Frank Blank

Tried to walk past PMT, failed... My search for a short scale four string continues, so far I have owned (briefly)... A Chowny SWB-Pro - a beautifully built bass bass but for some odd reason I just couldn’t get on with it. A Short Scale Fender Squier Jaguar - likewise, just couldn’t get on with it. So today I tried... An Ibanez Talman - meh. A Fender Mustang PJ - it was OKish but I really dislike those ‘orrible pastel colours, yeech. A Jackson JS 1X - dinky little thing. I couldn’t get over the toy/instrument schism until I actually played it, it was just as serious and nicely built as the previous two but again, meh. An Ibanez Mikro - same as above with the Jackson. Finally I tried a Gretsch G2220 - it had a head start simply by being black 🤘 but blimey, I had no idea it would be that kind of quality, not for under £300. I think I might be smitten. I’m thinking about a trip up to Bass Direct later this week to try a few out, they have a Chowny SWB-1 in there (it would be funny if I preferred it to the Pro, but then it is black🤘!) and I want to try a pre-owned Spector Euro Bantam and a Hofner Club.

He was, to say the least, an outlier. Nothing like him before, nothing since.

This is a decent guide. Genius of Modern Music Vol. 1 & 2 along with Brilliant Corners are my faves.

Welcome!

How I forgot Money Jungle, Everybody Digs Bill Evans and Waltz For Debbie I don’t know! I also forgot to mention anything by The Modern Jazz Quartet.

I am loving this!

Allow me...

Sure thing!

We are not worthy *bows*

My pleasure Sir, loads of good suggestions from the other folk here too, it’s all excellent stuff.

I don’t think it has to be understood, in fact I think this is a thing that stops people from listening initially, that they are frightened that Jazz has to be engaged with on an intellectual level. If you dig it then great, if you don’t, no worries but I think the appreciation of Jazz purely on a dig it or don’t level is as important as understanding it. My Mum *spits* had no musical ability or theoretical understanding of Jazz but she turned me on to Brubeck, Ellington, Miles Davis loads of stuff.

That’s a great album.

What Goes Around by The Dave Holland Big Band is a big favourite for me atm.

How did I omit this! Duh. Also the bass playing on Alternating Currents by Denys Baptiste is a particular fave at the moment.

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis Birth of the Cool - Miles Davis Time Out - The Dave Brubeck Quartet Brilliant Corners - Thelonious Monk Return to Forever - Chick Corea The Shape of Jazz to Come - Ornette Coleman Ellington at Newport - Duke Ellington Getz/Gilberto - Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto Mingus Ah Um - Charles Mingus Saxophone Colossus - Sonny Rollins Somethin' Else - Cannonball Adderley Speak No Evil - Wayne Shorter Maiden Voyage - Herbie Hancock Out to Lunch - Eric Go - Dexter Gordon

Sold my Ibanez SR500 to @clivem. Pleasure to deal with, excellent, friendly coms. A gentleman. Deal with confidence.

Unt...

Just reacquainting myself with Life Of Agony after twenty five years...

I’ll just wade through 64 pages... I play (mainly) in an acoustic duo, do you think IEMs are usable in that situation?

Should we continue this discussion on..?

I will give them both a try, there’s a lot I could do with the money the Alix costs, like find a short scale fretted bass that I actually like! ...I think it’s the next thing on my list.

These wise words have made up my mind I think. One can go deeper and deeper into this world and although perfectly happy to pay out for good gear, there is little point if an audience doesn’t notice the quality of the sound and even less point if the subtle nuances are lost on me too! I think the Alix will be a discernible (to me) step up from the Fishman PP but I will do that comparison before I buy it. I don’t use IEMs and as much as I like pukka gear I have to be realistic about what I’m playing where and if it will make a discernible difference to me let alone the audience. I think bass > Alix > QSC is going to be top flight as far as I’m concerned.

Stewart Lee guest hosting Radio 3’s Late Junction