stonecoldbass Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Well, I arrived home 3 days ago from a vacation of a lifetime: 10 days in NYC. I went with my mate Marco, a keyboard player, and we stayed in Midtown Manhattan. Being jazz fans, we were pretty excited about visiting the famous venues, Blue Note etc; and experiencing some good music. I, however, wasn't prepared for such a bass extravaganza!! The first gig was in the Blue Note and was the Poogie Bell band. You probably have already heard Poogie....he plays drums for Marcus Miller... Well, Marcus wasn't there, but he had a fantastic bass player called Kevin Barefoot playing for him, a lovely Fodera into the venues own Aguilar rig... [attachment=12204:broadfoot.jpg] Next night was Blue Note again, this time it was a group called Metro, with none other than Dave Weckl on kit, Gerald Veasley on bass and Randy Brecker on trumpet. Oh, and Will Lee was in the house, so he went up for a jam... [attachment=12205:gerald_veasely.jpg] [attachment=12206:will_lee.jpg] [attachment=12207:will_and_I.jpg] Then on Monday night we took a little visit to the 55 Bar, where Jaco and Mike Stern used to tear it up. Mike was playing that night, but this time with the African Jaco, Mr. Richard Bona: [attachment=12209:richard_and_me.jpg] [attachment=12208:mike_stern.jpg] On wednesday we went to see Lettuce (for those not in the know, they are one of the hottest funk bands out) on a ferry that went up the hudson. Probably the best funk gig I ever saw. And the bass player is called Jesus. He was in Bass Player last month I think. [attachment=12214:lettuce.jpg] During the week I payed a little visit to Rudy's bass shop and got my sweaty mits on a a few jems, some lovely modulus, an mtd or two, a sukop, an f-bass....but the highlight was a 'modified' '77 jazz. Sublime. [attachment=12210:77_jazz_bass.jpg] So, to some up, in the space of a week I met 3 bass legends playing with fellow world class musicians and saw various other ensembles that were all individual musical gems. Only in New York! I recommend it to anyone!!! Cheers, Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderthumbs Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 My God.....what a week!!! Well done that man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 [url="http://www.myspace.com/erickbass"]http://www.myspace.com/erickbass[/url] "Don't f*** with the Jesus" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastair Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 New York is amazing. I [i]will[/i] live there some day, even if it is only short term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecoldbass Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 One day, oh yes...one day... It truly is an incredible place. Any kind of lifestyle or music you want, you get it in NYC. PS - nice big lebowski quote :-) c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 It was probably all just bad planning.... I was in NYC for a week earlier this year and pretty much hated the place. Too noisy, too busy, just another big city. I failed miserably to find any decent music venues at all!! Oh well :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I like NY, its an amazing place if you know what you want to do. I don't know of any place on the planet where big name musicians are so accessible. I had a listen to Lettuce on Myspace, I think any decent bass player would sound funky with that outfit - very tight and great grooves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 (edited) [quote name='stonecoldbass' post='263208' date='Aug 15 2008, 04:28 PM']Well, I arrived home 3 days ago from a vacation of a lifetime: 10 days in NYC. I went with my mate Marco, a keyboard player, and we stayed in Midtown Manhattan. Being jazz fans, we were pretty excited about visiting the famous venues, Blue Note etc; and experiencing some good music. I, however, wasn't prepared for such a bass extravaganza!! The first gig was in the Blue Note and was the Poogie Bell band. You probably have already heard Poogie....he plays drums for Marcus Miller... Well, Marcus wasn't there, but he had a fantastic bass player called Kevin Barefoot playing for him, a lovely Fodera into the venues own Aguilar rig... [attachment=12204:broadfoot.jpg] Next night was Blue Note again, this time it was a group called Metro, with none other than Dave Weckl on kit, Gerald Veasley on bass and Randy Brecker on trumpet. Oh, and Will Lee was in the house, so he went up for a jam... [attachment=12205:gerald_veasely.jpg] [attachment=12206:will_lee.jpg] [attachment=12207:will_and_I.jpg] Then on Monday night we took a little visit to the 55 Bar, where Jaco and Mike Stern used to tear it up. Mike was playing that night, but this time with the African Jaco, Mr. Richard Bona: [attachment=12209:richard_and_me.jpg] [attachment=12208:mike_stern.jpg] On wednesday we went to see Lettuce (for those not in the know, they are one of the hottest funk bands out) on a ferry that went up the hudson. Probably the best funk gig I ever saw. And the bass player is called Jesus. He was in Bass Player last month I think. [attachment=12214:lettuce.jpg] During the week I payed a little visit to Rudy's bass shop and got my sweaty mits on a a few jems, some lovely modulus, an mtd or two, a sukop, an f-bass....but the highlight was a 'modified' '77 jazz. Sublime. [attachment=12210:77_jazz_bass.jpg] So, to some up, in the space of a week I met 3 bass legends playing with fellow world class musicians and saw various other ensembles that were all individual musical gems. Only in New York! I recommend it to anyone!!! Cheers, Craig[/quote] Poogie Bell is fantastic. You should check out his album 'Thinking Outside the Box' tis a great album..I would love to go to the New York bass works and try those out..Rudy's, arent they the place for Pensa basses? I am so envious bro, that i think i hate you!!!!!only kidding, that is where i would love to go..I cant believe you saw all those legends..Mike Stern, Richard Bona,Will Lee..Good on you man... That chap Jesus, did he have a beard and play a Deluxe Jazz? Thanks for the pics bro!!!!! Edited August 16, 2008 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Sounds like you had an excellent trip! Did you get up and have a jam yourself? And did you bring yourself back any new gear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassninja Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I hear Aberystwyth is very pleasant this time of year too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecoldbass Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 We were planning on getting up but most of the gigs were too 'official', and when we did ask we were told jam nights were another night... That guy jesus did have a beard and play a fender deluxe, check out the pic. I didn't bring back any gear, I'm waiting on my sadowsky being delivered from another bchatter!! c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 [quote name='bassninja' post='263597' date='Aug 16 2008, 02:20 PM']I hear Aberystwyth is very pleasant this time of year too... [/quote] He He..World class players there..Loverly mind!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 [quote name='bubinga5' post='263639' date='Aug 16 2008, 04:29 PM']He He..World class players there..Loverly mind!!!![/quote] Apparently ped graced many venues in Aberwotsit during 2003-2006! Definitely a bass pilgrimage now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedontcarebear Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I had never heard of Lettuce before, but they are awesome on their myspace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Great story and photos - thanks for sharing that with us lesser mortals!! That modified Jazz looks so cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Hey nice story and good vibes all the way, great to see Bona at the 55 bar with Stern, a rare one that for sure.... I saw amazing guitarist wayne Krantz there in April last year, but he had... Anthony Jackson on bass and Steely Dan's drummer Keith Karlock, which was er, nice! Plus I hung with Matt Garrison over at Fodera and heard him jam in the Epifani workshop too, which was also nice. And while I agree that NYC is full of incredible bass talent, within a few days/couple of weeks in London recently we had Richard Bona, Tony Grey, Matt Garrison, Stanley Clarke, Dominique Di Piazza and Mr Victor Wooten visit town to play gigs, so NYC may be home but playing in Europe is certainly paying those bills! However I have to say NYC is a very, very special place for jazz in general being the birthplace of what we essentially know as modern jazz and with so much history steeped in the streets and bars and clubs, the place is still vital and exciting and the standard of playing across the entire range of instruments is astonishing. It's just nice to see both American musicians coming to London because the standard is very high here as well, but it's also great to see many UK musicians going to NYC and getting stuck in there as well. It's all good! M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 And in October Victor Bailey plays two club nights, and in November Hadrien Feraud is over for two nights as well: [url="http://www.myspace.com/charliewrights"]http://www.myspace.com/charliewrights[/url] 10 Oct 2008 20:00 FR)-VICTOR BAILEY GROUP-only UK dates-premier of his new album since 2001 London 11 Oct 2008 20:00 SAT)-VICTOR BAILEY GROUP-only UK dates-premier of his new album since 2001 London 18 Nov 2008 21:30 LONDON JAZZ FEST: Hadrien Feraud Group (France) London 19 Nov 2008 21:30 LONDON JAZZ FEST: Hadrien Feraud Group (France) London Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjamm Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Sounds awesome man...nice one!!! Lettuce are super hot dude, lol them!!! We do 'Squad' in my band, they're some of the guys from Soulive i think, isn't Kraz they're guitarist? Sounds killer though dude, bet the Mike Stern and Richard Bona night was pretty wicked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwilym Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 coincidentally, I also had my hols in NYC/NJ last month. NY is just awesome - it was my third visit there, and it just gets better each time. I managed to catch [url="http://www.charlestolliver.com/"]The Charles Tolliver Big Band[/url] (at The Blue Note), [url="http://www.mingusmingusmingus.com/MingusBands/orchestra.html"]The Mingus Orchestra[/url] and The Victor Lewis Quintet (at the Village Vanguard). I also picked up a very nice bass that I bought off a nice fellow from TB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I bought a DigiTech Synth Wah from Rudy's in 2003. He gave me a generous discount cos I had a bit of a chat with him and it was a display model or something. Great shop; i remember he had a lot of really expensive Warwicks in stock when i was in there, and a few custom finish ones as well. I'll go back one day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weird War Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Thanks for posting this, Craig, what a great trip. Did GAS overcome you at any (or several) points, leading to extra luggage on the way home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaphappygarry Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Awesome man Take it you didnt catch Stanley Clark then? Garry ps - your mate needs to address the mono brow situation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecoldbass Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Unfortunately I missed return to forever, they were playing almost out of town. I was actually not really that tempted by the gear! Which to me says that I'm on the right path with the stuff that I have.....that and I'm waiting on my Sadowsky Metro arriving!! c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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