So Cal Bassists

[Steph Harris]

Just thought I'd share this info: STANLEY CLARKE will be playing at the Galaxy Theater Sun Dec 1. I'll be in WA so I'll miss it -hopefully I'll be able to catch him again sometime soon. For those of you into upright bass- there will be a bass class Sun Nov 10 @ the Colburn School of Music w/special guest Paul Ellison @ 5:30pm. I can't go to this either 'cause of rehearsal -but I plan to go to the first bass class after the holidays if I can convince the Maidens to rehearse just a teensy bit earlier that day -Jan 12(I don't know who the guest will be yet)

 

[Melisan]

Steph, you have excellent taste. "School Days" remains one of my favorite discs, not just for its content but the cover. Spraypainting grafitti of his sheet music? Brilliant. I wasn't old enough to see Return to Forever but this I definitely want to catch.

 

[Doodoobubbachuck]

I remember seeing the Trio (Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke and Mc Laughlin with special guest Steve Morse) many many years ago in a small theater when I was just a tot in school. THAT was something! All armed with acoustic guitars, sitting in a circle and playing like nothing I'd ever heard in those days!!!!! Wow. I remember Steve Morse broke a string and Al Di Meola gave him his guitar and the place went crazy.

 

[ROTLD]

Originally posted by Doodoobubbachuck
I remember seeing the Trio (Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke and Mc Laughlin with special guest Steve Morse) many many years ago...

That must have ruled! I've seen Steve Morse a bunch, with the Dregs, SMB and Deep Purple. One great show that stands out was a jam he did at NAMM 90 or 91 with Eddie Van Halen, Albert Lee, and Steve Lukather. The guy is so good it's scary. It would have been cool to see him jam with Stanley.

 

[Steph Harris]

I loved watching the Dregs- David LaRue is another great bass player. I hope they come back into town again soon

 

[ROTLD]

Originally posted by Steph Harris
I loved watching the Dregs- David LaRue is another great bass player...

Oh yeah, LaRue is awesome! Just thought of another great NAMM clinic I saw with Vinnie Moore, Rod Mortgenstein, and Jerry Peek (original SMB bassist). He's incredible, but doesn't tour with Morse because he likes his day job as an architect. Ever heard of the Aquarium Rescue Unit? Talk about a sick bass player! I was terrified after that gig.

 

[Steph Harris]

No, never heard of Aquarium Rescue Unit. Where can I get some info? Do they have a website?

 

[ROTLD]

Originally posted by Steph Harris
No, never heard of Aquarium Rescue Unit. Where can I get some info? Do they have a website?

I haven't seen an official website for them. But here's a link to some info on them on AMG
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=B83884

Their guitarist was very Morse influenced in the way he played (can't say that about many people - and that is a total compliment), except a bit more of a Jazz style.

I've got the A.R.U. '91 and '93 albums on CD. If you can't track any of their stuff down, let me know and I'd be happy to make a tape for you.

 

[Steph Harris]

I would be interested in hearing some of their stuff so that would be cool.

 

[Melisan]

Ever heard of the Aquarium Rescue Unit? Talk about a sick bass player! I was terrified after that gig.

That reminds me of a Bela Fleck gig I saw in 1993 in a small club in Connecticut, when I lived back east. I parked myself in front of Victor Wooten and wasn't gonna move. Very quickly I realized that everyone standing around was a bassist, too. After his solo we all damn near cried. Victor has taken slap style playing to a freakish level.

December 1 is Jaco's birthday. He would have been 52. Am I the only person bummed by this?

 

[smylex]

No...I was just thinking about Jaco. So sad. He was such a talent.

 

[Melisan]

His four children run his official web site, www.jacopastorius.com. I think that's pretty cool.

 

[ROTLD]

Originally posted by Melisan
...I parked myself in front of Victor Wooten and wasn't gonna move. Very quickly I realized that everyone standing around was a bassist, too. After his solo we all damn near cried...

You are very brave, Victor is awesome! I learned my lesson after that Aqarium Rescue Unit gig, I think my hairline receded a few inches because of it! I haven't seen Bela Fleck live, but did see them on an Austin City Limits (TV) which was really cool. Ever heard Tackhead? Doug Wimbish does some freaky stuff on bass too.
http://www.dougwimbish.com/bio.html

Originally posted by Melisan
December 1 is Jaco's birthday. He would have been 52. Am I the only person bummed by this?

Definately miss Jaco. We were robbed.

 

[Steph Harris]

I wish I could have seen Jaco play live. What a loss.

 

[Steph Harris]

I like Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey because, aside from their great playing abilities, they are short like me.

 

[Melisan]

Originally posted by Steph Harris
I wish I could have seen Jaco play live. What a loss.

Do you have his Modern Electric Bass video? It's really sad to watch. It was made a year before he died, so he was a mess. He shakes and trembles in places and can't play his own parts. He tries to laugh it off but you can see he's no longer the godly bassist he was.

I've got some videos from eBay of his Weather Report days. One of them is awful but the other is pretty good. I really hope for a Weather Report DVD some day. Or maybe a DVD-Audio. That would be sweet.

 

[Melisan]

Originally posted by ROTLD
I learned my lesson after that Aqarium Rescue Unit gig, I think my hairline receded a few inches because of it!

Hey, there's a great idea! I can use that as an excuse. Been standing too close to godly bassist. :lol My last two shows were Rush, too, so it's a legit excuse.

 

[smylex]

Originally posted by Melisan
Hey, there's a great idea! I can use that as an excuse. Been standing too close to godly bassist. :lol My last two shows were Rush, too, so it's a legit excuse.

(hears Geddy Lee shrieking, "I think I'm going bald!")

Oh yeah, speaking of Weather Report, there's a new live CD of Weather Report that just came out that features some unrreleased Jaco tapes. One of these days, I'll have to pick it up. Supposedly, there's a live recording of Portrait of Tracy .

 

[Melisan]

Ha. Did you see the shows? Alex should handle the vocals for I Think I'm Going Bald. There's a reason he's only photographed from the front. Same reason as me, now that I think of it.

Neil was clearly thinning as well, but suddenly he reappears after five years with a much more solid hairline. Hmmm, suspect! Well, he does have a young new wife, and after what he went through I can understand him losing a few folicles, so he can be forgiven.

 

[ROTLD]

Another Bassist I give high marks to is Roscoe Beck.
http://www.roscoebeck.com/

I've seen him play with Robben Ford and Eric Johnson. He did some great upright bass playing with Robben. While playing with Eric, he did this tapping technique live I've yet to see anyone else do. It was a walk with his left hand while tapping out chords with his right. It sounded like he was playing chords on an organ while also playing bass. 2 entirely different things at the same time. Wild stuff, he's got 2 brains or something (Michael Hedges came to mind). Luckily I was back far enough to protect my hairline , his was thick as could be . A must see live if you have the chance. Maybe Steph's heard him...?