George Mraz (1944 - 2021)

[soulpope]

R.I.P .... (Photo : Marc Dietemmeier) ....

[clifford_thornton]

Bummer. RIP.

[GA Russell]

RIP. 

He played on my favorite album, Mike Nock's In, Out & Around.

[T.D.]

35 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

Bummer. RIP.

+1

Another rough year so far.

[Rooster_Ties]

I’m sure I heard him live a few times (at least), but off the top of my head I’m remembering him with Joe Henderson’s trio (with Jack D). Maybe with McCoy Tyner too.

[JSngry]

RIP

[Kevin Bresnahan]

10 minutes ago, Rooster_Ties said:

I’m sure I heard him live a few times (at least), but off the top of my head I’m remembering him with Joe Henderson’s trio (with Jack D). Maybe with McCoy Tyner too.

His playing was pretty incredible with Joe Henderson. I saw him play with Joe in a trio twice and George's bass playing was superb.

[sgcim]

Oh my God! One of the best that ever lived. I asked a virtuoso bass player: Who's the bass player that plays most in tune (something impossible to achieve according to Gunther Schuller)?

He said it was Mraz. That's why he's on so many records. Irreplaceable...RIP

[Hardbopjazz]

Sad news. RIP, George.

[Milestones]

R.I.P., George. You made some fine contributions, including Art Pepper's Village Vanguard records from the late 70s, many discs with Tommy Flanagan, and at least four Joe Lovano records. 

[EKE BBB]

R.I.P. and thanks for the music.

[HutchFan]

Oh no! This is TERRIBLE news. I'm so sorry to hear that George Mraz is no longer with us. Mraz made one of the most beautiful sounds on the bass that I've ever heard. He could make the instrument SING.

Thank you, Mr. Mraz, for the music.  R.I.P.

 

[mjzee]

I saw him once in a duo with Tommy Flanagan at Bradley's.  Excellent bassist; always wondered if he was related to the pop singer Jason Mraz.  R.I.P. and thanks for the music.

[Pim]

That is sad news. Rip mr. Mraz

[T.D.]

12 minutes ago, mjzee said:

... always wondered if he was related to the pop singer Jason Mraz.  R.I.P. and thanks for the music.

Me too, but no relation.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-1c01jmraz21636-no-headline-2009feb01-htmlstory.html

[mjzee]

30 minutes ago, T.D. said:

Me too, but no relation.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-1c01jmraz21636-no-headline-2009feb01-htmlstory.html

Thanks for that.  Funny that it was the first question asked.

[Rabshakeh]

Very sad. RIP.

[Gheorghe]

That´s a terrible blow. He was one of my favourite bassists from the younger generation during the time I saw him life. 

The last time I saw him in 1985 with the absolute dream piano trio: Tommy Flanagan, George Mraz, Art Taylor !!!! 

[aparxa]

Very sad.

I saw him in Marciac in August 2007 with Cyrus Chestnut - who was subbing for Hank Jones - and then at Birdland in August 2008 with the Richie Beirach Quintet with  Brecker, Huebner and Hart, George was stealing every minute of the shows.

[clifford_thornton]

wonder if recordings with Irène Schweizer will surface? Would love to hear those. He would've been quite young.

[Peter Friedman]

A shock. Was not aware of any health problems. George Mraz was one of my very favorite living bass players.

Saw him a number of times and he never failed to impress me with his excellent playing.

R.I.P.

[JSngry]

I think the first time I heard him was on the Thad/Mel Philly International record....that was a long time ago...or was it? Hard to tell these days.

[mikeweil]

Oh ...... this is totally unexpected. R.I.P.

The albums with Emil Viklicky are my favourites: Morava is absolutely beautiful.

 

[Shrdlu]

George Mraz was a superb bass player, with a great sound. He will be missed.

He certainly had great intonation, but he wasn't the only one. Red Garland said that (at whatever point he said it) Doug Watkins had the best intonation of all the bassists he played with. I listen carefully to the bass on recordings and I've found that pretty much all of the well-known ones play in tune most of the time. As a saxophone player, I am amazed that they can do so without frets. How do they remember where to place their fingers? (Rhetorical question.)

My favorite bass player is Ron Carter, and I've never heard him play a bad note. Paul Chambers is arguably the best of all jazz bassists. He was almost always in tune, and even if he wasn't, his superb feel and sound was enough to make the music good. No complaint from me.

George Joyner was way off on the late 1957 sessions with Red Garland (Paul should have been used.) and it spoils the music for me. Curley Russell sounded bad on Bird's "Now's The Time", but was O.K. on other sessions, notably the Blakey Birdland date with Lou Donaldson. Pee Wee Marquette was out-of-tune though.

Andy Simpkins has great intonation on the Three Sounds sessions, and always plays a nice double-stopped tenth just when one thinks it would be good to include.

And Ray Brown was always in tune.

[JSngry]