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Mikey D

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Posts posted by Mikey D

    Mikey D Finally gets a Fretted bass!

    in Gear Gallery

    Posted · Edited by Mikey D

    After not having a fretted bass for many months now and being on the lookout for a nice 5 I can restring with a high C and chuck a ramp on (this has nothing to do with Matt Garrison, honestly!) to go with my Fretless Ibanez GWB35 (Which I got a silly bargain price), I finally found one.

    I decided to have a quick look in sound control Birmingham and tried out a few 5 strings. I was offered a price on this but decided to leave it. I left the shop and was back in within 30 seconds and my debit card out.

    My new Spector DLX EX Rebop 5 string in Amber:


    Well this is borrowed from another site, but my camera phone won't let me put pics on my computer...

    Now I just need to find a nice block of wood for a ramp and place an order with thomann for the strings and I'll be a happy bunny.

    Does anyone name their guitars.

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Mikey D

    All my instruments are/were named after blaxploitation type movies...I only have one let unfortunately.

    My 8 string custom hybrid bass/guitar was called 'Jackie Brown'.
    The Yamaha TRB was called 'Truck Turner'.
    A battered fretted to fretless cheap J copy is called 'Dolemite'.
    My old Encore was 'Superfly'
    My only current one left is my Ibanez GWB35 called 'Boss Ni**er' by a friend of mine (I wont use the word here in case if offends).
    I've already seen 'Shorty the Pimp' and just need to save the money to buy it so I can have a fretted bass back in my fold at last.

    The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    [quote name='bilbo230763' post='102145' date='Dec 10 2007, 02:03 PM']There is a large small group version of this by the Mingus Dynasty on an LP called 'Chair In The Sky' - it might help with your arrangement if you can find it. I don't know which Mingus LP has the original on. Can anyone help?[/quote]

    Wasn't it just one of the original melodies he wrote for Joni for this Album?

    TONIGHT! And Thursday in West Midlands and Grimsby

    in Gigs

    Posted · Edited by Mikey D

    Tonight I will be playings as part of an 8 Piece Pop/R&B/Dance covers band at the Yardbird in Central Birmingham. The hits of EWF, MJ, Jamiroquai, Beyonce, R Kelly(!!) etc will be played. Think its £2 entry.


    On Thursday 13th December, 2007 7.45 pm I will be playing in support for two British Giants on jazz guitar.

    [quote]Jim Mullen with The Pat McCarthy Band
    + support act The Jimmy Brewer Trio
    One of the most eagerly awaited gigs of 2007 is our December concert by the Jim Mullen/Pat McCarthy Band. The main reason Grimsby Jazz came into being was to hear more of Pats wonderful guitar playing. He has never been less than great with his own band and an awesome accompanist of visiting stars. Now he meets the challenge of locking frets with one of his own favourites, Jim Mullen.

    It is an interesting contrast in styles. Pat comes from the traditional background of Django Rheinhart, Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel, which is supported by a brilliant technique. Jim Mullen comes from a blues style which he has transferred to his modern jazz playing. Using his thumb instead of a pick gives him a warm glowing sound which will contrast wonderfully against Pat’s pick technique. Both men are wonderful improvisers with great swing.

    To balance out the two guitars we have put in a multi-instrumentalist on piano/ alto sax/ and accordion, Piero Tucci. He has appeared at the club twice before and played brilliantly.
    On bass will be Zoltan Dekany who will not be put in the shade by the stars in front of him and will give his usual master class in the art of jazz bass playing.
    To complete the line-up another local boy done good John Perry, who is now drummer with many groups on the jazz scene.

    The Jimmy Brewer Trio
    We also take this opportunity to showcase the talents of another young guitarist, Jimmy Brewer who, to quote Pat McCarthy “is without doubt one of the most promising guitarists I’ve ever heard”. A former student of local legend Pat McCarthy, he is currently studying jazz guitar at Birmingham Conservatoire. His trio consists of Jimmy on guitar with Mike Doherty on bass and Lydia Glanville on drums.
    So don’t forget to come early as the evening starts at 7.45pm

    Tickets £10 in advance £12 on the door[/quote]

    Come see some amazing bass playing on the thursday, Zoltan will be on in the main set, it'll be just after my jazz fumblings.

    'Take it away' promotion by the arts council.....

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='Buzz' post='99898' date='Dec 5 2007, 10:30 PM']That's bloody lovely, and I normally dislike gold insturments, but the pattern really breaks it up from solid gold and makes it look lush.[/quote]

    Same here...I hated it when I first saw it. Went back into PMT and realised deep down that I thought it was the coolest JJ bass I have seen and would definately look and sound great for function gigs. Not so sure about all my jazz gigs though!

    Calling anyone with old bass magazines....

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Mikey D

    edit:

    Ah ok.

    I read alot of this topic! :)

    Producer: "We're doing an album, and we want you to play on half of it."
    Bass Guitarist: "Great. What's the material?"
    Producer: "You'll do the rock and fusion stuff."
    Bass Guitarist: "What about the rest?"
    Producer: "Straight-ahead jazz. Upright."
    Bass Guitarist: "I'm good at that. Why not let me do that as well?"
    Producer: [Silence]

    how familiar this sounds.

    Calling anyone with old bass magazines....

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Mikey D

    [quote name='aj5string' post='99827' date='Dec 5 2007, 08:42 PM']Right, long shot i know, but...

    I'm trying to get hold of a particular article that was in a Bass magazine. I think, it was in Bass Player magazine, but am not certain - so would really appreciate it if everyone could rack their brains!

    Its an article by/about Anthony Jackson, where he talks about the bass guitar in jazz + prejudice etc... Its for my dissertation - not just to read :)

    Anyone know the one i'm talking about?

    Cheers! Alex.[/quote]

    Was it this one?
    [url="http://members.aol.com/jlsmith42/aj/interview/jackson1.htm"]part 1[/url]

    [url="http://members.aol.com/jlsmith42/aj/interview/jackson2.htm"]part 2[/url]

    Jimmy Johnson

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Just got back...WOW!

    I'm convinced that Allan is the greatest musician I have ever witnessed!

    Also, jimmy and chad were playing supposedly, unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to take my eyes and ears off what allan was doing.

    Best place to study jazz bass in the UK?

    in Theory and Technique

    Posted

    [quote name='bilbo230763' post='98067' date='Dec 3 2007, 12:47 PM']And they will have £10K of student debts for their trouble. I wish it worked differently but I do think that a lot of people could go a long way studying independently.[/quote]

    Make that £24k and you are nearer where I will be at!

    Thats a lot of high quality one to one lessons, a fodera matt garrison, epifani rig, a car and money to go see all the best jazz gigs.

    Best place to study jazz bass in the UK?

    in Theory and Technique

    Posted

    [quote name='bilbo230763' post='97991' date='Dec 3 2007, 10:50 AM']I love the idea of going to college to study jazz on electric bass. I would have loved to do it twenty years ago and I would love to do it now. All that playing, practising and studying all day every day. Brilliant!

    Only I can't help but notice that some of the people I have taught/played with who have gone on to do this (Royal College/Leeds etc) are now gigging on the same scenes as me, playing the same venues for the same money and doing no more gigs than I am.

    Not sure what the point of it all was? Not sure what point I am making. Not sure whether this thing half way up my arm is my a**e or my elbow.[/quote]

    Your point cound be that, why go to a conservatoire when you can probably practice and play with a full time job and still be as good, and as you say do the same gigs. Which I tend to agree with, even though I am studying. I think a lot of students don't take full advantage of things when they are studying, because there is no reason why you can't be the biggest muthaf***a on your instrument, as you have the time to dedicate to it, the resources there every day and also a dedicated student body to play with, who if upon leaving go into the field will be your peers and call you for gigs.

    But more important than getting "good", I don't believe enough emphasis is put on learning how to market yourself or just generally the business side of making a living in music. Which with the jazz market as it is today, it's probably as important as being a good player. I've seen shocking jazz players make a decent living out of playing, because they know how to get gigs etc.

    It has been quite apparant that most jazz musicians, no matter how talented, don't have the knowledge of the industry, or the entrepeunerial skills when they leave college to make their own gigs, or get the higher paid gigs. Then it also comes down to the point of whether they are creating anything valid on their own which may get them picked up as an "artist" in their own right. There are not many I can think of that have left a jazz course who have gone on to much greater things in standard terms...Gwilym Simcock, the empirical guys from london (although they are still on a course) and of course polar bear/acoustic ladyland.

    Also it comes down to the fact that there probably aren't that many bigger gigs and they tend to get snapped up by the same people over and over again. This tends to be the case in most styles of music, whether it be pop or hiphop or jazz.

    Personally, when I leave I want to be f**king great on electric and do a pretty good job on upright, but I am fully aware already that no matter how good you are, it just isn't enough nowadays. It's to do with making contacts, getting out there and playing on the scene and getting noticed. Making your own CDs. Recording other people or producing cds for them. Putting on your own gigs. Anything...and thats if you want to actually do that.

    You might be happy having no audience, no fans and just create music for yourself in your room. As don't forget, music is art, not just the product/commodity that most people see it as nowadays.

    Best place to study jazz bass in the UK?

    in Theory and Technique

    Posted

    [quote name='ARGH' post='97773' date='Dec 2 2007, 08:39 PM']From what I have seen,heard and learnt.... from past and present students and lecturers its a better place than a few years ago.[/quote]

    I would have to say that this applies to Birmingham aswell, maybe, the whole of the UK jazz education system is getting better!? But each year the standard seems to be getting higher overall. I think this has been helped by having an easier application process via Cukas on the web, thus more people are applying and of course, with the chance of the auditions panel seeing a lot more potential students they have more of a "higher standard" to chose from.


    I'm definately going to have to pop over to leeds sometime just to check out whats going on, I was wanting to organise a lesson with Zoltan in the new year anyway.

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