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Electric Bass Guitars
Les Paul became a leader of his own
trio in the 1930s, playing mostly popular music, and also accompanying artists
like the Andrews Sisters and Bing Crosby. He was never satisfied in any single
genre, however, and his playing encompassed country, jazz and blues. Paul
reached the height of his performing fame in the 1950s, when he teamed up with
his then-wife Mary Ford on vocals. They enjoyed the success of hits such as
How High the Moon.
But Paul wasn't just a guitar player - he was also a guitar
inventor and recording innovator. He's credited with being the first American to
produce (8 track) multi-track recording, thus making overdubbing possible.
Unsatisfied with the sounds of the guitars he was using, Paul invented the first
solid-body guitar. He invented the first bass guitar. The use of echo. Delay.
Reverb. Phasing. The man not only commanded his instrument, he literally came up
with completely new ways for his instrument to sound. "I had this drive, this
curiosity that absolutely fascinated me," he said.
At 90, Paul's hands and fingers are badly ravaged by
arthritis, but it has barely slowed his love of playing music and enjoying life.
In 1951,
Leo Fender independently released his
Precision Bass, the first commercially successful
electric bass guitar The electric bass was easily amplified
with its built-in pickups, easily portable (less than a foot
longer than an electric guitar), and easier to play in tune,
thanks to the metal frets. In the 1960s and 1970s bands were
playing at louder volumes and performing in larger venues. The
electric bass was able to provide the huge, highly-amplified
stadium-filling bass tone that the pop and rock music of this
era demanded, and the double bass receded from the limelight of
the popular music scene.
The
electric bass guitar an
electrically-amplified
string instrument similar in appearance to
an
electric guitar, but with a larger body, a
longer-scale
neck and (usually) four strings tuned an octave
lower in
pitch than a guitar. Electric basses may be
fretted or
fretless, although fretted basses are far
more common in most popular music settings.
Fretless basses are more common in
jazz-fusion music. As well, there are also
hollow-bodied
acoustic bass guitars. Since the
1950s the electric bass has largely replaced
the
double bass in
popular music as the instrument that
provides the low-pitched
bassline(s) and
bass runs. The electric bass is used as a
soloing instrument in jazz, fusion, Latin, and
funk styles, and bass solos are sometimes
performed in other genres.
 Solid
Conklin Bass
The man who inspired the Fretless Bass Guitar
 Jaco
Pastorius
- his solo on 'donna lee', beyond being astounding for just the
fact that it was played with a hornlike phrasing that was previously unknown to
the bass guitar is even more notable for being one of the freshest looks at how
to play on a well travelled set of chord changes in recent jazz history - not to
mention that it's just about the hippest start to a debut album in the history
of recorded music. that solo, along with his best compositions like "continuum"
reveal a melodic ingenuity (that rarest and hardest to quantify of musical
qualities amongst improvisors) that comes along only a few times in each
generation. Then there is just his basic relationship to sound and touch;
refined to a degree that some would have thought impossible on an "electric"
instrument. Jaco was the one and the only of his kind, without
predecessor; the only post 1970 jazz musician known on a first name basis with
all music fans of all varieties everywhere in the world. from the depths of
Africa where he is revered in almost god-like status to the halls of most every
music university on the planet. to this day, and maybe more than ever, he
remains the one and the only. Having watched a number of his String basses
explode in the Florida humidity extremes - he tore the frets out of his Fender
and filled the slots with plastic wood - that's all it took to change bass
history.
Jaco Pastorius may well have been the last jazz
musician of the 20th century to have made a major impact on the musical world at
large. everywhere you go, sometimes it seems like a dozen times a day, in the
most unlikely places you hear jaco's sound; from the latest TV commercial to
bass players of all stripes copping his licks on recordings of all styles, from
news broadcasts to famous rock and roll bands, from hip hop samples to personal
tribute records, you hear the echoes of that unmistakable sound everywhere. (it
may even be more imitated at this point than the previously most pervasive jazz
sound to escape into the broader culture beyond the local borders of jazz, the
moody harmony mute stylings of miles davis). for all the caterwauling that has
gone on about new musicians that have shown up in recent years being toted as
the "next miles", or the "duke ellington of their generation", or whatever, jaco
outranks all of them and all of that by being the one and the only of his kind,
without predecessor; the only post 1970 jazz musician known on a first name
basis with all music fans of all varieties everywhere in the world. from the
depths of africa where he is revered in almost god-like status to the halls of
most every music university on the planet. to this day, and maybe more than
ever, he remains the one and the only JACO
in Action and on Vocal
Weather Report Jaco
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_guitar
Harvey Brooks
Raph Mizraki
(here in a spoof pose) also blows
amazing fretted and fretless Electric Bass
- he is a phenomenal percussionist
and Oud player,
to say nothing of his Double Bass prowess to boot.
Washburn AB20 Acoustic Bass Guitar
Resonator Bass Guitar
The
Music of Laurence Cottle - Welsh Wizard & Bass Ace
Tom Mason - Jazz Warriors- Pendulum
Tom began his musical career as a classical violinist, switching to bass in
1998 at the age of 18. In the same year he was accepted to study jazz bass at
the Royal Academy of Music. Since then, he has performed, recorded and toured in
the UK and internationally with an eclectic array of artists including Robin
Eubanks, Robert Mitchell, Micheal Cain, Marty Ehrlich, Gerard Presencer, Famadou
Don Moye and James Newton to name but a few. Tom is a member of London-based
piano, bass and drums trio the
Jonathan Idiagbonya Trio Electric & String bass
![[Picture]](images/Bass/bengood.jpg)
Ben Crosland
(bass) Having studied with
Jeff Clyne, Crosland became a busy freelance bass player, playing in various
bands during the '80's with Northern based players including Nikki Iles, Mike
Walker, Rod Mason and Pete Fairclough and working as a sideman, supporting
leading UK and American players including Dick Morrissey, Ronnie Ross, Ken
Peplowski and Harry Allen.In 1990, he formed his Quintet, a band that worked
extensively across the North, working with a variety of guest soloists including
Jean Toussaint, Peter King, Guy Barker and Gerard Presencer. The Quintet
collaborated closely during the '90's with Alan Skidmore and Steve Waterman,
touring and recording. Crosland formed his Octet, featuring Alan Skidmore, Mark
Nightingale and Steve Waterman, in 2000, touring and recording. Crosland has
recorded with Jim Mullen and is a member of John Etheridge's Trio North. Steve
Waterman (trumpet/flugelhorn) is acknowledged as one of the top jazz trumpet
players both in UK and on the international scene.
“Ben is like a rock” JOHN ETHERIDGE
Leo Ijebor - Electric Bass is a
name to look out for.18yr old prodigy.
 Neville
Malcolm - Electric & Double bass - is one
of the most in-demand bass players in the country. Known as
‘Level-Neville’, he is an understated star on both acoustic and electric
bass, combining an earthy, soulful feel with effortless technical
ability.
Coming from a background in
Gospel music, Neville started out playing organ and guitar, switching to
bass as he developed an ever greater interest in jazz and other music.
Turning professional in the early ‘90s, he worked with Philip Bent and
Steve Williamson and became part of London’s Acid Jazz scene.
He has since performed
all over the world and recorded with Billy Cobham, Gabrielle, Tom Jones,
Carl Orr, Alex Wilson, Nathan Haynes, Marlene Shaw, Dave Valentin and
Jack DeJohnette. Most recently he has been touring and recording with
two of the world’s best known jazz crossover groups, Incognito and Us3.
 Julian
Crampton
an avid Bass player for the last few years, and one of the finest bass
players to come out of the United Kingdom. His CV includes recordings
with Citrus Sun, Down to the Bone, Jakatta, M People, Maysa, Terry
Callier and The Pasadenas. His finest work, though, is to be found with
Incognito; the pioneering UK Jazz-Funk outfit.
Local Tuition for Bass Guitar
Finger
Fret String
Jordan’s
Courtyard, 8 Upper High Street, Thame, OX9 3ER
Tutor
- Kevin Lucas
01844 217712 - Mobile 0783 436 3276
Email
Kevin
Lucas
 Chiltern Music Services &
Studio
Tuition, Sales, Service - email
Alan Peppett, Walters Ash, nr High Wycombe, Bucks
- for beginners or
improvers 01494 562 048
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