Ray

I was noticed at a gig by a girl and as I came off stage after the show I walked past her and she said hello and how great the show was. I didn't hear or even notice her and completely ignored her! Oops. We met again a few months later and have been together for nearly 10 years now.

Hi guys, We're playing at The Pigalle Club on Thursday 22nd July. We play funk and soul jazz. Mainly originals and a few covers. We will be joined by singer Sulene Fleming on a few numbers. You may know her from the first New Mastersounds album. Support from The Impellers and Randa & The Soul Kingdom. More info [url="http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/the-fantastics-the-impellers-randa--the-soul-king-article-3620620-16943.html"]here[/url]. Link to our MySpace [url="http://www.myspace.com/thefantasticsfunk"]here[/url].

Great line up including Sun Ra Arkestra, JTQ, Courtney Pine and Led Bib. My band, The Fantastics!, are playing on the Saturday on the Yardbird stage. More info here [url="http://www.mostlyjazz.co.uk/home"]www.mostlyjazz.co.uk[/url]

The sleeve for the last Fantastics! album. It's not immediately obvious but the exclamation mark is partly made up from concentric circles, which I thought was quite clever.

[quote name='62P-Bass' post='869638' date='Jun 17 2010, 07:49 AM']Nice to see that the drummer, Kenwood Dennard went on to much more serious musical endeavours: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLxNIMeaq_k"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLxNIMeaq_k[/url] Andrew[/quote] That is the funniest thing I've seen in a while!

A fantastic rendition of Bird's Donna Lee with Aladar Pege on bass...

In 3! 1. Bernard Purdie appeared onstage unexpededly during our set at the Jazz Cafe and started jamming with us! (I still can't believe that actually happened) 2. Bernard Purdie played with Ron Carter on various Atlantic recordings 3. Ron Carter played with Charles Mingus

This is sorted now. Thanks for all the interest.

Just thought I'd give an update: Three people interested so far. I have passed on all contact details to James the drummer.

The drummer from my band wants to put a jazz piano trio together and needs a bassist. I was going to do it but, unfortunately, due to other commitments I can't find the time. The idea is to do paid work at restaurants, functions etc. playing standards, a bit of bop, some latin maybe... He is a great drummer and plays jazz to a very high standard, in my opinion. He has a few piano players interested but none secured as yet. I don't think he has a preference to double bass or bass guitar. Based in north London. PM me and I'll put you in touch. Thanks, Ray

Cheeky bump for the gig tomorrow! We had a rehearsal with Sulene Fleming, our guest singer, this week. She is just incredible. This should be a great gig.

[quote name='Huwberry' post='786167' date='Mar 25 2010, 07:46 PM']Ah, I'm also gigging that night, but it's local so I might be able to pop down afterwards. Have a good un! EDIT: I'm an idiot and thought that was this Saturday. In which case, I will most probably be around for this. Duhhh.[/quote] Nice one!

From my experience of recording through the desk I would say don't bother. The sound through the desk will be completely different to the front of house sound. The FOH sound is a combination of the desk and backline. There will probably be very little guitar and drum overheads on the recording because they're pretty loud onstage. And there will probably be loads of kick drum and vocals because they're quiet on stage. Of course it depends on your line up and the size of the venue so it may be worth giving it a go just for experience. Don't expect a useable recording though. If you do try it, a cheap mini disc recorder off eBay should do the trick.

Hi all, We're finally playing up north again! [url="http://www.thewardrobe.co.uk/event-detail.asp?view=day&date=2010%2D04%2D24"]http://www.thewardrobe.co.uk/event-detail....=2010%2D04%2D24[/url] SPANISH HARLEM: THE FANTASTICS + BOB BIRCH TRIO Saturday, April 24, 2010 This event will be in the Club Presenting live: THE FANTASTICS! featuring SULENE FLEMING Plus support from: BOB BIRCH TRIO & DJ LUBI JOVANOVIC This April, Spanish Harlem presents one of London’s finest Hammond organ funk combos The Fantastics, live on the basement stage with a Leeds soul sister now resident in London – vocalist Sulene Fleming! The Fantastics’ 2009 CD ‘Mighty Righteous’ (Freestyle Records) shows the five-piece to go beyond the standard deep-funk stereotype, instead pushing the genre boundaries with Latin and afrobeat grooves alongside monster Lonnie Smith/Jack McDuff Hammond funk! Singer, songwriter and producer Sulene Fleming was originally from Leeds but now works in London, recording, performing and collaborating with artists like the James Taylor Quartet, The New Mastersounds, Negghead (Wax:On Records) and the Haggis Horns. She was initially invited to guest with The Fantastics in Leeds as a one-off, but now the band are working on new material with her, ready to feature on their second Freestyle Records CD. Original New Mastersounds keyboard player Bob Birch leads the support with his Hammond trio, warming up the crowd with all-firing organ-guitar-drums Jimmy Smith-style soul jazz. DJ on the night is Spanish Harlem promoter Lubi Jovanovic, mixing up the soul, funk, afrobeat, boogie, Latin, jazz-funk and classic reggae sounds! This is another great Spanish Harlem line-up, with a few of London’s finest musicians and a talented Leeds ex-pat now making her name in the capital, plus Leeds’ original Hammond organ don! £5 Wardrobe members, £6 NUS, £7 general admission. Advance tickets will be available shortly – watch [url="http://www.thewardrobe.co.uk/event-detail.asp?view=day&date=2010%2D04%2D24"]this site[/url] for full info. 10pm-3am.

This is why my main band is primarily instrumental and only occasionally feature guest singers. A project I was involved in dissolved just last week because of similar situation. If you and the rest of the guys are seriously commited to the band then I'd consider finding a new singer.

I generally work things out by ear but for difficult stuff like the head from Donna Lee and Teen Town I have to turn to Tab. With Tab you don't need to know the fretboard. I can play Donna Lee and Teen Town up to speed and pretty cleanly and if someone heard me play them they might think I'm a half decent player. The truth is that I can only play these tunes because my technique is pretty good and I can remember where the Tab told me to put my fingers. I don't necessarily understand why I'm playing the notes I'm playing, I.E. the relationship between the notes and the chords they're being played over. Tab has made me rely on shapes and muscle memory which I find limits my playing. Unfortunately, it's a rut I'm finding difficult to get out of...

They're on the [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/search.html?xsid=205d65e8574c4f1452525109c98c3316&sw=deluxe+bass+21+frets&bn=fender&gk=GI&pv=1479&pb=1550&ls=10&oa=rnk"]Thomann website[/url]. Doesn't look like they have them in stock yet though...

[quote name='Musicman20' post='754966' date='Feb 23 2010, 01:21 PM']I do sort of agree....but my friend had the S1 Jazz, and he uses it to sound like a P all the time. But...IMO...it didnt sound like a Jazz enough I love the Jazz twang...but as per the topic, the P thump just sits brilliantly![/quote] Ah, I see what you mean. I should have read the thread properly!

Adding a series/parallel switch to a Jazz bass gives you the best of both worlds. Pickups in parallel sounds like a Jazz. Pickups in series doesn't sound exactly like a P but has that dark P bass thump.

Hi people! The Fantastics! are back at The Yardbird in Birmingham this Saturday! Yay!

So... I went to the Leicester Square premiere of A Bit Of Tom Jones last night. It was a great feeling being in a cinema watching a film and hearing yourself on the soundtrack. It was weird seeing my name in the end credits though!!! It's not a bad film at all. In fact it's very funny. I was laughing out loud in places. I'd definitely recommend it. [url="http://www.abitoftomjonesthemovie.com"]http://www.abitoftomjonesthemovie.com[/url] [url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8480054.stm"]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8480054.stm[/url] Anyone else had their music in films, TV shows adverts etc?

Looks lovely. Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing some pics of it with the P bass.