The bowed (arco) upright bass

[king ubu]

just dropping by to say I enjoy Chambers' arco playing...

and to throw in another name:

Joelle Leandre (or Joëlle Léandre)

http://www.joelle-leandre.com/

http://www.efi.group.shef.ac.uk/mleandre.html

As long as she doesn't vocalize...

Well, playing with Newton, she obviously did... I thought their fake arias were hilarious! (I'd never listen to it on CD at home though, but live it worked for me.)

[Steve Reynolds]

they never took the bass to the same places

different music 50 -75 years ago

Allen - have you seen these guys play live?

I'm speaking of any of the guys/ladies I mentioned?

They play the bass in a manner unknown to nay of the players mentioned - even Richard Davis or even the *great* Dave Holland.

or listen to Parker-Guy-Lytton - At The Vortex and get an idea.

the technique and diversity is way beyond traditional playing of the upright bass.

[AllenLowe]

have heard some of those guys, yes, but I hear real connections, sonically, with the past.

but I understand what you mean.

[7/4]

Ron Carter is one of my LEAST favorites.

I love his bowed solos on those Dolphy era albums...microtonal!

.

Edited November 27, 2009 by 7/4

[7/4]

Miroslav Vitous, I've been listening to these during the holiday.

[Steve Reynolds]

and granted the innovations of Blanton, Mingus, Pettiford et al were more profound - but there was little to build on

my point may be that of all the 'jazz instruments' the upright bass is the one where the most radical and technically advanced innovations have happened over the past 40 years.

[papsrus]

my point may be that of all the 'jazz instruments' the upright bass is the one where the most radical and technically advanced innovations have happened over the past 40 years.

That's an interesting/provocative statement, when one considers where some of the free players have taken the saxophone, with circular breathing and micro-tonal techniques. But certainly the playing of a guy like Henry Grimes would lend support to your view. ... The bass wouldn't have been the first instrument I'd land on when thinking about this, but you may very well be right.

[Shrdlu]

Probably something wrong with my ageing ears

Hee hee, I thought it was Rudy who had hearing problems, Hans.

[AllenLowe]

well, I can't hear anything under 1000 khz or above 1750 - so I use MP3s -

[jazzbo]

Gary Rouzer, bass, bass cello, loops, electronics, working with Vector Trio (among others?) does incredible arco work. Has become a favorite.

Edited November 27, 2009 by jazzbo

[Steve Reynolds]

in my mind since Roscoe and then Evan took circular breathing to new places many years ago - the microtonal or smaller sounds created by guys like Jon Butcher or Urs Leimgruber or Bhob Rainey may be the most innovative things done with the saxophone.

but I would add Mats Gustaffson as one who incorporates massive techniques in some or all of these areas.

But I do believe the bass has undergone the most profound of changed sound and place in the music in the hands of the masters of this sort of improvisation playing

aand dd Simon H Fell to my list

[Peter Friedman]

I never cared much for PC's bowed solos. They often seemed to me to get in the way of the flow of the music. They struck me, most of the time, as similar to a speed bump in the road.

In general, bowed bass solos are not something I usually like, though every so often I come across an exception.

Recently I have heard John Clayton play some bowed bass solos that I found appealing.

[Chuck Nessa]

Ron Carter is one of my LEAST favorites.

I love his bowed solos on those Dolphy era albums...microtonal!

.

Not by design.

[Chuck Nessa]

the microtonal or smaller sounds created by guys like Jon Butcher or Urs Leimgruber or Bhob Rainey may be the most innovative things done with the saxophone.

Those were not the guys making the breakthroughs.

[7/4]

Ron Carter is one of my LEAST favorites.

I love his bowed solos on those Dolphy era albums...microtonal!

Not by design.

I always thought it was maybe 24tet/quartertonal by design.

Oh well...works for me.

[Steve Reynolds]

I disagree, Chuck

but the other guy, maybe the most important saxophonist, IMO, of the past 25 years is the late, great Joe Maneri

if not - who are the guys, Chuck?

[Chas]

I never cared much for PC's bowed solos. They often seemed to me to get in the way of the flow of the music. They struck me, most of the time, as similar to a speed bump in the road.

That's my feeling as well . Say what you like about his tone , but his injudicious soloing during uptempo numbers kills any forward momentum and swing the moment his bow hits the strings . For this reason , I generally find arco solos much more effective at ballad tempo .

[.:.impossible]

Chambers plays a fantastic arco solo on an uptempo tune on Bud Powell's The Scene Changes. I think it's the third tune.

[Dave James]

Say what you like about his (Chambers) tone , but his injudicious soloing during uptempo numbers kills any forward momentum and swing the moment his bow hits the strings.

Chas,

That's a spot on observation.

Edited November 29, 2009 by Dave James

[.:.impossible]

Check out "Down With It" off of The Scene Changes.

[cymbalgroove]

I'm totally SHOCKED at anyone who doesn't think PC was the shit when it came to bowing solos. As far as I'm concerned he was the only cat I could listen to bowing solos. The most swingin bowed cat ever for me.

As far as nowadays, Phil Flanigan is as good as it gets! This guy plays gut strings HIGH action and has nobody has better ideas on the bass as far as soloing is concerned. He gets a great sound bowing too. This guy is scary PERIOD!!!