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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

The Best Bass Players of All Time

Logging onto the all-knowing eye in the corner of the room this morning I was caught by a clickbait headline, namely, The best bass players of all time according to Rolling Stone. Well, I thought, It’s got to be more credible than if it was a Smash Hits poll so I clicked through and the top ten were revealed as: -

10. Ron Carter

9. Paul McCartney

8. Jaco Pastorious

7. Larry Graham

6. Jack Bruce

5. Carole Kaye

4. Bootsy Collins

3. John Entwhistle

2. Charles Mingus

1. James Jamerson

I think there’s some good names on that list. If your ears take you outside the jazz world you will have heard music by the non-jazzers, even if you didn’t know it was them. For example Jamerson anchored the Motown Sound and Kaye played on nearly every session recorded in California in the 60s. I think Entwhistle is on there for his contribution to My Generation and for keeping the music going whilst the rest of the Who were playing silly buggers on stage. Graham and Collins get the nods for being the foundations of some of the best (and most sampled) funk (a music that is built on the bass) of all time. You can make up your own mind about McCartney as you’ve probably heard of him. Myself, it’s Jaco first, always. Dave Sayer

7 comments :

Patti said...

It's all about the bass, isn't it!

Sylvia said...

Jaco Jaco Jaco!….saw him with Weather Report in the 70s at Newcastle City Hall …and Word Of Mouth is always on my play list!
Carole Kaye for her work with The Wrecking Crew
Paul who?

Russell said...

Jaco, it's as simple as that.

Anonymous said...

https://jazzfuel.com/best-jazz-bass-players/

Steve T said...

I recall in the seventies a work colleague describing Paul McCartney as the best bass player in the world. Then Stanley Clarke played Whistle Test with George Duke and he was forced to say that Clarke wasn't a bass player but a lead guitarist who played bass.

For bass guitar it's between Jaco and Stanley Clarke. For bass, there's only Mingus. Quincy Jones told us all we need to know about Macca and his playgroup. James Jamerson possibly on the list but not number one - a bit of sixties worship I suspect.

Personally, I'd say Larry Graham and Bootsy should be the only non-jazzers, though I'd swap them round. If you're gonna have rock guitarists, it should be Jack Bruce and Chris Squire, though it could be argued Jack Bruce is jazz (in later life, Ginger Baker said Cream were never a rock band but a jazz group).

If we need a token lady, for more recent inclusions, there's Esperanza Spalding (who's great) or Meshell Ndegeocello (who was disappointing at Cheltenham).

Apart from Macca and Entwistle (John Who?) it could have been much worse. Jimmy Blanton and Paul Chambers and we've cracked it.

Notable mentions: Michael Henderson (Aretha, Stevie Wonder, Chilites, Miles, Norman Connors, himself), Miroslav Vitous (original Weather Report bass player) and Alphonso Johnson (bass player in Santana's (and many other people's) favourite lineup of Weather Report)

Unknown said...

Ten great jazz string bassists
From Swing to Bop
Jimmy Blanton - Duke's early choice
Milt Hinton - Steady as a rock, great notes, liked by peers.
Israel Crosby - SO under-rated Formidable member of Ahmed Jamal Trio
Oscar Pettiford - not so well known but a fine player.Somewhat 'prickly' as a
character.
From bop to modern & beyond.
Ray Brown - my Greatst Of All Time. Tone, sound, technique, stamina,ideas.....
Red Mitchell - a stalwart of West Coast groups.
Scott LaFaro - first player to elevate the bass to equality in a trio (B.Evans)
Gary Peacock - only bass player who could challenge Keith Jarrett.
Ron Carter - what a great servant to jazz
Special category
Charles Mingus - bandleader,composer,motivator,several chips on both shoulders !

Dave Brownlow

Steve T said...

By the end of the funk age, Louis Johnson had become my favourite bass player, in a group you may have heard of with his brother. Mates with Q, MJ etc.

Don't discount the thunderous bass of Mark King. Level 42 began life on the British jazz-funk scene and I still like their first and third singles (and don't mind their second and fourth). Last time I saw him he joined Larry Graham on stage at the Camden Jazz Cafe and would do his thing every so often. Larry Graham would turn round and look at him as if to say what the fvc£ you doin' man? You started it!

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