Bilbo

You told me that before, Bagman. I am eager to see it 😃

Another Holland performance and another Doug Hammond tune. The track is called 'World Protection Blues' and is from the 1985 Dave Holland Quintet recording, 'Seeds Of Time'. These are great lines to play as they are not just II V I sequences but something meatier. I have transcribed all the horn parts (not the solos) somewhere also. If I can find them, I will put them up here. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/world-protection-blues-dave-holland-quintet/

Another one from the same album, the complete Holland bass performance of the Kenny Wheeler tune '5 Four Six'. It starts arco and is not too bad until the last chorus when it morphs from 4:4 to 6:8 and Holland's phrasing gets intense. Worth a go, though, as there are a lot of ideas in there that you can use for the rest of your days! https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/5-four-six-dave-holland-quintet/

A short transcription I did just to see what was going on. Dave Holland's part to the Doug Hammond tune 'Brother Ty' from the same Holland Quintet album, 'The Razor's Edge'. Just some weird notes going which creates some beautiful tension. I may get the the rest of it one day but we shall see. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/brother-ty-bass-part-for-head-dave-holland-quintet/

One I have loved since I got hold of the album in the 1980s. The tune is 'Blues For C.M.' from the 1987 Dave Holland Quintet album, 'The Razor's Edge'. Like any number of similar Mingus compositions, is it drenched in the Blues but is devoid of the normal BeBop cliches. Great stuff. Mostly playable but some challenging reading here and there. I went 4:4 not 12:8 and am not entirely convinced it was the right decision but, if you want a 12:8 version, the information is all here so you can do it yourself without any real difficulty. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/blues-for-c-m-dave-holland-quintet/

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/not-yet-michel-camilo/

I got a new double bass this week and I am on a Dave Holland buzz again. Revisiting his old albums with the MOISES app. Really interesting.

A partial transcription today. The Hans Glawishnig bass part under the opening improvised piano solo on the tune 'Jibaro' from the 2006 Miguel Zenon album of the same name. I spent five days on this and still can't figure out where he goes after this bit. MOISES didn't help. There are moving bar lengths and the whole thing is shifting underneath you all of the time. This is where I got to. If anyone wants to pick it up from here, I would love to see it finished - I even had the lead chart but still can't figure it out! https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/jibaro-miguel-zenon/

One of the first Jazz type tunes I ever learned to play. I love these first two PMG albums with Egan and Gottlieb. Good choice, Chris.

I think of the music I listen to and would like to play as Art rather than Entertainment but I am not an artist.

The absolute best of the best. So much great music over an incredible career. I got to see him with Petrucciani and Gadd. A memorable experience. Such a talent. He will be sorely missed.

More personal nostalgia, Phil Lynott's complete bass part to 'The Cowbody Song' from the classic 1978 Thin Lizzy album, 'Live And Dangerous'. There are two charts on there; they key I hear it in (Gb) and the key it was probably 'played' in (G major). I suspect the guitars were de-tuned a half step as, firstly, there is a low Eb in the introduction and throughout the tune and, secondly, because this recording predates the common use of 5 string basses. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-cowboy-song-thin-lizzy/

I found the link in the end, Chris. It's lovely.

The opposite of the Holland track but I think I would prefer to have had this one on my CV. The complete bass performance (unknown - could have been one of 4 people - see the blurb on the website) of Joni Mitchells 2000 version of 'Both Sides Now'. Simple but perfect. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/both-sides-now-2000-joni-mitchell/

The moment that no-one has been waiting for. The complete 10:45 minute bass performance of the tune 'Mr. B. (For Ray Brown)' from the 1998 Dave Holland Quintet album, 'Points of View'. A monster chart. Tough to read and tough to play but so much learning in there. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/mr-b-dave-holland-quintet/

Just proof-reading it now and I should be ready to post later today. It's an epic.

I am 8 minutes into transcribing a 10.45 Dave Holland tune and have dropped a beat in the middle of his two chorus bass solo. It's all over the place and I can't find where I have gone wrong. It's driving me nuts.

I am surprised I didn't get to this one sooner. The Mike Rutherford bass part to the tune 'Firth Of Fifth' from the 1973 Genesis album, ''Selling England By The Pound'. Great writing as always. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/firth-of-fifth-genesis/

He is right up there, Chris.

Another solo performance from John Patitucci, the track is 'Seeds Of Change' from the 2019 (mostly) solo bass recording 'Soul Of The Bass'. Some strange time signatures but I think this is as much about my limitations in the art of transcribing stuff that is not metronomic. It's playable though. I recommend you have a listen to see how the phrasing works before diving in. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/seeds-of-change-john-patitucci/

A beautiful performance from the 2022 ECM album from trumpeter Avishai Cohen (a stalwart of the SF Jazz Collective), Naked Truth', the tune is one of 9 pieces that make up the Naked Truth long form composition. This is Part 3 of the suite which is mainly in 7:4. An interesting reading exercise. Not a massively quick tempo but the lines is constantly shifting so concentration is required. A lovely part, though, played on double bass by Israeli bass player, Barak Mori. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/naked-truth-part-3-avishai-cohen-trumpet/

Another Joni track, this one from the Larry Klein era. The tune 'Be Cool' is from the 1982 Joni Mitchell album, 'Wild Things Run Fast'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/be-cool-joni-mitchell/

Get there behind me, Satan 👹

The website has now passed a quarter of a million hits.

A bit more from the Mitchell/Bennet camp, the complete Max Bennett performance of the tune 'Song For Sharon' from the 1976 album, 'Hejira'. One of the greatest albums ever recorded. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/song-for-sharon-joni-mitchell/