Acoustic bass players

jimdgoulding · « **on:** 14 Nov 2008, 03:00 am »

One to five players that you think are exceptional artists on their instruments. The nearest and dearest to my heart and mind is Richard Davis. I got more to add a little later. Whom doth thy pleasure?

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 03:09 am »

Stanley Clark

Ray Brown

Tony Levin (not acoustic)

John Entwistle (not acoustic)

So I'll add.....Charlie Mingus and Ron Carter

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (played with Kenny Drew)

Edited....missed the "acoustic"

rockadanny · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 12:04 pm »

Scott LaFaro - IMO THE greatest of all time, hands down, period, 'nuff said, ta da, the end, pfffft.
Ray Brown
Paul Chambers
"Pistol" Pete Midtgard - Twistin' Tarantulas/Frantic Flattops

bpape · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 01:00 pm »

Brian Bromberg

mfsoa · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 01:43 pm »

OMG about Richard Davis - I don't think I own anything he's played on, but we saw him w/ Elvin Jones at the Villiage Vanguard years ago, with Sonny Fortune.

I was absolutely spellbound (and I play drums) with Mr. Davis' playing. I don't ever recall being so totally impressed with an acoustic bass player, live, before or since.

(Although the first half of the show was completely ruined by ONE woman sitting near the front, yelling and screaming WooHoos and shit. Sonny would be playing a beautiful, tender ballad on soprano and she'd be singing back to him, etc. People were just begging the managemment to throw her out or to call the police. She was with a few guys who made it very clear that there would be damage made to ones head if anyone approached her to discuss the fact that her "good time" was ruining the evenings for 100+ other people. Man, that was probably 20+ years ago and it is still the worst memory of any concert I've been to. Sonny was pissed as hell, but Elvin was really cool about it (they should have walked off the stage) - I guess he knew she wouldn't be around for the second set!)

Good call, Jim!

I never cared for Ron Carter's sound - Too midrangey or something.

Rob S. · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 01:47 pm »

Edgar Meyer
Christian McBride

Wally King · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 03:28 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 14 Nov 2008, 03:00 am

One to five players that you think are exceptional artists on their instruments. The nearest and dearest to my heart and mind is Richard Davis. I got more to add a little later. Whom doth thy pleasure?

My personal favorite is Charlie Haden.

Others, in no particular order (I couldn't narrow it down to five):

Scott LaFaro
Dave Holland
William Parker
Gary Peacock
Greg Cohen
Edgar Meyer

Doing a search on All Music Guide (and Amazon.com and Tower.com) on any of these guys can introduce the adventurous music lover to some incredible experiences (and can also cost a lot of money).

While Haden may not be as technically proficient as a Meyer or a LaFaro, he's one of those rare musicians who always seems to play exactly the right thing. His technique is always in the service of the greater good; i.e., the music.

arthurs · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 04:00 pm »

Quote from: bpape on 14 Nov 2008, 01:00 pm

Brian Bromberg

Wood and Wood II are both keepers....

jmpiwonka · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 04:30 pm »

reggie workman
jimmy garrison
scott lafaro
eddie gomez
ronnie boykins
richard davis
charles mingus
ray brown
art davis

that's not in any order. there are lots more i could name too. all are good.

ted_b · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 04:41 pm »

Charlie Haden
Edgar Meyer
Mingus
Brian Bomberg (brand new to me, first heard at RMAF 2008 and now loving his stuff....thanks Frank S.)
Scott Lofaro (Waltz For Debby...say no more)

lofreek · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 05:33 pm »

Jimmy Blanton
Oscar Pettiford
Cachao
Rufus Reid
John Pattitucci
Milt Hinton
John Clayton
Avishai Cohen
Kyle Eastwood (son of Clint)
Patrick O'Hearn (Zappa)
Renaud Garcia - Fons (!!!!)

alwayslearning · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 06:37 pm »

Not well known, but an incredible acoustic bassist not mentioned:

Renaud Garcia-Fons
The CD Arcoluz is phenomenal, particularly cut #6, Entremundo!

Money back guarantee on musicianship, enjoyment, and, yes, fidelity.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 07:24 pm »

Remember the avant garde movement in jazz in the late sixties and seventies? Remember ECM in the seventies? Europeans were catching on and the finest ECM releases ever are from this period, IMO. Eberhard Weber was a bass player who had several releases on ECM under his name. But, there is one very melodic and creative American bass player who appeared on some ECM dates who really impressed me, Harvie Swartz. Ring any bells?

Cecil McBee is another favorite of mine.

lofreek · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 08:25 pm »

George Mraz
Red Mitchell
Gary Karr
Joel Quarrington

Scottdazzle · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 09:31 pm »

The acoustic bass is my favorite instrument! At last a liittle recognition. There are many players I love to listen to so I will keep this list short.
Dave Holland
Charlie Haden
Gary Peacock
Edgar Meyer
Charles Mingus, RIP

Troy Logan · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 09:43 pm »

Well, maybe not accoustic bass, but, I still love Bootsy Collins.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 10:02 pm »

Quote from: Scotthobby on 14 Nov 2008, 09:31 pm

The acoustic bass is my favorite instrument! At last a liittle recognition. There are many players I love to listen to so I will keep this list short.
Dave Holland
Charlie Haden
Gary Peacock
Edgar Meyer
Charles Mingus, RIP

The only Charles Lloyd date that I think is worth a spit (he's so in love with himself) on all those many ECM dates he's had is "Voice in the Night" and Dave Holland is driving this along with John Abercrombie and Billy Higgins. Lloyd never had it so good. Dave Holland is a suberb player IMO, too. Has done a lot of work with jazz innovators besides himself. He's a rock.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 05:18 am »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 14 Nov 2008, 03:00 am

One to five players that you think are exceptional artists on their instruments. The nearest and dearest to my heart and mind is Richard Davis. I got more to add a little later. Whom doth thy pleasure?

Jim....

Ever stop by Richard Davis' Home Page....good stuff....

Nice list of the many recordings he's made.....big list...

And.....a little more info...

Check it out....

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 05:58 am »

OMG, he's my main man and had no idea!! Well, maybe some idea. Leave it to you, Chris. You are the patron saint of us all and that's no bullshit.

mjosef · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 06:20 am »

Barre Phillips
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barre_Phillips