acoustic bassists

[deem]

I love the rich sound of the bass in jazz music. I am looking for suggestions of great jazz bassists to look for. Anyone out there know of musicians I should check out?

[gdogus]

Rather than assault you with an exhaustive list of great acoustic jazz bassists, which would be very long indeed, I'm going to suggest that you start with two albums that offer the sound you dig. Both are under the leadership of the great pianist Bill Evans, but prominently feature remarkable acoustic bass work:

Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard - showcasing the late, great bassist Scot LaFaro

Bill Evans and Eddie Gomez - Intuition - an album of piano/bass duets; Gomez is one of the very great acoustic bass players in jazz.

[Valerie]

Almost anything with Paul Chambers, Charles Mingus, Ray Brown or Buster Williams, for starters!

[tonym]

Hello deem.

One I would recommend is Star on ECM label by Miroslav Vitous, Jan Garbarek and Peter Erskine.

The trio format exposes Vitous' bass vividly (as does the sound recording) and all of the compositions are bouyant and played with virtousity and feeling. You also have the bonus of hearing one of the most direct and appealing drummers in the genre (Erskine) and Garbarek playing his backside off on what many thought was his last 'jazz' album for many years.

Hope you enjoy.

cheers, tonym

[tonym]

AND, of course, as Valerie mentioned, Paul Chambers on Kind of Blue . Easy to forget that this guy makes this album in many ways, those ostinati and that thick, rich tone.
Briliant.

[makpjazz57]

Perhaps lesser known, but very much a giant in "bass-land" would be Andy Simpkins. Andy was 1/3 of The Three Sounds. Andy can be found as a sideman on many recordings. His CD, "Comin' At Ya" is still available. A wonderful example of Andy's playing can be found on Sarah Vaughan's recording, "Crazy and Mixed Up." His solo on the tune, In Love In Vain, is an all time favorite of mine.

Marla

[Pete B]

Be sure to check out Oscar Pettiford, one of the first of the modern jazz bassists and a monster musician. His Bethlehem album, variously titles "Oscar Pettiford" "The Finest" or "Another One" (all the same album in various guises) is one of my favorites, with a fine recording of one of his signature tunes "Bohemia After Dark". "Deep Passion" now out of print I think, is another excellent starting place.

[Fran]

For the sake of perspective, and some fine bass playing, go back to the father of the modern bass. Listen to Jimmy Blanton with the 1940 Duke Ellington Orchestra. Among several fine sides, such as "Jack the Bear", Duke, with Blanton, cut four piano-bass duets for RCA that are musts for anyone interested in Jazz bass.

[Muskrat Ramble]

Almost anything with Paul Chambers, Charles Mingus, Ray Brown or Buster Williams, for starters!

Charlie Haden is a living legend. Check him out on Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come and Change of the Century. Ditto Ron Carter. Check him out on Miles Davis's E.S.P. or Miles Smiles, McCoy Tyner's The Real McCoy, and Herbie Hancock's Empyrean Isles.

I second (or third!) the recommendations for Paul Chambers, but beware when he switches to arco (bowed) playing. He has one of the worst string tones I've ever heard; it often makes me cringe.

Here are a few albums where the acoustic bass is very prominent, interesting, and well recorded:

David Izenzon on Ornette Coleman's At the "Golden Circle" Stockholm, vols. 1 and 2

Reid Anderson on The Bad Plus's These are the Vistas

Kjell Jansson on the Mount Everest Trio's Waves from Albert Ayler

Ronnie Boykins on Sun Ra's Visits Planet Earth/Interstellar Low Ways (double album on Evidence)

Robert Hurst Presents Robert Hurst

Peter Kowald and Buschi Niebergall on Peter Brötzmann's Machine Gun

Art Davis and Reggie Workman on John Coltrane's Ole Coltrane.

[bubber]

From this side of the pond you definitely should check out the great Dane; Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and also Renaud Garcia Fons who plays both pizzicato and arco like a dream.

[King Norre]

Here's a list of some of my favorite bassplayers (some have been mentioned):

Dave Holland
Christian McBride
Paul Chambers (Mr. PC)
Charles Mingus
Larry Grenadier
Avishai Cohen
Ray Brown
Ron Carter
Reginald Veil
Charlie Hayden
Jimmy Garrison
Gary Peacock
Oscar Pettiford
Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen
John Clayton
John Patitucci
Marc Johnson
Lonnie Plaxico
Hein Van de Geyn
Philippe Aerts
Stanley Clarcke
Scott La Faro
Reggie Workman
Steve Davis
Scott Colley
Eddie Gomez

Enjoy
:D

KN

[maygar]

William Parker.
He has the added advantage of being alive and (very) active !

[Bev Stapleton]

A wonderful bassist probably unknown beyond the UK yet heard by everyone in the UK who has been to more than a few jazz concerts.

Dave Green!

Same era as Dave Holland but Green stayed home. Plays in every style from accompanying singers, those mainstream Zephyr recordings right through to more abstract music. His most recent recording - Time Will Tell - is a marvellous sax/bass/drums disc at the more adventurous end of the music.

Roy Babbington is another marvellous player.

And then there's Barry Guy - not just a great player but a marvellous composer and setter-up-of-interesting-interactions. The London Jazz Composer Orchestra recordings are one of my current enthusiasms.

Another marvellous 'free' bass player from these isles - Paul Rogers. Hear him with Keith Tippett in Mujician.

[maygar]

all top men Bev, what was the name of the guy who used to play in Ronnie Scotts band (Mathewson?) he was excellent too.

[Bev Stapleton]

Ron Mathewson. Marvellous acoustic and electric bass player. Sadly disappeared from the scene, I believe through ill health.

Ronnie Scott's 'Serious Gold' - the most criminally MIA record of all to my mind - has him in stunning form.

[maygar]

Serious Gold; fabulous album from a great group, Scott too was in top shape. Shame Ron is off the scene, but then I know he did used to enjoy the odd drink !

[sheila]

Arild Andersen is a great bassist, his ECM "A Molde Concert" is a gem,

[Bev Stapleton]

Another great UK bass player from the same vintage as above:

Chris Laurence

Absolutely astounding when I last saw him with John Surman a couple of years back.

There are also some great younger (ish) players highly active in the UK at present - Mick Hutton, Gary Crosby, Alec Dankworth, Jeremy Brown, Arnie Somogyi and Malcolm Creese to name a few.

[GiantSteps]

HELLO DEEM,
Well it's really good to ask about bass becoz it's a great instrument especially in jazz...!
For me there's a lot of great bassists that you should listen to:
1- Gary Peacock, you can find him in keith jarrett trio cds @ECM....I have whisper not , you should listen to this album..
2- Bill Evans especially with Miles Davis
3- Charles Mingus
And there's a great electrical bass player : Jaco Pastorious

[GiantSteps]

I'm Sorry I forgot to tell you about:
Dave Holland and Ron Carter ;)

[Muskrat Ramble]

Bill Evans especially with Miles Davis


I think you meant Paul Chambers. Bill Evans was a pianist.

[GiantSteps]

Yeah Muskrat I know that there's a famous pianist called BILL EVANS, he's one of the best pianist of all time especially with Miles Davis in "Kind Of Blue"
Ok I'm sorry there's no bassist called Bill Evans but there's a saxophonist called Bill Evans , he has many tracks with Miles Davis like :"Jean Pierre".....You may Check it out :) >>>!

[milestones]

1st of all , Bill Evans is a pianist, not a bassist.. BTW, there's a saxophonist called Bill Evans who used to play with Miles in the Golden years... Paul Chambers was too much miles' s bassist

I didnt see all the threads , but i think you should be aware of all bassists. But i think nobody Talked about Terrasson's bassist Ugono Ukogwa , he's really a high-talented bassist.

Scott Lafaro is one of my favorite bassists, we all know about his melancolic car accident, 2 days after the village vanguard exceptionnal concert .

My favorite bassists who are still alive are: Charlie Haden, Eddie Gomez and Jack Gregg.

[Frank Mullen]

I know I'm in the wrong place when noone here mentions Milt Hinton!

[Frank Mullen]

There IS a sax player named Bill Evans. I know because I thought I had found a previously unknown CD by THE Bill Evans.

[Muskrat Ramble]

Yes, there is a sax player and was a piano player, both by the name of Bill Evans, but what I want to know is, what are they doing in a thread about acoustic bassists? :)

[Nashville Katz]

Aside from all the greats mentioned, Richard Davis is worth checking out. w/ Andrew Hill (Smokestack especially) and Booker Ervin. He is on many other recordings, a first call guy. Also, check out: Dolphy's Out to Lunch. Highly recommended.

[gdogus]

Hi Nashville Katz! Yeah, Richard Davis is one of those great players i'm afraid I take for granted. He's always turning up on all kinds of recordings - usually when I wonder, "who's that bass player" and reach for the liner notes. Surprisingly often, yep - it's Richard Davis.

[wjd]

Richard Davis on "Heavy Sounds", an album he co-led with Elvin Jones. His solo on "Summertime" is great.

[omar zamora]

Originally posted by Muskrat Ramble
Yes, there is a sax player and was a piano player, both by the name of Bill Evans, but what I want to know is, what are they doing in a thread about acoustic bassists? :)

Since we're on the subject, here's another Bill Evans who is not a bassist...

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd500/d569/d56944n4905.jpg

There's also renowned bluegrass musician of the same name

[knee_himiah]

Check out www.ramonpooser.com

[maygar]

Harrison Bankhead - formidable player !

[fata morgana]

Harrison Bankhead - formidable player !
Also a very nice guy. A few more you might like---Dave Holland, Buster Williams, Alex Blake, Richard Davis, William Parker, Malachi Favors, Jimmy Blanton,Jimmy Garrison, Charles Mingus and many more.......

[A.J.K.]

My favorites are Scott LeFaro, Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, & Dave Holland.

[A.J.K.]

stanley clarke plays some badass upright on School Days.

[wordsandsounds]

Hi Nashville Katz! Yeah, Richard Davis is one of those great players i'm afraid I take for granted. He's always turning up on all kinds of recordings - usually when I wonder, "who's that bass player" and reach for the liner notes. Surprisingly often, yep - it's Richard Davis.


In the Overdue Ovation article on Richard Davis a month or two ago he said he was listening to a jazz station that day and was thinking to himself 'damn! that guy can really play. Who is this guy?' and when the dj came on Davis found out it was himself.

Ray Drummond is an often overlooked player who can really play distinctive with a big fat tone. Also, any Jimmy Garrison fans would do right to listen Coltrane's Live in Japan set feature a handful of 10-15 minute bass solos (as long as you dig bass solos I guess eh :). There are really a lot of fine bass players when you take a minute to think about it. And if you love solo bass albums the last ten years or so have been an absolute boom.

[burning dog]

Richard Davis is great with Andrew Hill, and is on the classic Dolphy album "Out to Lunch". There are great European bass virtuoso players in the free-improv genre. For straight ahead driving a band I like Ron Carter with the Miles Davis band. Mingus is great too.

[Hot Ptah]

Richard Davis. He is as great as ever today. No one else is as great with the bow. I suggest starting with Heavy Sounds, the Impulse album he co-led with Elvin Jones, and his recording of "Summertime".