Bilbo

Got another one in today, this is the Gary Brown part for the tune 'Primeira Estrela' from the 2003 Flora Purim album, 'Speak No Evil'. Needs a low B but not overly difficult to play once you get the feel. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/primeira-estrela-flora-purim/

Yes - badly. I have done two gigs on guitar. One about 10 years ago and one when I was about 17. Hated it. I am better now than I was then but still wouldn't venture out in public! I do enjoy it, though.

I guess I shouldn't really post this here but I can't help myself. This is a complete solo guitar performance of the Astor Piazzolla tune 'Romantico' from the 2008 Al Di Meola album, 'Diabolic Inventions And Seduction For Solo Guitar Volume I (Music Of Astor Piazzolla)'. It's actually playable (unlike most Al Di Meola solo guitar). It's reading the chords and the contrapuntal voices that makes its challenging. I have to say that the concerted practice I have done with the guitar reading (another 'lockdown' project) has really paid dividends. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/romantico-al-di-meola/

A lovely little tune from the 1993 Jimmy Haslip solo album, 'Arc'. This is the full performance (including the bit where he doubles the head) of the tune 'Niños' (Spanish for children). Some subtle challenges in getting the thing to sound right and it helps if you have a sense of Latin/Samba grooves. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/ninos-jimmy-haslip/

Top drawer, Chris. Love it.

Here you go, Dave - the Richard Sinclair part for 'The Sleeper'. The Breathless album (hereafter known as 'The Pointless Album' was from 1978 and I have to say it completely passed me by (as did a lot of Camel, it transpires). The guitar charts are few and far between, Dave. I am working on my guitar reading and find the same problem that I always had with learning to read bass parts; there is a dearth of interesting material to draw upon (outside of classical guitar which can be a bit, well, naff). So I decided to try putting together charts of my own. It takes a lot longer and, whilst I can do most bass charts without a bass in my hands, but I cannot do the same with the guitar so the process is much more laborious. As for how, I have learned that patience and tenacity are my super powers and, if I start something, I generally keep going until it is finished, even if it is a long drawn out process. I can't complete with the young gunslingers and I don't live where there is a massive amount of Jazz happening but this I can do any time of the day or night with no pressure. Once it is done, it is there forever. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-sleeper-camel/

I have finally got to a Marc Johnson transcription. This is the tune 'Dingy Dong Day' from the 1997 Johnson led album 'The Sound Of Summer Running'. I love the tune and I love what they do with it (have a listen if you haven't hear it before, you'll see (hear) what I mean). Not a massively challenging tune to play but 'that' section will throw you if you are not ready for it. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/dingy-dong-day-marc-johnson/

I was 'in' 9 bands at one point 1990s). Jazz works very differently to most other genres and rehearsals are rare so the only conflicts are gigs. Everyone makes sure they have a selection of competent deps so all basses are covered (see what I did there). There are charts and dots and everyone uses a basket of skills to make it work. Knowledge of the repertoire, the ways in which music is put together, the ways endings work, certain genre expectations etc. Jazz musicians generally have big ears so they can pull off something that, to an untrained ear, can sound miraculous. There are a million formulas for these things. Most of the best gigs I have ever done have been with musicians I have never met before let alone rehearsed with. Obviously rehearsals have the potential to make everything better but the realities of gigging for professional musicians makes frequent rehearsals economically unviable. In my experience, one rehearsal can even make things worse sometimes as you end up confused by details that impede your thinking. Also, reading dots and preparing quality charts can make rehearsal time incredibly productive. 'Learning' tunes can be overrated.

Unmistakably Camel. I will put it on the list. I have been working on a guitar chart this week and it it exhausting. I did the Haden charts for a break and have a Marc Johnson chart that I should finish today. My next target is 646 transcriptions which would be 200 since I came back on line.

And another - I just follow where my mind takes me and it went straight from Over The Rainbow to Michael Brecker's version of 'Don't Let me Be Lonely Tonight' from his 2001 album, 'Nearness Of You: The Ballad Book'. Charlie Haden again on bass. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/dont-let-me-be-lonely-tonight-michael-brecker/

Another Charlie Haden performance - sublime but easy to read. This is Haden's part to the Harlod Arlen tune 'Over The Rainbow' from the 2011 Al DiMeola album, 'Pursuit Of Radical Rhapsody'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/over-the-rainbow-al-dimeola/

I am guessing that one of the problems is that so much music nowadays is manufactured on a software platform of some description by people who may not even be able to play any instruments let alone a bass. Lowest common denominator is a single not drone/ thump. Older music was produced when there was more money around to pay musicians to perform (and to contribute ideas) instead of relying on sequencers and samples etc.

I personally like a truckload of Beatles covers more than the originals. Examples include: Got To Get You Into My Life by Earth, Wind and Fire. Julia by Medeski, Martin and Wood. With A Little Help From My Friends by Al DiMeola. I Am The Walrus by Jim Carey. It's For You by Cilla Black (not sure if this was a cover or 'written for'. The list goes on and on. You can't say the covers made the originals, though. Very few could compete with the success of The Beatles.

That GOS track is beautifully put together. I love solo acoustic guitar (as opposed to acoustic guitar solos) but I won't hijack the thread.

Just had an amp repairs by Paul Glazebrook in Ipswich. Took it there at 6pm last night ands it's all fixed and ready to collect. By lunchtime today. The man is a God.

Something really special this evening.... https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/prepare-to-be-finger-funked-danny-sapko/

It's only really 12 bars long repeating with a few fills. You'll get it in no time.

Should be working now, Dave.

A bit more AJ, this is the complete bass performance of the title tune 'One More Once' from the 1994 Michel Camilo album of the same name. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/one-more-once-michel-camilo/

More Reggae but not real Reggae, this is like a Brazilian hybrid. The tune is called 'A Novidade' by Gilberto Gil from his MTV 'Acoustico' DVD. The bassist is Arthur Maia who, before he died, was on everything everywhere in Brazilian music. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/a-novidade-gilberto-gil/

I wanted to put some Reggae bass playing up here but I don't know anything about the genre so I just put 'Reggae' into YouTube and this is the track that came up first. It is incredibly easy to read and to play but it's all feel and tone so don't think you can just flounce in there and be all supercilious about it. I tried to find out who played the part and the closest I could get to a name was the suggestion that the track is based on a sample of a Sly and Robbie track from yesteryear. So this is (probably) Robbie Shakespeare's bass part to the tune 'Welcome To Jamrock' by Damian Marley. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/welcome-to-jamrock-damian-marley/

A partial transcription this time; Matt Penman's bass part for the YouTube version of Stevie Wonder's 'superstition'. I just wanted to see where the arrangement was going (there is more to it that I have captured here but I lost the will after I got what I came for.....). https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/superstition-sfjazz-collective/

Little Jazz duo gig in Essex (guitar and electric bass) - second gig in three years. Blew up my Acoustic Image Clarus and ended up playing through a Fender practice amp but just about got away with it. Couldn't have been bad as we got booked for another gig somewhere else on the back of it.

I depped for Tiago once (I believe he is in Cambridge). Apparently, he was in college with pianist Hiromi Uehera and played in her trio. I had not heard this band although I think I have heard of them somewhere on my travels. Sounds great. I'd dep for him with this lot if he ever needed me to 🤪 Just looked it up. It was a band Tiago played in called Q3 led by pianist/composer Martin Hallmark. All original compositions. It was a nice gig. Electric bass (my favourite).

So did I, Dave, just to be sure!! 😁