Bilbo

I am sure this has been done before but hasn't everything?

For me, the one band that pops up on my ipod with delightful regularity is The Dixie Dregs (particularly the early albums with Andy West). Every time I hear them I wish I could have had that gig. Other bass chairs I would have loved would be the Pat Metheny Group, Weather Report, Return To Forever, Al DiMeola, Michel Camilo and a few others but I do believe that, give a choice, The Dregs are the one that floats my boat every time.

What gig would you like to have if you ever got to choose?

Not one I have looked at. I can do it if you want but not sure when I will be able to get to it. Plus, I don't do tab.

A long overdue request from the website, this is Doug Ferguson's bass part to 'Never Let Go' from the first Camel album, released in 1973.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/never-let-go-camel/

This is a Carlito Henriquez performance on the tune 'Awakening' from the 1999 Wynton Marsalis ballet recording 'Sweet Release & Ghost Story'. Some really lovely ideas in there.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/ghost-story-awakening-wynton-marsalis/

Jimmy Garrison's simple bass part for the ballad 'Violets For Your Furs' from the 1960 J.R. Monterose album, 'The Message'. Nothing too taxing here, just a simple exercise in note recognition.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/violets-for-your-furs-j-r-monterose/

Another Nick Beggs transcription, this is the complete bass part for the tune 'Drive Home' from the 2013 Steven Wilson album, 'The Raven That Refused To Sing (and Other Stories)'. Some great ideas in there.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/drive-home-steven-wilson/

A complete transcription of Dave LaRue's bass part and solo from the tune 'The White Light' from the 2000 Steve Morse Band album, 'Major Impacts'.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-white-light-steve-morse-band/

Gary Brown's bass part to the tune 'Two Minutes Of Peace' from the 1986 Flora Purim and Airto album, 'The Magicians'. This one is presented as it is a relatively easy read and is achievable without having Laurence Cottle's reading chops.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/two-minutes-of-peace-flora-purim/

How to read but, more importantly, how to learn to read. Could have spent more time on it when I had more time if only I had known.

Another request from the website, this is the Geddy Lee bass part for 'Malignant Narcissism'  from the 2007 album, 'Snakes And Arrows'. Tough one to get down as the bass is loud, grungy and loaded with overtones.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/malignant-narcissism-rush/

A request that came through the website, this my interpretation of Geddy Lee's bass part to the tune 'Leave That Thing Alone' from the 1993 Rush album, 'Counterparts'.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/leave-that-thing-alone-rush/)

I spent an hour last night reading and tweaking my Jeff Berlin transcription of the tune Sample And Hold from the Bruford album Feels Good To Me. By the end, I could read the bass part behind the main theme. 

At 34% of the tempo JB plays it at. 

Something a bit self indulgent today, this is my own bass part for the tune 'In Or Out' from the 2018 Tim Ainslie And The Vibes album, 'Pint Half Full'. S'easy to read and easy to play.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/in-or-out-tim-ainslie-and-the-vibes/

Here is a video of a trio I did as we were coming out of lock down the first time. I chose to use a £150 Harley Benton bass because I was looking for a certain vibe. I left the £2000 double bass and £5000 Wal at home. Nobody gave a s***. 

In my experience, gear snobbery is a sign of an amateur. Anyone who really understands what being a musician means will wait until they hear a player before judging them and will pretty much never comment on their gear. A poor player is a poor player, whatever instrument they are playing and a great player is a great player. This is not genre specific and applies to all settings including classical, jazz and everything else. It's the music that matters not the instruments. 

I love transcribing these old Dregs tunes. Great reading practice. This is the complete Andy West bass part for the tune 'Long Slow Distance' from the 1979 Dixie Dregs album, 'Night Of The Living Dregs'.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/long-slow-distance-the-dixie-dregs/

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Another old one from the 1991 Kazumi Watanabe album, 'The Spice Of Life', this is the complete Jeff Berlin transcription of the tune 'Hiper K'. A lovely and, for once, playable bass solo is included. Final few bars are omitted as they are indistinct - I think he is playing round with the opening phrase but cannot be sure.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/hiper-k-kazumi-watanabe/

A complete transcription of the Jeff Andrews bass part to the tune 'Little Shoes' from the 1986 Mike Stern album, 'Upside Downside'.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/little-shoes-mike-stern/

Another Jeff Andrews bass part, this is the tune 'Wing And A Prayer' from the 1996 Mike Stern album, 'Between The Lines'.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/wing-and-a-prayer-mike-stern/

'Groove Is In The Heart' by Dee-Lite - another two bar part that basically stops and starts.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/groove-is-in-the-heart-dee-lite/

And another - probably the quickest I have ever done (I started it after I uploaded the last one). 'Finally' by Cece Peniston features a bass line that is two bars long and repeats for the entire recording. 🤣

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/finally-cece-pensiton/

Another cheesy Pop tune for an imminent gig - this is the Marcus Miller bass part for the tune 'Never Too Much' from the 1981 debut Luther Vandross album, 'Luther Vandross'.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/never-too-much-luther-vandross/

'Don't Call Me Baby' by Madison Avenue. Can't find any credits that list a bass player so assume it is a synth/sample.

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/dont-call-me-baby-madison-avenue/

I have done 93 transcriptions since January. Target is 200. 

13 minutes ago, itu said:

I was wondering, why you have been so quiet for so long. I should have guessed... THREE basslines in a row! Amazing work.

I have been doing a few more gigs and rehearsals and have been busier more recently so haven't been as prolific as I have been previously. I have done 16 in May, though, so can't really complain.