The History of Jazz Bass (in 15 Choruses)
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- Опубліковано 8 тра 2024
- #bass #jazz #legacy #evolution #paulthompson
In this video, I'm playing through over 100 years of Jazz Bass legacy, featuring some of my favorite players. Using a G Blues, I'm going in in the style of some of my biggest heroes for one chorus each, laying out the history of bass playing and the evolution of the Jazz Bass Solo. Enjoy my tribute to just a few of the greats!
00:00 Head
00:29 'Pops' Foster
00:52 Walter Page
01:15 Jimmie Blanton
01:38 'Slam' Stewart
02:02 Oscar Pettiford
02:25 Ray Brown
02:48 Paul Chambers
03:11 Charles Mingus
03:35 Charlie Haden
03:58 Ron Carter
04:21 Scott LaFaro
04:44 Rufus Reid
05:07 Stanley Clarke
05:31 John Patitucci
05:54 Christian McBride
06:17 Head Out
***DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to be a 'definitive' list, but rather some of my own personal favorites on upright bass, throughout the incredible history of Jazz music. My apologies if your favorite(s) did not make my list!
Website: www.paulthompson.us
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At 58 years old, I realize how fortunate I am that my high school music teacher, who was also my first bass instructor, introduced me to the work all of those you played, from Pettiford to Pattituci. And I grew up in Scott LaFaro's hometown of Geneva, NY, where there is a street named for him outside the Smith Opera House.
*LaFaro
LaFaro Forever❤❤
I have never, ever commented on a youtube video. That''s 15 or so years of just kicking back and watching. As a bass player, and an aficionado of bass history, you moved me so much with this video that I had to write something. Take care, watch health, and keep bringing these top-tier vids.
Thank you! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Where can I buy a beginner bass by any chance what brands are good
The Paul Chambers and Scott LaFaro parts went so hard
There are several negative comments addressing the fact that the great Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen was somehow left off of this list.
Firstly, please read the disclaimer in the description.
Secondly, the great NHØP should be in everyone's top 10 Jazz Bassist list. However, a) this is NOT a "best of" list and b) he played with such a singular style and (3-fingered) technique, that I found it impossible to reproduce to my own personal standards to be included in this video.
Thank you for watching and again--please read the description before you start a comment about who got left out.
Fair enough...but why not try checking out what NHØP's left hand was up to rather than being bothered buy his right hand...his scalular ideas and fluency rival anyone of the players you mentioned and his intonation along with it was flawless...listen again..just include a clip of him at least...and Cecile and Miraslav..
@@darindjking7463 please read the DISCLAIMER IN THE DESCRIPTION. Thank you.
I did...now read my reply...I've been playing bass 51years and I'm still not afraid to learn...nor to be taught..I respect what you said, your level of skill...but history is history...and complete factual history is the most helpful...you're an awesome player by the way...all the pioneers would be proud and flattered...even NHOP...R.I.P.
Right on!. Although the same can go to Eddie Gomez and Jaco...Only Love!
@@darindjking7463 : Happy new year
It's sad that so many died young. Aside from the outstanding playing, the focus on history is special.
Listening to that and thinking back to my days of humpin' a dog house on the metro to club dates... reminds me of why I went electric fretless 30+ years ago. Phenomenal and thanks for the memories!
Phenomenal. You studied these great players so thoroughly that you sound like YOU,channeling their influences/musical idiosyncracies...
It takes YEARS of devoted study and listening and basic b-flat-shedding to dial that stuff in...Maaaaan...Amazing and inspiring. Just keep doing what you're doing!
And thanks, again!!
I’m a drummer and I totally appreciate the demonstration as well as the love and commitment you have to your inner music.
This is fantastic! I'd love to hear a version for electric bass too
Hmmmm. That might be a good idea!
@@pdbass you gotta talk about jaco!
@@yairsharon7197 there are a couple of vids on my channel where I talk about him. Dig this: ua-cam.com/video/XAmir40yu5s/v-deo.html OR this one: ua-cam.com/video/MYLv3a2W3V8/v-deo.html
@@pdbass i'll check them out!
That would be killer!
I was fortunate enough to be a (mediocre) jazz (piano) student at William Paterson College in NJ back in the '90s at a time Rufus Reid ran the jazz program. I am so grateful to have seen him play so much over those few years. Those times when he was playing bass when I was playing piano (juries, tests, the audition, etc.) it felt like being lifted and propelled and pulled by this magic force. He was and probably still is just the kindest, most patient, nurturing soul, and the buoyancy of his tone and groove reflect that. I haven't played in a jazz combo since college and my musical preferences have drifted somewhat from this style of jazz, but I still find it pretty easy to hear when Rufus is playing on a side, and it takes so little time to know it's him. Thanks for including a chorus of you playing in his style.
What a wonderful tribute. Never met him but I got a chance to talk briefly with Dexter Gordon once representing my college newspaper and he was such a gentleman, took my question and ran with it!
You absolutely nailed the Stanley vibrato. Great work all around!
Pops Foster was a very good friend and mentor of my late father who died last year. When Pops toured in Britain with Jimmy Archey, he borrowed my father Bass, both he and Jimmy carved "Good luck to Bill, Pops Foster & Jimmy Archey" sadly the Bass was smashed when a band wagon overturned some years later, the autographed section survived and has been on the mantlepiece ever since.
Dude, you're out of control. This was amazing.
This was simply divine. Thank you.
The Mingus and Charlie Haden choruses were BAD! Love checking out how the different players would approach the same thing, really great stuff as usual PT
I don’t think they were that terrible tbf
@@goobert2469 maybe you should check out the jazz slang video on this channel bro
I think you’ve made a new standard required viewing video for all Bass instructors for their students. Excellent!!!
OK, this is INCREDIBLE. To a degree it's "easy" to evoke Pops Foster or Walter Page but the way you imitate Charlie Haden and especially Christian McBride took my breath away. I could recognize them by the second note. Bravo! Subscribing.
The vibrato on that "Rufus Reid" solo was very nice.
Wow, this is great! I love how much your right hand changes to imitate the different players tones and not just their note choices. Wonderful work on this!
The bass is the soul of jazz! Fantastic history of jazz class!
A history lesson in 7 minutes. This would be one hell of a great series. Thanks so much for this!
You Slam impression was right on the dough-rooni.
I dont ever comment!!!...but I gave in for this perfomance....Brilliant!!!
I really dig your channel! I’ve never played a double bass but man I respect your talent. I hope everyone has a fantastic 2023 😎🎸
THANK YOU!!
Hey Paul, I just wanted to thank you for your great videos and information, I love the sound of bass and I found out that you skipped Percy Jones, or at least I coould not find it in your web... I'd recommed you check a melody called "Not good enough -see me! from the Brand X album "Product"... I love how Percy Jones uses many techiniques and changes rhytms all through this great piece... Thanks for sharing you knowledge of this great instrument...!
Fantastic tone...and you make it look easy! Things went up a notch with Blanton. Don't know how you did it...the actual 'sound' (tone?) of the Mingus chorus was Mingus. Cool stuff!
I love that!!! Thank you for the lesson, sir!
best bass channel on youtube! great list, some of my other favorites include dave holland, sam jones, richard davis, gary peacock, cecil mcbee, buster williams, wilbur ware, israel crosby, larry grenadier, steve swallow, jaco, miroslav vitous, leroy vinegar, bob cranshaw, jimmy garrison, butch warren, and many more
Yes! And Eddie Gomez!
...Doug Watkins, Reggie Workman, Ray Brown, Butch Warren, Jymie Merritt...
Lot of names I'm unfamiliar w. Going to have to change that!
I'm so glad for this video, I'm doing a bunch of college studies for Music (Focused on Education and Jazz), and me being a Bass Player, This opened up a gateway to expand my repertoire, no longer stuck only knowing just Paul Chambers and Charles Mingus. Thank you, good sir.
honestly you could do pretty well with just PC and mingus lol
Excellent! It would be awesome to see a "Making of" -talking about your process in incorporating the unique elements of each example.
I'll confess I wasn't familiar with "Slam Stewart, so I was expecting a bowed example for Paul Chambers.
I know you could not have included EVERYONE but I would have loved to see you applying NHOP's approach in that mix.
This video is decided as the best one i saw and will see in 2023.
Absolutely awesome! Fingers got sore just watching!😅
Can watch all day
I can't think of anyone who could do such a complete recounting of jazz bass history in under an hour (I've been a jazz bassist (6 string fretless electric for the past 30+ years) for around 40 years now.
Masterful. Had the pleasure of seeing Ray Brown and Rufus Reid live back in the 70s. Speaking of masterful, I hope every bass player checks out the duets that Duke Ellington and Jimmie Blanton recorded in the early 1940s. Actually, beyond masterful.
16th Chorus worthy to be played by yourself, Paul. Fantastic video, inspiring so many options and voices available on 4 strings. Happy New Year to you, Sir
A great lesson Paul. And wow, we lost some of these musicians so young!
Some of them died because of themself
Astounding- I’ve not seen a better feat of musical ability OR a more insightful post anywhere on UA-cam.
Can’t even express how good this is!!🔥🔥🔥
Fantastic. A great story in 15 choruses. Great content as always. Thank you PDbass.
I actually play drumset but I love watching your videos!! It enlightens me on how bassists think and approach their instrument. Then there’s always an underlying music history lesson intertwined. Great work!! ❤
You just played what I imagined those bassist's. Great !
So many styles and all great each one had his one funk to his style I love it thank you Paul!!!!
I will add Milton " The Judge " Hinton and Quincy " Major " Holly to this list . They deserve it . Nice tribute well done .
Yo!!!! This is so great. I laughed out loud at the Charlie Haden and Stanley Clarke, that was the perfect rendition of the typical sound and rhythms they use. And I love by the time we get to Patitucci and McBride it starts to sound like Pettiford and Brown again. The history is in the music!!! Thanks so much for doing this. Definitely a giant inspiration. Happy New Year!
You know better, then even myself, because I have never listened to free jazz recordings, and more with CH ,so I can't to know, what rhythm and notes he used
Incredible Paul, I could listen to you play the blues all day!
Stanley Clarke was an absolute beast
T.H.A.N.K. Y.O.U.!.!.!.! That is beautiful!
This is fantastic. You do a great job with this impossible task of imitation, respect and paying homage. Bravo maestro!
Congratulations for your initiative! We must of more bassist. In Brazil unfortunately there are no more bassist on jazz.
Magnificent. And a brillant idea of display.
I can't tell you how wonderful you are!!
Thank you so much!
And nothing else needs to be said. Excellent video!😁
This gets a standing ovation. My favorite new thing on UA-cam. I love your interpretation of Walter Paig Slam Stewart. Those nimble fingers of Charles Mingus and Charlie Haden's pronounced style. My Maryland homeboy C McBride all splendid. Thank you for this.
I smiled the whole time. What skill, creativity and scholarship. Bravo!
Loved that finisher
Mingus, Haden and Patitucci were the ones I particularly listened to and said “Yep… “ 🤣
This is so badass!! Amazing video! 🎼
To go from Jimmy Blanton to Charlie Haden is beyond impressive. Also, Ron Carter has been jamming a LONG time!
I'll say it again THE best bass channel on UA-cam!
Incredible! This gave me goose bumps and tears in my eyes. There is just something magical that happens when you experience others love for the same thing, thank you!
I think my head just exploded... 🥰🤯
Paul, I'm a little late to this one, but the thing that struck me the most about a lot of these players is how young they were when they passed. Such a shame.
Tears to the eyes…beautiful. You are a sublime artist. I’d say more but I’m too emotional❤
This is so great! The cats in more familiar with we’re spot on. Your Ray Brown and McBride sounded perfect!
That's quite an impressive feat. More please.
This is beautiful... simply beautiful
I am not a musician. I have learned nothing about playing the big bass. But hoo boy, that was excellent! The camera position and angle couldn't be better for showing your fingers at work, and that was the first delight. Second was the sheer variety of styles. Third was ... you! Joy, focus, dedication, of course I subscribed. Don't know why youtube picked this video to show me, but sometimes even youtube gets things right.
Well, you finally did it. You been trolling that bass bait with all the modern bits for a long time. Now you set the hook permanently with this little history tour. Well done! Thank you and happy new year!
Finally, double bass again,yeah! I'm speechless, the imitations are done so well!!! Love that you included Slam Stewart!
This was such a cool video. I just realized everytime I think of double its always that Walter Page sound that comes to mind!! Thanks for the vid.
Wow, great, compelling, fun to watch and listen to all those bass styles!
I know this isn’t meant to be a definitive list, but it’s worthwhile hearing Bill Johnson in 1928 with the Dixie Four (James Blythe and Clarence Johnson on duo pianos; Johnson on bass and Cliff “Snags” Jones on drums). They made four sides: “Five O’Clock Stomp”, “Kentucky Stomp”, “Southside Stomp” and “St Louis Man”. All great. Bass and drums are more prominently recorded on this and audible than on many other 20s records.
Also around the same time, James Blythe recorded a couple of piano trios with Bill Johnson on bass and probably Cliff Jones on drums again: “Shake Your Shimmy” and “Bull Fiddle Rag”, although for some reason discographies list “William Lyle” as the bassist and Jimmy Bertrand as drummer on that session, I’m not sure why. (They also list Buddy Burton as the 2nd pianist on the Dixie Four sides but it is manifestly not and is Clarence Johnson in my opinion).
Anyway, 6 sides from the late 20s worth hearing with nice bass playing! These sides are also sort of “party records”. Bill Johnson yells encouragement at all the musicians frequently throughout each of these 6 recordings.
This is effing brilliant! Didn't think it was possible, but listening to your video whilst having my morning coffee made The Time of Coffee even better! I'm saving, sharing and listening to this again!
Knockout thank you! A great adjunct to John Goldsby's book. Sounded so good.
Masterful playing! I remember working on Blues in the Closet. Scott LoFaro gone too soon. Thanks for this.
This made me smile start to finish. Wanted to hear Blanton represented slightly different but hey, great job.
I find it so cool that you decided to show the evolution of phrasing and bassists through a blues, it reminds me of how intricate jazz and blues are. Great playing, great video :)
5:31 interesting how he catches his breath between the phrases like he's really using his voice
A great retrospective.
This is some of your best work yet (and that's saying something!) brilliant work Mr Thompson!
Thank you for this one Paul! I have my Aural Comprehensive Exam on March 1st, 2023 at 2:30 PM. I am at The University of North Texas studying with Lynn Seaton. 20 minutes of the 50 minute exam is giving an overview of Jazz Bass History. I will use some of your examples in my lecture. Nice job! Yeah, that Charlie Haden is tough one to emulate, you did a great job!
Way to take us to school for real Sir Maestro. Much love and respect. The Rufus Reid knocked me out the most but all so stellar. Hot damn
As they say in the film business, don't say it - show it. Well done, always interesting to see who's gonna be included when you get close to the present day. Yeah, I'm a upright jazz player w 40 years of playing. I love what you did here!
Mr Paul Thompson: Bass Educator..your in-depth study series is a Jewel among jewels..as a bass player of many years, I find your series of UA-cam videos extremely enlightening..thanks very much for sharing your skill & historical information about Bass..wishing you & family Great Healthy New Year & much more ….?
a master class in under 7 minutes...wow!
You really got that Stanley Clarke weird vibrato thing perfect.
Very cool! Thank you for including Slam Stewart, as a young child in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, watching him leading his band in old Hollywood movies was my first introduction to the upright bass! To this day playing with the bow is a very important aspect to my enjoyment of the instrument. Also even though Stanley Clarke became a household name due to the electric bass and Jazz Fusion listening to his upright bass solo piece on his second album self titled, Spanish Phases for Strings and Bass simply changed my life for it’s virtuosity!
Your channel is one of the best music education resources on the web, it just stays winning!
Nice! This was no easy feat to improvise in the styles of those players. I would love to hear the walking counterpoint to this.
Beautiful.
very nice arco tone on the slam stewart section! history by way of musical example is very jazz imho.
That was 🔥 sir! 😊 thoroughly enjoyed!! Hard grinning here!
Merci beaucoup for this.
What struck me was how many died so young. I wasn't a musician for most of my life, and am making up for lost time since my retirement with a piano. So my left hand has me searching out stuff to do, which leads me to videos like this. It would be interesting to see some of the back story on some of these players.
BTW I hope to have my video on exercises for the pianist to do...and any other musician, to help with back pain but also how to help the shoulders and arms, hands. Very good for finger strength.
Stay tuned.
Thank you pdbass for reminding us of all these Jazz Bass greats for doing their part to help tame and save mankind with their genius, gift, skill, talent and showing us how it's supposed to be done.
Oh man, I now have a favorite pdbass video. This is beyond amazing. Thank you! The transition from Mingus to Haden nearly brought tears. You SO nailed the essence of every player, but man - Haden, and McBride were breathtaking.
Simply: Wow! Fantastic, I started playing double bass 4 years ago (I'm 52 and played guitar for 40 years) and this is the perfect motivation to keep me studying. I've listened to all these Masters since I was 12, and you ayed them from the heart!
Did my heart good.thank you Paul!
Brilliant. I love everything you do. Thank you.
Just amazing, authentic and superb content explaining the history of bass in these choruses! Love all your stuff.
WOW!!!! What a wonderful job!
Without a word spoken. Beautiful!