Author Topic: Upright bass CDs (Read 572 times)

Bradley Young · « **on:** January 09, 2007, 09:09:38 PM »

Hi all.

After listening to Acoustic Brew by Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey, I've been thinking that I need to flesh out my collection with regards to acoustic bass.

Genre is not important- what I'm looking for are great recordings.

I've had difficulty listening to Mingus, et al, due to poor recording quality (I know that he's great, but I just can't get past the fact that his recordings sound like AM radio to me).

So what I want is not just great music, but high fidelity recordings, too. To be clear, this does mean that the mix-the-bass-to-the-back school of recording need not apply.

I'll finish with a question: what should I be listening to?

alembic_doctor · « **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2007, 09:29:59 PM »

Have you heard Thirteen Pictures? It's a Mingus Anthology. Amazing work. Good recordings too.

Right now my personal favarite Upright Bassist is an earthly goddess. Her name is Kristin Korb. Not only can she kill on the bass, But she's got this voice that is indescribable. I have goose bumps right now writing about it. Check her out.

If I wasn't already married to a beautiful bass player, Kristin would have to file a restraining order against me because I wouldn't leave her alone until she promised to sing to me every day for the rest of our lives.

http://www.kristinkorb.com/

Yes I have a problem. No, I don't need help. I can stop anytime. Really I can.

(Message edited by alembic_doctor on January 09, 2007)

bob · « **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:03:37 PM »

I think it would still help if you said a little about your musical preferences, favorite upright players (so far), etc.

I'm also pretty serious about hi-fi (though I can listen to most Mingus recordings anyway), and of course have given extra attention to playback of bass. And over the long term, I'd say that's about 80/20 upright/electric, probably more.

What is it you would like to hear?
-Bob

adriaan · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2007, 03:29:01 AM »

Some Mingus recordings can be bad, but there are plenty of good sounding remastered CDs. Not sure if it was remastered, but certainly Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus sounds great. Funny how Wikipedia credits Mingus with starting the 60s hype of thrashing instruments on stage ...

Paul Chambers on Miles Davis/Kind of Blue. Phenomenal player, and in some parts of this recording the bass sounds incredibly deep.

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2007, 05:34:06 AM »

How about Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer: Music For Two. The 2004 live CD is several compositions by each, plus three J.S. Bach pieces for bass and shiny guitar'. It also includes a bonus DVD with a couple of bonus cuts and Obstinato: The Making of Music For Two by Bela's brother Sasha.
Also check out The Chick Corea New Trio Past, Present, & Futures from 2001: Chick on piano, Avishai Cohen on upright, and Jeff Ballard on drums.
Mike

keith_h · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2007, 05:44:10 AM »

I'll second Adriaan on Paul Chambers. He shows up all over the place in that era. Another must have, in my mind, where he appears in John Coltrane's Giant Steps. I've always liked Chick Corea's Akoustic Band, which featured John Patitucci on Acoustic Bass.

Keith

jacko · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2007, 06:24:57 AM »

Two of my favoutites would have to be Miroslav vitus' Universal Syncopations and Christian McBride's Vertical Vision (which also has some electric bass).

graeme

flaxattack · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:03:53 AM »

paul chambers is a must esp on ellington
ray brown
ron carter

Bradley Young · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:09:40 AM »

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Bob,

I'm not looking for any specific type of music, just recordings that have a prominent upright bass sound, and sound great doing it.

Extra points for recordings with bass as the lead instrument.

Bradley

southpaw · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:38:39 AM »

Good question Bradley, I too would like to hear prominent upright bass players. Currently I am studying jazz and I agree with you, the old jazz recordings are like bad AM radio. I keep trying to listen to Paul Chambers & Ray Brown but the recordings are so poor that the bass is barely audible when the other instruments are playing.
If you know of any good jazz recordings that put the bass out front, please let me know.

alembic_doctor · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:39:17 AM »

Hey Bob. What are you running for your HI-FI these days?

lbpesq · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:41:02 AM »

May I suggest Rob Wasserman's cds. I am very familiar with Trios which includes guest work by the following:

Carnie Wilson & Brian Wilson
Elvis Costello & Marc Ribot
Bruce Hornsby & Branford Marsalis
Edie Brickell & Jerry Garcia
Willie Dixon & Al Duncan .
Bob Weir & Neil Young
Les Claypool & Chris Whitley
Matt Haimovitz & Joan Jeanrenaud

He also has Solo and Duets cds out, but I haven't heard these. There is a lot of stand up, all recorded beautifully, and some very interestingly different stuff from this veritable who's who of performers.

Bill, tgo

southpaw · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2007, 10:19:01 AM »

Thanks Bill, I will listen to Rob's cd's.

jack · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2007, 10:44:10 AM »

Ron Carter was always one of my favorites. And his newer solo stuff is great too. I kind of prefer it to the way far out jazz of the 70s.

http://roncarter.net/officialSite.html

paulman · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2007, 11:39:13 AM »

I'd like to suggest Jim Kerwin of the David Grisman quintet. I went to see them at COD in Glen Ellyn IL and woah, that was one Hot Dawg!

David posts free daily downloads, excellent recordings, sometimes posting things that are now out of print.

www.acousticdisc.com