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In my pursuit of understanding tonality, I discovered that I play way too many notes. I'm reminded of a comment about my 11 string bass, when someone stated that, "If I have 11 strings, I should use all of them on some songs." That made me think about a piano player hitting all 88 notes per song. That would be horrible.
Read more of what Al Caldwell has to say at BassMusicianMag.com
I remember entering a metro talent search when I was in high school. I was a Stanley Clarke fanatic and even performed in a custom made T-shirt reading "Stanley Clarke" that was given to me as a present by a classmate. That night I played every "Stanley" lick I knew to impress everyone, but it went over most people's heads and a Go-Go drummer ended up winning 1st place with me in third. While I was backstage waiting for the verdict, a fan slipped backstage and walked toward me. As I postured myself to receive an accolade or two, The guy ripped into me with the most honest opinion. "You play well, but you sound just like 'Stanley Clarke'. You need a voice of your own." Man! Were my feelings hurt, but it was great constructive criticism and changed my life. I immediately began looking for my own voice.
Jazz bassist Eric Hochberg has been a mainstay of the Chicago jazz scene for several decades, regularly performing on electric and acoustic with such artists as Pharoah Sanders, Bobby McFerrin, Pat Metheny, Cassandra Wilson, Von Freeman, Chico Freeman, Ken Nordine, and Cannonball Adderly.
Today music fans are not only listening in the comfort of their homes but they are also watching. Thirty years ago, there may have been one or two TV shows a week - other than Lawrence Welk - that featured any kind of musical performance. Today, not only does cable TV regularly offer performances, but videos of all kinds of musicians - some famous, many unknown (and for a reason) - are available both commercially and free on the Internet at sites such as YouTube.com.
Hello and welcome to Slap Basics. I'm honored to lend my groove to this much-needed publication; but first, I have a heartfelt disclaimer or two:
First and foremost, I want to stress the utmost importance of getting out there and just jamming with somebody! The actual techniques, licks, and what-have-you that I will demonstrate (to the best of my ability) in this column don't mean anything in the world of music. By that I mean that techniques are just tools; musicality comes from your heart.
Charlie Haden's tone and minimalism have made him one of my favorite bassists. His deep gut-stringed tone made him the perfect complement to the horns in Ornette Coleman's chordless quartet (Coleman-alto sax, Don Cherry-trumpet, Billy Higgins-drums), the gig that first propelled Haden to fame.
This CD really caught me off guard. I thought I knew what to expect from Alain... Top notch fusion composition, flawless intonation and astounding chops. As the disc first started to spin and the first track, "No Pick" began.. I thought that the disc maker must've made a mistake. "Wow...Ray Brown duet?.. lucky day for mistakes!" (much better than when I got a "Prodigy" CD in my "Flecktones" jewel case!)
Israeli Fret-less Bass phenom, Alex Bershadsky, is sure to secure himself a slot in the minds of bass lovers and players everywhere. Having toured festivals around the world as a member of the Israeli fusion band "Zonzee" (and representing Israeli jazz at the Blue Note, NY at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), those "in the know" have already known Alex to be an accomplished player, lyrical soloist and sure footed technician. His first solo release, "Junk" has proven Alex to also be a wonderful writer.
'll admit, I hadn't heard of Doug Johns before. Again, I'm amazed at the wealth of "undiscovered" talent out there in the world. Hailing from Cleveland, OH, Doug's self-titled release is a very musical and funky release.
This new release (of equal billing) featuring Matthew Garrison (bs), Jeff Sipe (dr) & Alex Machacek (gtr) is as aggressive and effective as the players are heavy.
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