
It includes another version of God Bless the Child ( really great
but Red only bows the head and doesn't solo) and a solo on
So What with the bow that is unbelievable. There are some other great songs as well. The CD is called
FORMIDOUBLE on the Splasc(H) label. It sounds to me like Red is
playing w/o an amp on both of these recordings. Red's ability with
the bow, to my ears, is MIND BLOWING!
mentioned to you in a PM, there is a second recording from
Stockholm in 1974 ( I think the same week as RM MEETS GM) with Guido Manusardi and the Nuremberg bow.
It includes another version of God Bless the Child ( really great
but Red only bows the head and doesn't solo) and a solo on
So What with the bow that is unbelievable. There are some other great songs as well. The CD is called
FORMIDOUBLE on the Splasc(H) label. It sounds to me like Red is
playing w/o an amp on both of these recordings. Red's ability with
the bow, to my ears, is MIND BLOWING!