Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

In an effort to "go back to the beginning" and lean how to play the CORRECT way....

WHAT are some JAZZ artists that are staples and which ones are PLAYABLE! I want to learn the basics in jazz, NOT JACO (not that I don't think he's great, but I can't play like that). I REALLY don't know much at all about jazz.

I'm NOT a fusion guy, and that un-resolved stuff makes me NUTS!

I heard a band on recently that I went NUTS for.
Anyone ever hear of a band called BONA FIDE? I can't find out much about them on the web, but the song Midnight Train (Soul Lounge CD)is the kind of sound I can REALLY enjoy and want to learn how to play. Nice, lite jazz.

Thanks in advance!

Duke Ellington.

Count Basie, perhaps? Or Benny Goodman, maybe?

REALLY?

Wow, I'm surprised!

I thought I'd hear some contemporary names.

Ok, the Duke & the Count sound great, BENNY too?

Any Cd's come to mind? Or just grab ANYTHING by these artists?

Thanks guys!

Don't mean to offend here, but most good jazz was recorded (and sounds/plays best) on an upright bass. Anything with an electric bass, i'd consider jazz fusion.

Give a listen to "So What?" by the Miles Davis Sextet. Great bassline.

No offence taken John,

I played upright from the 3rd grade to High School.

I NEVER took it seriously though. But I miss the FEEL of a fretless bass. I sure do love the sound of an upright. Just TOO damn big to play these days.

I appreciate the song name, it makes it MUCH easier. There is SO much out there, I have NO CLUE where to begin.

Thanks!

PS. Hey, are you STILL up for a FLA trip after your international journey? Hmmm?

Yeah, I'm a fan of the Benny Goodman Sextet. Oh--here's a song title, "Sing, Sing, Sing" on the live at Carnegie Hall recording, 1938, I think it was. And boy, did they swing!

JimK

Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"...

It'll stretch your brain without leaving your hands behind...

Like Dane says, You can never go wrong with Mingus.

When you start to look for more bass-heavy stuff, anything by Paul Chambers (e.g. John Coltrane's Blue Train) or Scott LaFaro (Bill Evans' Sunday at the Village Vanguard) is excellent as well.

JB is right about uprights, but so are these ideas for checking out great jazz bass lines. Mingus was the king of bassists, just a wild beast, and he has a lot of good ones, but I would also recommend the song "My Jelly Roll Soul" from Blues & Roots---the bass is a great counterpoint to the melody. Coltrane is sublime, "Blue Train" is an album everyone should run out and buy, along with "A Love Supreme". There are great classic jazz bass lines to be found on Basie albums, but a really good one is Basie Jam #2...some great walking bass parts. Check out "Funky Blues" with Charlie Parker and others from one of the Norman Granz "Jazz at the Philharmonic" albums. A lot of the best jazz for what I THINK you're looking for will come out of the 40's and 50's. Many of the 60's "innovations" in rock bass lines (think Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney) had already been going on for years in the jazz world. Your notion of "standard" bass lines will be expanded...Have fun!

All great suggestions. Start with "Satin Doll" and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" from the Duke repertoire. Oh, and "Take the A Train." Lots of harmonic building blocks there.

"A Love Supreme" is a personal favorite of mine, but I wouldn't dare play that stuff on an electric bass. It's just wouldn't be right.

One of my favorite Mingus tunes is "Hora Decubitus".

I'd suggest listening to the work of some of the great organists for bassline ideas. Cats like Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, Jack McDuff, Richard "Groove" Holmes and Jimmy McGriff had very strong footpedal skills and they actually sound like a bass player at times. Give a listen to some of the Nat and Julius Adderly stuff like "This Here" and "The Jive Samba". Great swinging bass parts that really groove....of course, Bobby Timmons knew how to write a great composition, too!

"A Love Supreme" is a personal favorite of mine, but I wouldn't dare play that stuff on an electric bass. It's just wouldn't be right...

Actually, it IS right,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCjmtW7FEYI

especially when you have another guy on bass too...

Not enough coffee yet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCjmtW7FEYI