Bilbo

The one that gets me every time is Martin Brierly's Rickenbacker on Dave Greenslade's 'Time and Tide' LP (every time 'Animal Farm' appears on my ipod. I also was taken with Jack Bruce's sound on the Cozy Powell 'Over The Top' LP (specifically the track 'Sweet Poison'). The ones I always 'notice', tone-wise, are Chris Squire, Jaco Pastorius, Jimmy Johnson, Percy Jones, Anthony Jackson and Steve Swallow. Double bass wise, it's Charlie Haden that I really think has what I call that 'definitive' sound. What is surprising, now I think about it (and I haven't really done so before), is that the only one of those that had any impact upon my own concept of tone was the Jack Bruce/Cozy Powell recording. None of the others ever led me to think 'I want to sound like THAT'.

I never speak to people at a gig unless I am in the band. Running my gig in Felixstowe, I have had the opportunity to sit and eat with loads of great players and I love the stories. They have all been very approachable people and as willing to talk about politics or whatever comes up as they are about music.

I have never understood the idea of a musician who doesn't perform. Doesn't seem much point in bothering with all of the work necessary to be a player if you are not going to play live. Recording is great but it is a bit artificial in terms of securing a flawless performance. Also, I like the social aspects of live work and of interacting with other human beings, be they other musicians or the audience.

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1444214783' post='2881141'] freelancing is hard for everyone Rob... and getting worse it would seem. [/quote] It's just picking up, Jake. I now have two gigs (both on electric and only one is paid) between now and my eventual death. It's grim!!

I just practice with the bass unplugged. It's free.

One Wal fretless, Harley Benton Seven String, 5 string double bass and 4 guitars. And a soprano saxophone.

My recollection is that, during the Moving Pictures tour, he turned to using Nivea soap which, whilst leaving his skin nice and soft, undermined his callouses, particularly on his 'noisemaker' finger. Historically, he had used Wright's Cold Tar soap when on tour (certainly on the 2112 and Hemisphers tours) but that was proving increasingly difficult to source in most countries, even though it was part of the band's rider. After Signals, he realised that the whole soap and callouses thing was an old wives tales and reverted to the Pears soap his mother used during his childhood in Willowdale. The impact this had on his emotional well-being was incredible and prevented the near collpase of the trio when Lifeson fell off the wagon and started smoking again. As for his voice, Lee has, I am told, become a regular speaker at the Montreal Society Wine Drinkers and, as the MSWD has a big hall and no PA system, this has put an inordinate strain on his vocal chords. Tragic.

Of course it was a '78 Stingray not a '79!! Can't you hear the difference????!!!

I still get carrot comments.....

A wonderfully eclectic question, James. be prepared for 1,000 replies!! I recommend Israel Lopez Valdez (Cachao), Andy Gonsalez, Bobby Rodriguez, Carlos Del Puerto and Sal Cuevas (Fania All Stars) for Latin bass For Jazz, try Ray Brown (anything with Oscar Peterson) Paul Chambers - Kind Of Blue (Miles Davis) or Bass on Top (Paul Chambers) Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um Scott LaFaro - Bill Evans Trio - Sunday Night at the VIllage Vanguard or Waltz for Debby Ron Carter - Miles Davis - Miles Smiles Dave Holland - try One's All, a solo bass recording John Pattitucci - Chick Corea's Akoustic Band anything featuring Christian McBride, Avishai Cohen, Marc Johnson, Oscar Pettiford, Miroslav Vitous Rockabilly and Blues - you'll have to ask someone else!!!

'Funkifying the Clave' is a lot more about funk than it is aboue clave It is useful but, having spent time with it myself many moons ago, I have hardly ever used anything I got from it in a real worl situation!! As I said, it is a frustrating genre becasue you cannot find the people you need to make the music happen. The genre is a rich one, undoubtedly, but, like CUban music, it seems to be one that requires you to live where the music is.

Anthony Jackson rarely solos but when he does, his work is exquisite.

Practice. It is as simple as that. If you are inexperienced as a soloist, you will SOUND like you are inexperienced as a soloist. I have lived with soloing for 30 years and still fail more often than I succeed. You need to know the harmony of the tunes you are soloing on inside out and then, once that is internalised, you start thinking melodically and execute your ideas. It's as simple and as complicated as that!!

Most people know I am a staunch advocate but I just wanted to add that I MUCH prefer to read dots off PAPER! Computer screens and ipads etc are never big enough and turning pages is difficult etc. Old fashioned paper, every time!!

To be fair, I wouldn't know what to do to solo over SOTW!!

This and this - it will, of course, be necessary for me to burn my house down and move to a narrow boat....

Are there ANY full-time bands anymore?

A perfectly legitimate observation, Kev! First rule of playing live: play it louder and faster.

Russ Morgan is the real deal. A Jazz drummer that understands the music and the musicality required to play it.

Recorded by an audience member in May, this is the Kevin Flanagan/Chris Ingham Quartet with Fagan's Walk Between the Raindrops. Just enough footage of me to see that I am overweight and have a sloppy technique http://youtu.be/DkleL6PnhWM

Thanks, guys!! I am willing to defer to my co-winner in terms of selecting a new image, if that helps.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1442918294' post='2870453'] What a pointless thread. [/quote] Yeah - we don't want one of them on Basschat....

You have learned a valuable lesson. The bloke you sold it to is a w*nker.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1443605148' post='2876079'] You need to broaden the range of music you're prepared to play. [/quote] So Jazz, Blues, Pop, Funk, Big Band and Latin not a wide enough selection, then?

I had 120 gigs in one year and I was living in the same place!! It has gone down every years since. I guess I am going to have to set up my own gigs from here on and be the bloke who books everyone else. PS the November gig is on electric!!