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Dave Holland


Bilbo
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This is one of the UKs greatest bass exports in crystal clarity: a solo rendition of Coltrane's 'Mr. P.C.' - enjoy

[url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=HHu6rzmUvFI&feature=related"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=HHu6rzmUvFI&feature=related[/url]

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[quote name='lowdown' post='200757' date='May 16 2008, 09:58 PM']Great Link That...
And a good plug for the man...[/quote]

+1

[quote name='lowdown' post='200757' date='May 16 2008, 09:58 PM']But i think you are wasting your time... :huh:[/quote]

i disagree :huh: thanks for having the time to post it :) I saw Mr H at Ronnie Scotts about 5 years back, and he was absolutely awesome. would love to see him live again. not just a good bassist - such a good band leader too, it was all about the music and ensemble playing, no ego. total class.

see there are a few jazz fans here :huh:

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That's a great video.

Dave is now artist in residence at my conservatoire and has been in for 2 workshop weeks this year-he is an absolute MONSTER!!!

A really nice and obviously a very knowledgeable guy. He makes you feel great when you play in his presence as he is such a down to earth guy.

He really does have total command of the instrument and his technique is pretty flawless!

Each time he comes over he works with students who play his music at the end of the week and it has become tradition for him to play a short solo piece at the end...its worth going to for that alone.

I can't wait until he comes over later in the year with his band! And of course to see more of his solo bass! :)

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Thats amazing regardless, but his bass looks like its set up for amplified playing only with a very nice action, I doubt you could pull that off on an upright set up for playing acoustically. Its the same with Renaud Garcia-Fons and Edgar Meyer, all 3 are completely mindblowing musicians but they probably have easier setups on their bass then most electric fretlesses heh.

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Small world. i was doing the crossword with a science teacher this morning who probably hasn't changed his pants for 12 years. Somehow we got round to talking about pentangle and of course Danny Thompson who plays with God, his namesake Richard Thompson. That's what I call a guitarist...

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[quote name='Oscar South' post='200839' date='May 17 2008, 12:50 AM']Thats amazing regardless, but his bass looks like its set up for amplified playing only with a very nice action, I doubt you could pull that off on an upright set up for playing acoustically. Its the same with Renaud Garcia-Fons and Edgar Meyer, all 3 are completely mindblowing musicians but they probably have easier setups on their bass then most electric fretlesses heh.[/quote]

I don't agree. I saw dave play four other students basses a few weeks ago one with low, one with a stupidly high action, two with medium to higher action. He sounded great on all of them.

Also, when he played his solo at the end of the concert, it was unamplified and he still had a very nice, large, full tone that filled the fairly big recital hall.

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A truly great player, I particularly like his playing with Kenny Wheeler with whom he has had a long standing relationship.
A colleague and friend of mine Mike Walker (guitarist) has played with Dave on a few things too. Jeez THAT gave me something to live up to!!!

Edited by jakesbass
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Just going by what I see on that video, any good bassist will be able to play on basses of any action but some of the the highly technical stuff is certainly only possible on a bass with low action. I'd like to see Stanley Clarke do any of his double bass heroics on a bass with a regular setup.

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[quote name='Oscar South' post='200846' date='May 17 2008, 01:05 AM']Just going by what I see on that video, any good bassist will be able to play on basses of any action but some of the the highly technical stuff is certainly only possible on a bass with low action. I'd like to see Stanley Clarke do any of his double bass heroics on a bass with a regular setup.[/quote]

I think you are quite wrong Oscar, many of the bassists of that ilk will have had a classical training and as Mikey said that involves being adept on basses with a variety of actions.
Ever been to see a Symphony orchestra? They have passages of enormous complexity in all ranges and classical set ups are frequently higher action.

Edited by jakesbass
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I'm just talking from observation about Dave Holland, but I've talked to a few pro double bassists about the low action technical aspects that have developed for upright bass, I'm pretty much repeating what I was told word for word so I'm not really getting into an argument on their behalf over this, agree with it or don't, my opinion is set.

Also read back to my first post and appreciate that I'm not knocking the abilities of the players in any way, just pointing out that its possible to do things these days that wasn't int he past.

Edited by Oscar South
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The action of an instrument and the fact that it is or is not playable with or without amplification is of no consequence. The music is what matters and Holland, of all people, transcends the idea of technique and focusses on the music

Dave Holland remains one of the world's greats. I have about 70 cds with him on an each one is as fresh as the last. I love his ability to keep me interested, his creative spirit, his artistic vision and his beard. Proper jazz.

Favourites?

The Razor's Edge, Conference of the Birds, Extensions, Music For Large and Small Ensembles (Kenny Wheeler), Questions and Answers (Pat Metheny).... the list is endless. Have seen him 5 times (with the Extensions Quartet, Kenny Wheeler LargeEnsemble, Pat Metheny Trio, Jack DeJonhette and with a small orchestra playing a composition written especially for him-thelastonewas the weakest for me). His presence adds depth to any performance and I would urge anyone interested in contemporary improvised music spend some quality time listening to him.

It would be time well spent.

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[quote name='bilbo230763' post='200959' date='May 17 2008, 11:41 AM']The action of an instrument and the fact that it is or is not playable with or without amplification is of no consequence. The music is what matters and Holland, of all people, transcends the idea of technique and focusses on the music
It would be time well spent.[/quote]

I did say Bilbo...That you might be wasting your time.. :)

Garry

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[quote name='bilbo230763' post='200959' date='May 17 2008, 11:41 AM']The action of an instrument and the fact that it is or is not playable with or without amplification is of no consequence. The music is what matters and Holland, of all people, transcends the idea of technique and focusses on the music.[/quote]

Ah, but this is a forum, where gear matters most, technique occupies the shakey middle ground and music is oft forgotten... :)

Alex

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[quote name='Oscar South' post='200846' date='May 17 2008, 01:05 AM']Just going by what I see on that video, any good bassist will be able to play on basses of any action but some of the the highly technical stuff is certainly only possible on a bass with low action. I'd like to see Stanley Clarke do any of his double bass heroics on a bass with a regular setup.[/quote]


Sorry to hijack bilbo........can't deny it though Oscar, whatever set up it's damn fine! :)

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py3jT0uaZw0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py3jT0uaZw0[/url]

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And another under represented gem of a player - Marc Johnson. His sound was one of the first double bass sounds I could recognise immediately. Still love his Bass Desires stuff ....

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ML3Pj5AijY&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ML3Pj5AijY...feature=related[/url]

Listen to Frissel's solo! :)

Saw him with John Taylor a few years ago and his sound was superb. His bowed solos are some of the most beautiful in jazz.

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Johnsons sound is brilliant, I love it....I think Frissel had Gibson gremlins....didn't do it for me. Was he reading his solo?
Scofield is alway good to watch, I'm not a huge fan of his, I just like the way he solos.

Yeah, the Clarke vid is a bit....showboat? It's entertaining and in fairness to old Stan, he mentions in the vid he does look for that element...can't help thinking that his thumb must be sore when he's hitting the bass at around 1.40 in the clip :wacko:

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Ref: the original clip.

I managed to sit through it twice. Although I can't say I enjoyed or liked it, its much better than most. I can see the guys talent and I can [i]almost[/i] tap my foot to some of it.

And that for me is a giant leap.


I'm off to drown myself in a shallow bath.

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