Some Love For Jimmy Garrison

[Chuck Nessa]

My negative impressions of Carter are musical (at least my preferences). My negative impressions of Garrison were formed by his brother-in-law (a friend from the '70s).

OTOH, I have witnessed Carter being a complete ass on a couple of instances and Jimmy always seemed "docile".

If you enjoy something/someone, go ahead and do not pick scabs.

[Hot Ptah]

Workman is on Chasin' the Trane, not Garrison.

Coltrane wanted Art Davis in the band, not Richard Davis.

Richard Davis told our jazz history class at the University of Wisconsin in 1978 that he was all set to join the Coltrane Quartet in the fall of 1967. Coltrane did not live that long.

[Guy Berger]

I like The Real McCoy--and Ron's hookup with Elvin is unimpeachable insofar as it operates under its own premises (just like the Elvin hookup with Richard Davis, for example--there's nothing else like it). I do like Jimmy/Elvin "better," honestly--or, rather, it's a different thing that just gets me deeper (both feel wise and emotionally). A/Bing the version(s) of Chasing the Trane with Workman and Garrison, for example, convey just what Jimmy brought to that band--Workman is a great player, but his uptempo playing (at that time, at least) comes across as a lot more slippery, a lot less rhythmically "direct" than Jimmy's.

To be fair to the "other guys", Jimmy and Elvin played together for 4 years.

[Joe]

Have always loved the group interplay -- Jones and Garrison especially -- on this performance. I think too its a good demonstration of Jim's original point. I *think* / if I'm hearing and feeling this as is.

[JSngry]

Have always loved the group interplay -- Jones and Garrison especially -- on this performance. I think too its a good demonstration of Jim's original point. I *think* / if I'm hearing and feeling this as is.

It most certainly is!

[Harold_Z]

Sometimes this place amazes me! Exactly WHAT is there not to like about Jimmy Garrison's playing? If you're lukewarm on Jimmy G. you're lukewarm on the instrument itself and don't understand the function of the instrument.

[AllenLowe]

took the words right outta my mouth, Harold. Think: New York is Now.

[JohnS]

Garrison was in the UK with Archie Shepp back in the sixties. The sets opened with a Garrison bass solo, absolutely astonishing.

[BillF]

Garrison was in the UK with Archie Shepp back in the sixties. The sets opened with a Garrison bass solo, absolutely astonishing.

I remember Ed Dipple telling me about seeing that group at Club 43 in Manchester. IIRC Roswell Rudd was with them.

[Tom Storer]

I'm another big fan of Garrison. Interestingly, Larry Grenadier cites him as a major model. I could see that when I had a chance to see the Mehldau trio up close in a small club. Grenadier was strong as a bull, totally leading the rhythmic drive of those arrangements. It was very Garrison-like. Not something I'd picked up on listening to the CDs.

For a chance to hear Garrison quite clearly, in all his swinging authority, check out Benny Carter's "Further Definitions."

[David Ayers]

I can't get excited about bassists. I always found it better just to leave them to it.

[JohnS]

Garrison was in the UK with Archie Shepp back in the sixties. The sets opened with a Garrison bass solo, absolutely astonishing.

I remember Ed Dipple telling me about seeing that group at Club 43 in Manchester. IIRC Roswell Rudd was with them.

That's the one Bill, plus Grachan Moncur and Beaver Harris.

[CJ Shearn]

I'm another big fan of Garrison. Interestingly, Larry Grenadier cites him as a major model. I could see that when I had a chance to see the Mehldau trio up close in a small club. Grenadier was strong as a bull, totally leading the rhythmic drive of those arrangements. It was very Garrison-like. Not something I'd picked up on listening to the CDs.

For a chance to hear Garrison quite clearly, in all his swinging authority, check out Benny Carter's "Further Definitions."

Absolutely interesting point made about Grenadier and I agree. He's always been really rock solid as a bassist, and I saw him live with Pat Metheny and Jack DeJohnette where his drive was really strong on inside or outside. IMO with all of the bassists Pat has used he's next to Steve Rodby in terms of that rock solid quality, they have such a natural hookup.

[BillF]

Garrison was in the UK with Archie Shepp back in the sixties. The sets opened with a Garrison bass solo, absolutely astonishing.

I remember Ed Dipple telling me about seeing that group at Club 43 in Manchester. IIRC Roswell Rudd was with them.

That's the one Bill, plus Grachan Moncur and Beaver Harris.

So sorry I missed them. I didn't turn out on that occasion.

Must have been round about the time of this album:

[David Ayers]

Seen and not heard. Bassists of the world, please notice that this is why you are always invited to stand at the back in a pool of beer.

[CraigP]

Tom, you're still around! How are things in Par-ee?

[AllenLowe]

garrison was also in that Bill Evans/Tony Scott band that had some bootlegs.

[B. Clugston]

Garrison was in the UK with Archie Shepp back in the sixties. The sets opened with a Garrison bass solo, absolutely astonishing.

I remember Ed Dipple telling me about seeing that group at Club 43 in Manchester. IIRC Roswell Rudd was with them.

That's the one Bill, plus Grachan Moncur and Beaver Harris.

So sorry I missed them. I didn't turn out on that occasion.

Must have been round about the time of this album:

They toured Europe the following year, in 1967. You can hear that group on Life At The Donaueschingen Music Festival, which opens with a great Garrison solo.

[Joe]

IIRC, Garrison is in the bass chair on all of Philly Joe Jones' Riverside leader dates. I guess he liked working with very active drummers...

[JSngry]

And the opposite would be true as well...the more solid the bassist, the freer the drummer can be.

[Tom Storer]

Tom, you're still around! How are things in Par-ee?

Never left! Things are great in Paris, we weathered that hurricane just fine. Oh, wait, that was the East Coast of the United States.

[Mark Stryker]

IIRC, Garrison is in the bass chair on all of Philly Joe Jones' Riverside leader dates. I guess he liked working with very active drummers...

On "Drums Around the World" Garrison (three tracks) splits the record with Sam Jones (four tracks).

[Joe]

And the opposite would be true as well...the more solid the bassist, the freer the drummer can be.

Yes, perhaps I should have written: "Garrison's entire career, with Trane and otherwise, seems to be characterized by this specific kind of bass - drums symbiosis."

Isn't Paul Motian the drummer on those Scott -- and Konitz / Marsh Half Note '59 -- performances?

[Д.Д.]

I love bass, one of my favorite instruments in improvised music. But Garrison's approach is just not interesting for me. His bass sounds essentially like some sort of African percussion, balafon or something. Short sounds, pulsating... sort of groovy. Very repetitive, very boring. I can't stand his solos - not only do I find them unimaginative, but they also all sound very similar to each other. And I actually love bass solos, have probably at least 20 CDs of solo improvised bass... I think his approach worked OK in Coltrane's "classic" quartet as supplement to Elvin, but was too square for the band with Ali.

Garrison is actually very similar in style to William Parker, one bassist whose playing I really can't tolerate.

[JSngry]

His bass sounds essentially like some sort of African percussion, balafon or something.

I would not disagree to any significant degree.