Bass World

~----Departments: President's Corner.. . .. .. .. . .. . Letter To The Editor My Turn

D

....

Child's Play Hot Shots

II

II

II

D

II

..

..

..

..

II

..

..

..

II

..

..

..

II

II

..

II

II

........

D

D

II

II

..

II

II

..

II

..

II

......

II

II

Centerfold

II

II

All That Jazz Body & Bass

II

II

II

......

II

..

II

....

II

..

II

II

..

II

..

..

II

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

II

II

II

....

II

..

II

II

II

..

II

II

II

II

..

II

II

II

......

II

II

..

II

II

..

II

..

..

II

II

II

..

II

..

..

II

..

..

II

..

II

..

II

II

..

II

II

II

II

II

..

AI

II

..

II

II

II

II

II

a

..

a

II

II

II

II

II

..

II

rI

II

II

......

II

..

R

..

II

..

II

..

II

II

..

a

The Latest Score Sounding Board '"

R

Luthier's Corner ....

II

..

..

II

II

..

..

OR

..

'"

AI

..

OJ

'"

II

....

OJ

Young Bassist's Page New Products .

a

........

D

D

D

"

"

II

II

..

II

II

........

a

"

..

II

..

R

..

"

II

..

'"

II

II

II

....

R

II

'"

..

'"

..

2 4 7

29

..

II

..

II

II

International Bass Club Directory Bass Clubs ....

..

31 32 33 35 39 47 50 56 65 68 71

Features: The Path: Peter Warren's Story

II

11

Theodor Albin Findeisen (1881-1936)0 .. 17 Millennium Suite for Violin and Double Bass.. .. . . . . Married to the Bass .

II

II

..

..

..

..

II

..

'"

/I

..

..

II

II

..

II

II

"

II

OJ

II

II

....

Spotlight Double Bass 2005 .,

"

II

..

..

..

AI

II

22 27 49

ABOUT THE A R T I S T - - - - ABOUT THE COVER ARTIST: This issue's cover artist is Sandra Muzzy. She lives in Bloomington, Minnesota, where she indulges her passion for painting and teaching watercolor. She is the past president of the Minnesota Watercolor Society and has exhibited her work widely. She was inspired to paint her daughter, OliviaRose, after sitting in on numerous bass lessons, rehearsals and recitals. Sandra was captivated not only by the sound of the bass but also its curvaceous lines and superhuman size. She has since sketched many images of musicians, but basses and bass players remain a favorite subject. Sandra was recently invited to sketch and paint members of The Minnesota Orchestra, and her work has been featured on two program covers for the orchestra. Sandra Muzzy can be reached at (952)854-7677 or at [email protected].

Volume 29, Number 1

1

Some years ago I performed in New York City in a small alternative music venue. I did my thing and after the gig one of my musician fliends came up and said, "Wow, man, I really enjoyed your show." I was, I must admit, taken aback by "your show." It had been a good number of years since I'd in the US and r d missed this evolution in the local lexicon. I thought that I'd a concert. Hmm, what's going on here? In n1Y obviously outdated vocabulary, a show was entertainment and a concert was something else. It had not been my intention to come to New York to entertain my audience, to perfonn a show. And this little incident got me thinking about an the ways music is used in our culture, about live music versus '" ,,-, I , ' , ' , . , 11.1 I

music and about the entertainment factor. For young bassists today, with their hearts and ears full of music, it's a cOlnplicated world out there. Learning about the music industry, the music business, with an its various levels, is a real task. And then to situate oneself in that reality is also a very complex undertaking. Most of us start out wanting to play for to live music. But too often there's not enough money by our live activities to provide the material basics we need to live. In that case, what's the solution? Obviously there are lnany possible solutions, and each of us has to ure it out individually. Looking back at my 45 years of professional what I've discovered is that it doesn't really matter what kind of tnusic you Any kind of music can touch and make them different. Our task, no matter the kind of lllusic we're is to put our hearts into it, because it's our passion that comes over to our listeners and touches them. Pre-recorded music is used in so many different ways: to unite us in group activities (sporting events, parades, rallies, lnilitary events, religious ceremonies); us with an environillent to do our thing (parties, relaxation sessions); (in body and tnind healing); stimulate (in and animals and on the work site); as sound (in the home, in elevators and buildings, in stores, at the mall); as (in film" in video, in theater); and to sen to our (CDs, tapes, DVDs). It can or replace live mances. When the feeling and the sound are right, plants grow better ,md people feel better. Playing for a microphone and a producer in a studio can seem like a cold but if we put our hearts into it, it can really work. Those good vibrations can travel over electric current. Perfolming fun tilne in an orchestra, recording jingles in a studio, playing nights a week a bar or touring for lnonths on end with no off, these are aU very demanding careers. But when we accept these jobs, we must 'work hard to deliver the goods, to send out our heatis, as regularly as No lnatter whether we are sick, dissatisfied with the boss, unhappy about the working conditions, or whatever negative forces may be at work around us, when it's time to and none of that matters. Then only music matters, and we must give it our best and put our hearts into it. Idealistic? absolutely. Um-ealistic? No. We must find the strength to deliver the goods under almost any circumstances. And at the same time, life filay often to have other for us than what we were counting Oll, or striving for. that my desires or efforts haven't detennined the kind of music over Iny That's always been decided by the telephone. But the wonderful musical adventures and encounters that I've had in IllY life have happened thanks to the sound that comes out of my instrument. Nothing less, nothing lllore. And there seenlS to be a definite correlation between how lnuch of me I can put into my sound and how often the phone lings. Be it entertainnlent, recording or through the latest results of nlY ongoing search for every sound that lives in the bass, step one for me is to make sure that my head and lny heart are functioning. If they are working conectly, then my body can do the job.

2

International Society of Bassists

Volume 29, Number 1

3

JoiUle Morton, Editor

I am writing in response to Barre Phillips' President's Corner column regarding the use of tuners [Bass World 2004 28, no. 2]. At the very beginning of the column, Mr. Phillips makes an assumption that I would challenge. He says, "When I see a bassist tune his instrument by eye rather than ear, I shake my head and quiver, just a little." Well, I am one of those bassists who uses a tuner, and I can assure Mr. Phillips that I use my eyes, my ears and my brain when I tune and, indeed, throughout my entire practice session! I would like to say that I love using a tuner, and explain some of the reasons why. First, I offer some background. I tuned using harmonics for more than 25 years and only started using a tuner about five years ago, though I now wish I'd gotten one sooner. I am an orchestral player, so when I tune with my tuner, I am tuning to the same A440 that the oboist uses. When the oboe gives me my "A," I check my strings (using harmonics), and usually I am in tune. If not, I only have to make minor adjustments. I am done tuning in no time at all. Also, I like the fact that my strings are starting out at the "same point" each time I tune. It's much easier to adjust my pitch if I need to do so. What I find the tuner most valuable for is generating pitches. I have found from experience that if you play something enough times, your ear will begin to accept it as in tune, even if it is not. So I will practice a piece of music with the root, third, or fifth on in the background. If I have a particularly difficult shift to practice, I will set the tuner to the arrival note. Practicing this way has

LETTER TO THE EDITOR really helped me to develop my sense of pitch and to play more in tune. Another way to explain this concept would be to use the following analogy. If I asked you to make a circle using only paper and scissors, you could probably do a pretty good job. However, if you held that circle up to one made using a compass, you'd see all the places where you were a little off. Practicing with a tuner keeps me "honest" in the practice room. This then makes it easier for me to match pitch in my section and to blend with the rest of the orchestra. Ultimately, time will determine whether tuners will become accepted tools of the trade. Some bassists will find them helpful and use them, and I say "bravo" to those bassists. And there will also be bassists who don't find them helpful. To those bassists I say "bravo" as well! Rather than opine that bassists who tune with tuners are missing the boat, I would suggest that we are taking different boats to the same dock. Respectfully submitted, Regina Barrett

Regina Barrett resides in Middletown, PAwith her husband Patrick (who is not a musician) and their two dogs and one cat. She plays with the Harrisburg and Reading Symphonies, freelances, and teaches bass.

CONSTANTIN POPESCU, LLC Double Basses For Professionals, Collectors and Students9 4)

Sales of New and Old Instruments & Bows • Accessories • Expert Repairs .. Major Restorations • Bow Rehairing .. Consignments • Appraisals Our Specialty: Set-up and Fine Tonal Adjustments by Performing Bassist. By appointment please. Fax: (203) 637-7415 e-mail: [email protected] www.snetyp.com/atelierconstantin

Westport, CT 25 Davenport Aves

227-9577 4


Greenwich • Riverside, CT 1139 Em Putnam Avenue

(203) 637-7421

The Online Journal of Bass Research www.ojbrllcom The ISB's Online Journal of Bass Research (OJBR) is a scholarly electronic publication, accessible free of charge at www.ojbr.com.This refereed publication is published biannually as a means of fostering and communication original scholarly reseqarch pertaining to the history, development, function and features of the double bass and other related bowed bass instruments, their players and repertoires. The ISS is pleased to announce the release of Volume 2, # 1, which presents Shanon Zusman's critical review of the book, Studies in Italian Sacred and Instrumental Music in the 17th Century (Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Co., 2003) by Stephen Bonta. for those researching the early history of stringed bass instruments, including the earliest incarnations of the violoncello, bass viol, and double bass, Sonta's more than 35 years of research is among the most important and oft-cited. The Ashgate book is a collection of sixteen of Bonta's essays, ranging from his first publication in the Journal of the American Musicological Society (1967) to his most recent article from the symposium Sarocco Padano (2002). Also still available is the OJBR's inaugural issue, Volume 1, #1, which presents Michael Greenberg's ground-breaking article, lIThe Perfect Storm: The Rise of the Double Bass in France 1701-1816."

Call For Manuscripts Original manuscripts reflecting a high quality of scholarship are invited for consideration from scholars and practitioners in a wide variety of arenas and disciplines relevant to the double bass or related instruments.. Topics may be presented from any number of different perspectives or disciplines, such as historical musicolo-

gy, performance practice, pedagogy, lutherie, iconography, biography, and/or analysis, and may deal with subjects stemming from any period in the instrument's history up to the present. Further

guidelines are available at www"ojbr..com .. To submit an article, or for more information, please contact the ISB office at [email protected] .

View the website at wwwllojbrllcom"

Volume 29, Number 1

5

By

Chuck Traeger

AManual for Players. Makers. and Repairers

.- .... or

B

m

SSI

in the ;enltu

By JoiUe Morton

A number of years ago, there was an excellent article called "Careers for Cellists in the 21 st written by Jonathan Kramer and published in the ASTA (Autumn, 1992). In this alticle, the author performed a very interesting test. He counted up a total of approximately 1,500 salaried, full-time jobs for cellists in the US, the orchestral positions that paid $15,000 a year or more, plus all of the academic positions listed by the Music Then he contrasted that with the actual number of cello students who would be graduating from colthat year: at the time, there were 180 cello perfonnance at Indiana alone. Kramer concluded that: "Our and conservatory system is turning out some of the world's finest cellists, sensitive artists with a command of the instrument who beautifully. However, for those who want to devote their lives to the art and at the same time earn a livby it, the future is uncertain... How can accommodate aU of those cellists?" Kramer have taken his a step further that most of the full-time jobs for cellists are and that it is a handful of positions that even become available each year, not for graldwatlrlg cellists, but also for who are out of school and un(~mololve(:1. and cellists who are to find better PO:SltIons. It should be self-evident that this problem is not limited to cellists. f-\ 1I1E{ JIB!! 1 it is difficult to come up with accurate numbers, there is a similar for musicians of all types, even fewer, on the instrument. For bassists, jobs can be few and far between. Orchestras, after aU, a mere handful of and may not post vacancies for years on end, until someone retires after a full lifetime with the ensemble. Not are there few full-time chamber music and solo po~;lt1()ns for bassists, but many bassists as .......-._ emID1()Vees. whose and benefits are based on the number of students teach. It is a sad fact that many qualified, and even double bassists may never find the kinds of salmied, mainstream for which they are trained. Double bass teachers and their students are, out of necessity, having to be creative to find solutions to this pJl.'-''l.. But let's assume for a moment that one does find a vacancy, pass the audition/interview with colors and land the job. Has anyone else out there noticed that most positions these days are not "full-time" work? In his Kramer optimistically included orchestral cello that paid as little as $15,000 a year. Can a person survive on that salary, let alone support a family and save for retirement? Many orchestras employ musicians only on a 1)<11[-111111::: basis. The reality is that of the roughly fifty ICSOM orchestras (these might be termed the "better" and "higher paid" orchestras in the US), only one or two of them will post vacancies for a particular instrument in any given year. Yet there are many n.,,",JI..Ll.

smaller regional orchestras that schedule a five- or six-concert series each year, paying their musicians on a "per service" basis. These ensembles may be just as competitive to get into, yet they rarely offer a true salary, let alone benefits. Academic positions follow a similarpattem. Though most universities nowadays maintain a small faculty core (with each member of that core teaching a multitude of classes), a larger number of positions in the music department are often allocated to part-time faculty, who are paid tiny sums per hour (often much less than could be earned in the private studio) and who are offered little or no job security, benefits or potential for advancement. These kinds of positions, then, are the more realistic job potential for most competent, college graduate musicians. Welcome to the real world of making a living (or not) as a musician! Not is it difficult to find and obtain work as a musician, but many of the jobs themselves will seem to be stuck in a lower standard of music-making than one experienced while in college. It is a sad fact that many qualified (and perhaps even over-qualified) musicians may never find the kind of employment for which they were trained. What I find especially worrisome is the common mantra that "if you are not spending every single minute possible of your time practicing, then you are wasting your time." With the current job environment, this philosophy simply doesn't always hold true. For even if one becomes a fabulous technician on one's instrument, there is still no guarantee that there will be someone else out there willing to pay a salary for that expertise. Still, acknowledging the reality of the job market should not necessarily cause despair. The trick, in my opinion, is to acknowledge the reality before it sets in. In actual fact, the current "free market" environment leaves the door open for a lot of personal options, if one has the vision, courage and strength to find and forge an individual path. With this in mind, many musicians, both teachers and students alike, are exploring creative solutions to earning a living. Volume 29, Number 1

7

Samuel Kolstein & Son,

Ltd~

International Dealers/Restorers!AppraiserS/Sales Violins • Violas • Cellos· Bass Violins B. KOLSTEIN MASTER MODEL BASS VIOLIN

BASS VIOLINS Francesco Goffriller, Venice, Italy c. 1730 Giot'llnni Battista Rogier;, Brescia, Italy c. 1690 Francisco Pressenda School, Ttlrin, c. 1820 Pietro Meneghesso, Pado7)Q, Italy c. 1880 Luigi Ft"rraroti, Tun,., Italy c. 1890 Francesco Grancil1o, Milano, Italy c. 1700 Gennaro Testore, Milan, Italy c. 1760 Vi'lcenzo Iorio, Naples, Italy c. 1840 Charles Nicholas Garzd, Ptlris, Frattce c. 1869 I,,,,,es Broum, Huddersfield, England c. 1850 Gabriel Jacquet, Paris, Fra11ce c. 1870 Giouanni Baptista Gabrielli, Florence, Italy c. 1737 ThiboU:vule-La:1ny, Paris c. 1860 (ex. Major Holley) Domenico Bus/ut, Venice, Italy c. 1750 Pierre Borbon, Brussels, Belgium c. 1670 Kolsteion Orchestral Bass Violin Koistein Gnlnde l'anornlo Model Bass Bernard Simon Fendt Maggini copies Dante M. Gabute Italian Bass Violins, under the auspic.es of bass cOflnoisseur Jacques Gagtzon

Custom-made Instruments

B. Kolstein is now accepting a limited number of commissioned orders on reproductions of Dontenico MontagfUlna, G.B. Grancino, Lorenzo Carcassi, Vincenzo Panormo and other reproductions of individually owned master instruments. The Bass Violins are madefrom thefinest seasoned European woods crafted with quality for the ultimate sound ifI a contenlporary instrument. .. all in accord with the great Italian master models as to tonal qualities, esthetics and dimensional cJzara.cteristics, totally hand-crafted by B. KoIste;n.

J. B. Van Dentark, Soloist and Professor of the Double Bass evaluating 11is LoretlZO Carcassi Master Copy Bass violin prior to varnish made expresslyfor hi", by B. Kolstein.

AU instru,nents are fully restored by Samuel Kolstein & Son, Ltd. and bear our intenultionally recognized appraisal ct'Ttificates.

BASS BOWS BY MASTER MAKERS -

V. Deluccia French model; E. Sartory French model; V. FetiqueFrench model; Bisch French model; La Pierre French model; E. Dupree French model; G. Vitale French model; Leclerc French model; Husson French model; E. Ourchard French model; A. Numenberger French model; W. Siefert German model; R. Reichel German model; A. Schuster German model; A. Lamy German model; I. Siefert German model; H.R. Pfretzschner German model.

Samuel Kolstein Master ws VIOLIN - VIOLA - CELLO

BASS

Quality - Perfection Integrity - Craftsmanship

~

a _---~1IIFr

~

.,-

__

:;i:_:_W;Mii;;i0._~~:

Acclaimedfor overfifty-five years Unquestionably the most revered bow "taker of modern times in the strictest tradition ofFrench bow making. Samuel KoIste-in Bows are being played the u10rld over by re110wned soloists, orchestral and concertizing artists. The impeccable hand craftsmanship and the fine quality and perfection of the woods and detailed trimmings combined with the unique styling and artistic creativity of Samuel Kolstein, aUoios his bows the freedom of expression and the utmost playability for the performing artist. Samuel Kolstein custom made bows are offered in three levels: for the aspiring young s~udent, professional, and master players and can be custom crafted to meet all your own personal preferences. Trimmings are in gold and silver. Frogs are of ebony, lignum vitae and rare exotic ma.terials. The sticks are octagonal, round or pointed elliptical pernambuco shafts, all with the finest graining. Bows have full pearl or mother-of-pearl and parisian eye inserts or pearl facets.

Members of the Appraisers Association ofAmerica

Like Jonathan Kramer, I am strongly in favor of adopting a broader education for musicians in general. This isn't to say that musicians shouldn't practice as much! They just need to supplement study of their particular instrument or specialty with study of other subjects of their choice. In many cases, the broader a musician's skills, the more marketable they become. This is particularly true in the case of university-level teaching. Even if an applicant holds a doctoral degree, many colleges cannot afford to hire, or are unwilling to pay a living wage to someone who is only able to teach a single subject area. Truthfully, it is more "cost effective" for colleges to hire someone who is qualified and willing to teach a variety of subjects. At first blush, while most performing musicians might be appalled at this concept, other subject areas with which they are likely to have some degree of familiarity, if not proficiency, thanks to their general musical training might include music history, theory, composition, ethnomusicology, performance practice, chamber music and/or conducting (choir or orchestra). These subject areas then, might supplant a bassist's ability to teach in their own special performance area. Bassists who have skills in multiple academic areas will clearly have an edge over the ones who only play the bass. At the very minimum, all bassists should make an effort to master some basic "survival skills." It is a frequent surprise to me how many musicians I have met are loathe to type and use the computer, who are ignorant of how to write a business letter, how to conduct themselves professionally on the telephone, how to balance their accounts, or even compile deductions for their income tax returns, etc. These skills are necessary for coping with life in general, but they are also the way we represent ourselves professionally, when applying for and maintaining jobs! In order to get an audition or interview, for example, one has to know how to type a resume and cover letter. As a professional performer, one will be speaking with contractors and personnel managers to work out the details of employment, not to mention the interaction between one's students and/or audience. As responsible members of society first and self-employed professionals second, musicians also have to know how to balance their own checkbooks and file

their own (complex) tax returns. These that asking "Would you like fries with skills are not luxuries; they are necessi- that" or "Is that a single or a double ties. espresso?" requires no skills whatsoever! In the process of acquiring these skills, In all seriousness, I feel that no matter bassists may actually become more mar- how great the player, there is a real beneketable and economically self-sufficient. fit from taking time to explore the many During the periods when they are unable to sides of one's personality, and finding find "desirable" work as a bassist there is ways to use all of those sides to make a something to fall back on. I have many decent living. In this way, you serve your friends who are excellent musicians who own needs, while at the same time becomhave "tided themselves through the rough ing more likely to find a niche in the properiods" working as secretaries or doing fessional musical world where you can computer programming, etc. to help pay become financially and creatively stable. the rent while they free-lance, or to help pay for the airfare and practice time to get JoeUe Morton received her undergraduto their next big audition. I am yet another ate degree from the Curtis Institute of kind of example, since I was classically Music and Masters and Doctoral degrees trained and always expected to be an fro In the University of Southern orchestral bass player. But I enjoy writing, California, and studied double bass with and somewhere during my studies I Joel Quarrington, John Gowen, Tom became fascinated by early music, with its Martin, Roger Scott, Ludwig Streicher, emphasis on chamber music and music Frantisek Posta and Paul EUison. She now history and informal pre-concert lecturing. plays on period instruntents, and is activeContrary to my original career plan, I now ly sought after as a chantber nlusician, find myself editing a magazine, giving lec- soloist and clinician. tures at conventions and coaching all kinds of chamber music. I still love double bass playing, but the career that "found me" (and that came as a byproduct of some of my other skills and interests) is extremely satisfying and rewarding. It also makes my life a lot easier financially and permits me the freedolll to really relish my performance opportunities when they come along. Although learning other skills might cost bassists some time they might otherExpert Repairs & Major Restoration. wise be spending in the Excellent Selection of Fine Old Instruments & Name Brand New Instruments. practice studio, I feel that t,. Bows sent on Approval Instruments this time is well spent, and Stri ngs & Accessories. very often carries over in Extensive Library of String Music - Solo & Ensemble unexpected ways to one's Same Day Service on Mail Orders playing. Certainly, the Large Selection of Basses in Stock hours I spend at the com3201 Carlisle Blvd., NE .. Albuquerque, NM 87110 puter do nothing to help my Ph: 505-889-2999 .. Fax: 505-889-7790 bass playing technique. On the other hand, I gain a lot of insights into music making during the hours I enjoy "being myself' and" feeling good about myself," since they all contribute to what I have to express through my music. For those unwilling to devote time to cultivating marketable skills, remember Volume 29, Number 1

9

SEll 1798

Harold Robinson

M'r. Robinson uses the Original Flexocor playing and prefers the Permanent Solo performed at scordatura tuning.

v \ . ,......... lLAW'

Pirastro •

for "'''''.. . . for works hf'llC+'t'''"l1

Double B • Chrorncor _

~""''''''"IlA~

.The Jazzer - Original Flexocor •• Original • Flexocor - Eudoxa _ Oliv. Chorda - Obligato

Bob's

::~

Gustav Pirazzi & Comp.. 0-63015 Offenbach Am Main, Germany

e-mail: info@plrastros(;om

The Path: P t r Warren's St ry By Chris Kosky

The life of a musician is often very interesting, if not easy. The places we go, the people we meet, where we end up from whence we began-the path. The path that, if we're lucky, gets us to our voice, and beyond ... In 1969, four double bassists went into a New York recording studio and began improvising freely. Unwritten and unspoken - with unplanned appearances by other musicians-Bass Is was born. The album made music history, as well as earning a five-star rating from Down Beat magazine, but the real triumph is the music. Peter Warren brought this bass quartet to the studio that day, but what brought Warren to the bass and to his voice?

Born in New York to Czech immigrants, Peter began his musical journey on the violin. His grandfather was a Gypsy violinist, his father played bass, and so Warren was exposed at a very early age to classical, Gypsy and folk music styles. The family's move to Long Island landed Warren at Hempstead High School, which boasted the nation's best symphony orchestra. Guest conductors and soloists were a staple of this public school's outstanding music program. While at Hempstead High Warren, like many fourteen year-old boys, began to grow, and because of his big hands, "the violin wasn't doing it for me." So he switched to cello and progressed rapidly, becoming the protege of Josef Emonts, former fIrst cellist of the NY Philharmonic under Toscanini. Of this time in his life Warren says, "I was having trouble in school, I was into music and nothing else." A simple statement, but also perhaps a fust indication of the path he was taking. Recognizing Warren's talent, the head of the Hempstead H.S. music department arranged for a scholarship, enabling the young cellist to take private lessons at Juilliard with Luigi Silva. Warren thrived in this environment and even played a recital in Carnegie Recital Hall, though he admits, "I always took liberties when I played..." Around this time, the draft reared its ugly head, so Warren did what many young men with musical talent at that time were doinghe auditioned for the service symphony orchestras. He won a

olidarity The last tour that Warren took to Europe before returning to the U.S. was to Poland. The tour was governmentsponsored, and the band bused between performance sites. Because they were busing, Warren says they had a lot of interaction with the Polish people. The solidarity movement was going on at the time, and Warren was moved by the plight of the people-the extreme governmental control, the poverty, and the rampant alcoholism, particularly among the young. He recalls, "I heard a few folk melodies that were familiar to me, that were kind of like I remembered from my grandfather, and so on the plane home, I wrote out this folk melody, and...I'm the only American the plane... we're flying back to New York...and these people had managed to somehow get sponsorship and visas and money to get to America. For me it was what it must have been like for my dad when he came over on the boat and they saw the Statue of Liberty. And as we came into JFK [airport], we had to make several passes and I said to the people, 'that's America right down there,' and they all rushed to one side of the plane and the plane lurched!

Peter Warren Volume 29, Number 1

11

[laughs] [And I thought,] this is the new world for them; it's amazing! I was so touched by it that when I got back I said I have to make a statement." Warren had a house band gig at a club called 55 Grand Street, where he played with guitarists Mike Stem and John Scofield (sometimes together), drummer Victor Lewis, and others. (Interestingly, Jaco Pastorius would frequent the session and sit in.) This gig provided ample opportunity for musical experimentation, so when a chance to record came, Warren took these musicians into the studio in hopes of fulfilling his latest musical vision. Warren tells a story behind the title cut: "Only a hom riff was written out. We got ten minutes into it, and I stopped them and said, 'Look, we have to talk. This is what this music is, imagine this: imagine you're Polish and you've never been to the big city before, and you go to the big city to get a job, and you find out that there's no work. And if there is work, you can't make any money. And you decide with your friends to rebel against it. So this is like a siege, like a war, and it's a war between these peasants and the bureaucracy that's ruling the country. And at the end is this joyous happiness that your efforts have come out right.' " Scofield was key in the whole thing, "so I said to think of Gypsies

and

balalaikas

[imitates

tremoloing balalaika]-and he got it, and that was it! One take! Boom!"

12


spot in the Air Force and was promptly shipped to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas for basic military training. Under the heading of "we can laugh about it now," his cello, as personal property, was subject to inspection! Due to manning shortages, and because he had the requisite educational level, the Air Force made Warren an officer. However, instead of being sent to the Air Force orchestra in Washington, D.C., he says, " they sent me to a drum and bugle corps in Cheyenne, Wyoming in six feet of snow! and I didn't know ... drums and bugles I was a cellist!" The path of a musician often curves, loops, and zigzags, and at this point in time, crazy as it seemed, Peter Warren was only getting started.... After his stint in the Air Force, Warren landed a job in the Atlanta Symphony, and here we see two very important milestones on his path: one was the beginning notion of his musical conception or vision, the entirety of which wouldn't come for a few more years. As he puts it, " ... to be honest, in the orchestra, although I loved the sound of it all and the teamwork involved, I stuck out. I really stuck out, because I wasn't trained for that, I was trained to be a soloist. I disagreed with the frrst cellist's bowings and his phrasing, and it was a constant battle." The other Atlanta milestone was his introduction to bass playing. A clarinetist in the orchestra who also played saxophone convinced Warren that he could make some money in the off-season by playing bass in dance bands. "And my opinion at that time [was] that...bass players were something lower than cellists, we kind of looked our nose down at these guys. So I wrapped my fingers with tape ... I didn't know anything about chord changes ... [but] I could read of course. I went on the road with a band [laughing] called 'Dean Hudson and His ,Moon Over Miami,' and we toured all over the south. I had bleeding, blistering fingers ... at that time there weren't any metal strings, and I had borrowed a Kay bass [with] the action this high on it and it was tearing me up. I was terrible! I was really a lousy bass player. But, I was making some money during the off-season." After two seasons with the Atlanta symphony, Warren's path took him through Dallas and on to Las Vegas, with the goal of landing a job in one of the pit bands, which at the time had the highest pay scale in the country. He figured he would have a good chance at landing one of these gigs because he played both cello and bass. After the required six-month waiting period, Warren

Peter Warren in the studio, 1998.

was hired as a cellist in a band at the Flamingo Hotel, where he met Ella Fitzgerald's bass player, Frank DeLaRosa. "DeLaRosa really turned me around. He said to me, 'You have to make up your mind what you're going to do ...if you're going to play the bass ...you have to get yourself a real instrument.'" Warren took DeLaRosa's advice to heaJ.1 and went to Los Angeles where he traded one of his cellos for a bass. While in the shop that day, Warren noticed another bass player trying out bows and offered the man his advice as to which bow was the best. Warren introduced himself, and the gentleman responded, "My name is Chuck Israels." Israels told Warren that he was playing with Bill Evans at the famous west coast club Shelly's Manne-Hole that evening, but at this point Warren was so new to jazz that he did not even know who Bill Evans was! So that evening he went to the club and said, "wow!" Bill Evans' trio had blown his mind. Back in Las Vegas Warren began to listen to more jazz~ at that time many great bands went through there. He took some lessons from Frank DeLaRosa and began to feel comfortable playing the bass. When the Tommy Dorsey Band came to Vegas, they needed a bass player and Warren ,vas looking to get back east, so he joined the band and played with it until it went back to New York. Back in New York and off the Dorsey band, Warren took a few lessons with Chuck Israels and jumped into the life of a freelance

(l to r) Joachim Kahn, Philip Catherine, Jean Luc Ponty, Peter Warren and Oliver Johnson in the early '70s.

jazz bassist. "[I wasn't] making very much money, [I was] playing in trios.. down to the union floor on when had open call and I would take anything I could get. .. but all the time 1 was leaning towards that's what I wanted to play. I had some kind that came out into this. I realized after listening to some great bass this is sedous stuff and if 1 want to make a career of this I have to put as much energy into it as I did as a cellist. At that time, there was a I mean guys hung out, it was possible to hang out, it didn't cost any money, guys were anxious to meet other guys, there was a real going on, there were to go all the time." Through connections Warren landed a job in singer Dionne Warwick's for three years. fIrst band, a job he his tenure with Warwick he traveled all over the world, but he remembers a six-week tour (the Schlitz Jazz Tour) that came out of a Jazz Festival appearance. Warwick was the headliner, but a few great artists were also on the bill, and WaITen said, "I get out on the road and I hear Thelonious Monk for the first time and 1 heard Burton for the first time, I met and hung out with Miroslav Vitous, Larry Coryell, Steve Swallow ... all these great guys, and I said, '1 can't this music anymore. I've got to move on. It's time to move on.' And 1 was really a lot of money at the time, but it was time to leave, to pursue playing the bass for real." After leaving Warwick's band, Warren got a loft apartment and a roommate, jazz

Warren says, this was the 1960s, and many of the musicians were experimenting with different styles of music, different instruments, and the music of other cultures. "It was at that time [c. 1966-67] that I started to experiment with the basses. Playing with two basses, then three. Glen Moore stayed with us for awhile. And Glen and I played a lot together. With David Izenzon (Ornette Coleman's bass player), we formed the New York Bass Revolution-a group that sometimes had as many as ten bassists in it. We used to playa game, we'd take numbers and put them in a hat, and everybody would take a number, but they wouldn't tell the other person what number they had. So the idea of the game was that the number one bass player solos first and the other three accompany, then when number 1 was through, number two would play, but there was no music. So the intention was we had to listen and not get in the way, because as you add bass players, it can get pretty muddy. Now I have some tapes where it just did not work; it just came out mud, absolute mud! Especially when we had a multitude of bass players." In 1969 Warren booked some late evening studio time and went with his jam

drummer Barry Altschul, who played with Paul Bley and Gary Peacock. Warren says, "That loft became like a meeting place for musicians just coming to New York, anytime somebody wanted to play, the loft was there. We played 24/7, we just played all the time, we could play up until the wee hours of the morning, nobody bothered us, nobody disturbed us. I met when they frrst came to town, Dave Holland, John McLaugWin, the Brecker Brothers, the loft is where they came. nickname used to be 'The Phone Book,' wanted to find any musician anywhere in the world, had his number. [Barry] would just invite people, he \V\\T\\t.lJ Illl 11 . t-:() tIl wouldn't even tell me, he'd say, 'come on by, you can stay,' because ARR.A!Vl NTSFOR we had room, guys DOUBLE BASS TRIO by Anna Doak could stay overnight." Dvorak Miniatures ll op. 75a Warren played elecClmztiml, Ctlj>nQ:io, Rtmtl1J!'(fl Hungarian Gypsy Music tric bass for a while Sr!PR()W'~ TIZ~.A}mtIP()mt with guitarist Danny Hgs On Bass Kalb's band Blues Af»J~,tt CIm'ltlr, Etzw.gJl'ojpH Project II. Kalb, he Two Swing Trios Tale, ~ ]jfOIb'IJ]jfW lJ!H~ says laughing, "had the Sel'ld $IS per set + $4.50 shipping (USA ordes), reputation of being the orvis!t website forcmier mfoJl11'1.aticm, MP$'s mdscole samples. fastest guitar player For in1ematioml shipping charges around - and also the e:rnaB info@:msschurclt.cmn But, as loudest!"

assc

rc:

-,

\

Volume 29, Number 1

13

Peter Warren with Jack Dejohnette

session buddies, bassists Dave Holland, Jamie Faunt and Glen Moore, and drummer Steve Hauss. The intent was to record their free playing-one side of the record (LP) was going to be acoustic basses, and the other side electric. Of the electric bass material Warren

says, "I've got the tapes somewhere... that was interesting as well," however, when the album was released, only the acoustic material was used. At one point in the session, other musicians dropped by and joined in, including pianist Chick Corea, saxophonist John Surman, and drummer Stu Martin. Warren's roommate Barry Altschul also snuck in during Subra Har, an Indian-influenced piece, and began tapping on the side of Warren's bass as if he were playing tabla! Warren remembers this session, "We just listened to each other. The whole idea of free music is to listen. That old thing about less is more is absolutely true. We had to make music and stay out of each other's way and everything was going to be fIrst-take, roar as it is, if it's out of tune, it's out of tune. The whole idea was to make it work, play this music and make it work. And many times it failed, but the times that it worked it was so special! That record not only got a five-star review in Down Beat, but bass players were listening to it! And some of them were saying 'these guys can't play,' but other guys recognized that there was something going on here." "There are several free jazz players who really do play noise, but I could never figure that out, at some place it must cohere. But in

~ ~?~ Double Bass Pickup SOUNDS LIKE THE BEST MIKED TONE MELLOW SOUND, HOT OUTPUT

GREAT PIZZ & AReO, MATCHED LEVELS INSTALLS IN SECONDS VVITH NO ALTERATION TO YOUR BASS NO SATTERIES, NO PRE-AMP

~.d_.-"_'-A~ ./ Ii NAME YOU CAN TRUST FOR THE BEST BASS TONE ~,..,-

14


(510) 444-25421e11fax www,clevinger.cQm

some types of free jazz playing that's not the idea- the idea is not to blend. I guess because of my background I wanted it to fit together somehow. And Bass Is is a very good example of that, because at some place in each one of those pieces it blends together. Everybody gets on the same wavelength." Shortly after the Bass Is session, Warren and his (now) wife went to Europe. Originally Europe was going to be a stopover on the way to India to find a guru. But while in Italy, Warren heard, and was so moved by, a group called The Trio, which he says "was the band in Europe at the time." Barre Phillips, saxophonist John Surman and drummer Stu Martin were The Trio, and he followed them to Belgium, where they were living. "As soon as I got to Belgium," recalls Warren, "and started to hang out with the guys, they got me my fIrst gig, and it was the Baden-Baden Free Jazz Festival. And there was Dave [Holland]; Johnny Diani, great African bass player; Steve Lacy; Don Cherry. Steve Lacy did a thing with PM radio, he'd put on this static, let's play with this, right? [laughs] So for me, I was never subjected to any of that stuff before, and yeah, I liked it." At this point Stu Martin said to him, "You don't need a guru, you need to play music!" So that is what he did in Europe for the next five years. During this time Warren got to know Barre Phillips, "I had heard Barre in New York, of course. I knew who he was, but I had never met him. [He is] a very special guy who really helped me immensely, and not only with gigs and stuff, but as a mentor. Just listening to his stuff when he would play alone in his house was inspiring because you'd say, 'Wow, OK, I can do that. The bass can do that? Wow ... ,,, Warren stills plays an Otto Rubner bass (c. 1950) that was given to him by Barre during that stay in Europe. Barre's influence on Peter Warren was great, but after returning to New York and joining Jack DeJohnette's band, Warren found what he calls the biggest influence on his bass playing. "I was very fortunate to play with Jack DeJohnette. I think I learned more in the times that I spent with him than in my lifetime about what a bass player is really [for], what is your job, what are you supposed to do, what is your responsibility. And you have a responsibility. If you're going to be playing with other people, there's a responsibility as a bass player that you have to assume. I always say get with a drummer. If this is the kind of music you want to play." [smiling] "Let him think he's the boss, that's

OK. Let him think he's in control. What I learned from Jack: time is like a flying wedge that's always going fOlWard. If you listen when Dave Holland plays time, he's so on top of the beat, yet he's not rushing. And it's that on top thing that propels it fOlWard. Playing with drummers and really listening to what they're doing is where you learn that. And I played hours and hours with Jack alone, just the bass and the drums." Warren also says, "Jack DeJohnette [coined] the phrase multi-directional music, which I think really puts a nail on it, in that we are a product of all the things we've heard, and so somewhere in the music that would come out." Warren played in DeJohnette's bands on and off from the mid-1970s through the early 1980s, and then worked with guitarists Mike Stem and John Scofield, among many others. With Scofield, DeJohnette, trombonist Ray Anderson and saxophonist John Purcell, Warren recorded, Solidarity (see sidebar). So where is WatTen on his serpentine path now? He currently lives in New York City with his wife, TV Producer Arlene Shennan, and their two cats. While recovering from a bad fall several years ago, Wan'en said he had "had time to think. I've had so many rewards

with music, I have to give it back somehow, the best way I can. As bassists, when we get to a certain level, we're obligated to pass on whatever we've learned to the next set of bass players. We have a term called 'the cats,' well, the cats of my generation are all passing away. I'd like to give this information that I have. I'm a great coach. I like workshops. I like interaction, I fmd that a lot of musicians today, because the technique comes so quickly they're somehow missing something. There's a growing process that perhaps is missing." "I've been fortunate enough, I've had such great karma musically, in that I did the cello thing and took that to where it was going to go, I did the pop music thing, the rock thing and took those to where they were going to go, and then I went into the bass and took that to where it was going to go, and stayed there. So I'm a happy camper with what has happened in my life. And I've always been a student. I feel if you are a master, then you have a real obligation, [laughing] and who wants that? The evolution of bass playing for me, was the classical influence, because I was a cellist first, and the idea to make everything sound beautiful when you can is it. The bass is a voice that's come into its own. I

think what happens is we become people pleasers; we want to play what people want to hear, and sometimes that limits you from playing your own voice... I think, for me, I've been fortunate enough to have been associated with people who let me play my own voice."

Peter Warren Partial Discography: Under his own name: Bass Is (Enja) Solidarity (Jappo)

As a sideman: Tin Can Alley (ECM) Special Edition (ECM) Cosmic Chicken (Fantasy) 13 and 3/4 (Watt) Trinity (Enja) Spontaneous (Enja) This Way Out (MPS) Interchange (MPS) Going To The Rainbow (MPS) Open Strings (MPS) Donna Lee (America) Twet (Polski) Vibrations (Enja) Live From Donaueshingen (Phillips)

Volume 29, Number 1

15

II h deed the best od, £JI!.£~~~10#.JI!,JI!.~.JI!, $

o

®

@

e sIte

ISlt t

16


e a el sese

Theodor Albin Findeisen (1881-1936) By Ture Damhus and Preben Fahnee

It is our impression that many double bassists today do not know of the latel9thearly 20th century German bassist Theodor Albin Findeisen, who was a Gewandhaus Orchestra double bassist, chamber virtuoso, composer, and the creator of a complete line of study material for the double bass extending to the highest level of virtuosity. His uniquely thorough and creative method books and technical studies deserve recognition in wider circles, as do his other compositions and his interesting opinions as aired in the articles in Der Kontrabass (a newsletter for the German Double Bassists' Association, published from 1929-1930). Not much seems to be known about the life of Findeisen, though he studied the double bass at the Konigliches Konservatorium der Musik in Leipzig l with J. O. Schwabe from 1904-1906. Schwabe was clearly fond of his pupil, since he inscribed Findeisen's graduation diploma with the words: "Herr F. participated in my teaching on a regular basis, is very talented and was my most hard-working student. His technique on the double bass is excellent, and to his clean intonation he adds a beautiful, full tone. He played solo pieces twice at the institute soirees with great success." In 1922, Findeisen became a bass professor at this conservatory himself and he also held a position as a member of the esteemed Gewandhaus Orchestra (in Leipzig) from 1907-19362 • He died quite suddenly on March 3, 19363 • Other than this very limited biographical information, we have not found much mention of Findeisen in history books; he is mentioned only in passing by Alfred Planyavsky (1970, 1984) and Paul Brun (1989, 2000) for the variant of the German bow frog named after him, and for a couple of the statements published in Der Lehrer des Kontrabafi-spieles (his method book). However, in our attempt to uncover more information about this elusive bassist, we have had the pleasure of corresponding with two of Findeisen's former

students: Arno MUller and Erich Hartmann 2 • Hartmann has been a double bassist in the Berlin Philharmonic and is a composer of numerous pieces involving the double bass. MUller describes Findeisen as a kind-hearted man and a successful pedagogue. Hartmann agrees, adding that he was serious and tolerated no laziness. And lessons were always interesting, for Findeisen would improvise accompaniments at the piano while students played. In Findeisen's days, European double bass playI ing was influenced by three quite clearly defined and different traditions: Italian, French and German-Czech schools. The latter of these may be said to have had three hubs, in Prague, Vienna and Leipzig. As a teacher, Findeisen initially used the Simandl Method and he also edited the Storch-Hrabe etudes. As already mentioned, he was a Portrait ofFindeisen, now located in the Gewandhaus Orchestra archives, student of the Leipzig con- kindly provided by Hans-Rainer lung. This is a copy ofa portrait that hung in the double bass room of the Leipzig conservatory for many years, as servatory and later taught confirmed by Arno Milller. (It was still there when Preben Fahn¢e visited there himself. Thus, he was the conservatory with the late Gewandhaus bassist Konrad Siebach in clearly influenced from all Leipzig in 1989.) three parts of the GermanCzech school. In spite of having access to materials the bass world. Because so few of his from a variety of schools, Findeisen must materials are known to players these days, have desired more teaching materials and a we therefore concentrate our article on a different approach to bass playing in gener- discussion of two of his major works in al, for over the course of his career, he com- this area. posed an impressive series of tutors under the heading Der Lehrer des KontrabafiDer Lehrer des KontrabaBspieles, 25 technical studies and a number spieles of regular solo pieces for the bass. A systematic list of these is provided in the sumThe Lehrer des Kontrabafi-spieles mary at the end of the article. Note that not method book is in five parts, and along with all opus numbers are represented in this list- the technical studies introduced below, it is ing; we have been unable to determine what almost certainly Findeisen's most impressive contribution to the bass literature. all the remaining numbers cover. Undoubtedly, pedagogical material was Intended to "reform" bass pedagogy, Findeisen's most important contribution to Findeisen was very ambitious and envisaged Volume 29, Number I

17

Kontrabass, in which nobody was spared, neither the "hectic coffee fiddlers and other so-called artists with their overtly trembling vibrato ," nor the orchestral conductors who ask for vibrato from a bass section in situations where he felt they should understand that this may compromise a focused tone quality and clean intonation. Other interesting aspects to Findeisen's approach are his strong aversion to open strings and his warnings against using extensions (the four fingers system) because of the strain it puts on the hand and the intonation problems that ensue (of course, instruments and strings were different then). Findeisen's language is colorful, sometimes harsh. When the preface to Der Lehrer was printed in No. 4 of Der Kontrabass, Findeisen declared: "This method is dedicated to all bassists with deteriorated hand positions, poor bow management and lack of knowledge of positions (95% of all bassists)"! The first volume of Der Lehrer mentioned both Italian, French and German bow grips. Unusual today, the French grip is shown in a photograph where the thumb is placed on the bottom planar surface of the frog. Findeisen explains that he advocates the German grip, based on many years of experience with both French and German grips and careful analysis of the anatomical implications of both ways of holding the bow. In a separate article in Der Kontrabass, however, Findeisen argues even more forcefully and passionately in favor of the German bow grip, using language that implies it is almost the moral duty of any good German bassist to play the German way! His passionate article on this subject came as a reply to an article by the composer and former bassist Hans Hermann, who also after having also tried both ways of playing was entirely in favor of the French grip. Findeisen s graduation diploma from the Leipzig conservatory, courtesy of Hans-Rainer lung.

The 25 Technical Studies that the books would accompany bassists throughout their careers (apparently assuming that was not the fate of earlier methods). In the preface, he stresses the following two aspects as the most important ones distinguishing his method from its predecessors: 1) Teaching a clear sense of positions on the fingerboard. (There are fingerings here and there in the books, but more often just indications of positions.) 18


Findeisen by the way advocates an energetic technique for the left hand. 2) Playing with an explicit strategy for bow division (how much bow to use and which parts of the bow). In the method, Findeisen also gives detailed suggestions for how to practice vibrato and when to apply it. Vibrato was evidently a pet-peeve for him, since he also published an article on that subject in Der

In the preface to his publication of the 25 Technical Studies [in the original printing of the studies, where-remarkablyan English translation was also provided; though no preface is included in the modem International Music Company reprint], Findeisen describes the development towards more technically demanding orchestral parts that necessitate the creation of new study material for bassists to perfect their technical command of the

instrument. His technical studies are thus intended to enable the bassist to "master even the most difficult parts of modern orchestral literature" . Each technical study is composed as a 16-bar theme (A-B fonnat, 8 bars each) followed by variations or improvisations on the theme, however, keeping the rhythm and styIe of the original theme. The studies grow longer and longer over the course of the series, ending at a length of 3 to 4 pages. Along the way, various meters are explored: 3/4,4/4,9/8,12/8 and Findeisen also fulfills his goal of exercising all keys, including Db major, P# major, etc. Musically and technically, these studies are very accomplished. In contrast to many other technical studies, one never becomes bored while practicing the ones by Findeisen. This is in accord with Findeisen's own proclamation in the preface to Der Lehrer that we must get away from "idle running" when practicing on the bass. by Findeisen Some of the advice in the preface may be outdated in that it was influenced the state of the art with respect to particularly the gut or metalwound gut strings of the time. For examhe advises players to tune the bass in solo tuning: F#-B-E-A in order to produce a "more forthcoming and less tiring sound for the ear than the original tuning ," but to ensure the player can handle the string tension physically. He again also cautions that the use of extensions in the left hand should only be used by "advanced players with a big hand," otherwise they cause problems playing in tune.

Findeisen's music~ we only have references to a couple of recordings. Notes 1) Today called the Hochscule fur Musik und Theater "Felix MendelssohnBartholdy." We would like to thank Christine Peich and Maren Goltz from the conservatory's library for their assistance with research on Findeisen in their archive. 2) Findeisen auditioned for the 'second position as principal double bassist' in1906, together with A. Starke and M. Schulz~ Starke won the position, but left the orchestra in 1907 and Findeisen replaced him without re-auditioning. Hans-Rainer lung has provided us with some interesting excerpts from the correspondence in the orchestral administration entailed by these events. lung is a violinist in the Gewandhaus Orchestra who is currently working through various official archives containing information about the orchestra (which dates back to 1743 and has employed about one thousand musicians since then!). The private archive of the orchestra unfortunately was lost in a fire during

the Second World War. Claudius Bohm of the present-day Gewandhaus archive kindly introduced us to lung. It was lung who then led us on to Arno Milller, who again pointed to Erich Hartmann as a useful source. 3) Hartmann has sent us copies of the touching newspaper notices about Findeisen's death sent in by his wife and children, by the conservatory and by his orchestra colleagues. His all too early passing was clearly felt as a genuine loss.

Literature List:

Po Brun: A history of the double bass [published by the author in English translation, 1989] Po Bran: A New History ofthe Double Bass [Paul Bmn Productions, 2000]. Ao Planyavsky: Geschichte des Kontrabasses [Hans Schneider, 1970]. Mo Grodne..: Comprehensive catalog of music, books, recordings and videos for the double bass [4th edition, 2000, volume l~ Grodner Publications]. This catalog registered all the lnusic below except the first concerto.

Cmasing remarks With his method, his teaching and his work as a performer, Findeisen contributed tremendously to the development of the German double bass tradition. His influence would undoubtedly have been much broader if it hadn't been for his untimely death and the war (WWII) , which interrupted the distribution of his music and method books. Our search has not, unfortunately, been able to yield a full inventory of all of Findeisen's music. If others were willing to complete the catalogue of his works and work towards republishing all that is out of print, it would be a most worthwhile enterprise. It would also be interesting to create a discography of

Large selection of basses and bows Restoration and repairs Good selection in all price ranges Consignment and trades accepted

ANDREW STETSON

2932 Montana Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45211

Basses handcrafted by Jakstadt, Stetson, Roberts, Lakeberg and Lloyd

513-661-6224 [email protected] www.basscellar.com

Volume 29, Number 1

19

Highlights of Findeisen's Production As well as providing a list of Findeisen's compositions and articles, we have tried where possible to list the names of the modem publishers for these editions, so that interested readers may obtain copies of the works. Some of the music is classified as out of print or is only registered as published by C.F. Schmidt, Heilbronn (a publishing house which does not exist under this name anymore).

Karnevalszene, opus 12, published by C.F. Schmidt, Heilbronn. Konzert No.1, opus 15 [with piano accompaniment; but orchestra parts were available upon request to Findeisen himself], published by C.F. Schmidt, Heilbronn. Elegie (Am Grabe des Freundes), opus 19, published by C.F. Schmidt, Heilbronn.

Teaching materials Der Lehrer des KontrabafJ-spieles-eine Grundschule fur die hohere Lagen-, Bogen- und Fingertechnik. Basic method book for the higher positions, bowing and finger techniques; 5 volumes, each approx. 50 pages. Published by F. Hofmeister, HotbeimfTaunus and Leipzig; fIrst volume copyright C. Merseburger, Leizig, 1930, last volume, 1938; later, in English by International Music Company, New York, and by M. Baron, New York, as Complete Method. Findeisen did not live to oversee the publication of the two last volumes; this task was undertaken by his orchestra colleague of 30 years, Max Schulz. 25 Grosse technische Studien fur KontrabajJ durch aile Tonearten zur Einfuhrung in die moderne Rythmik, Harmonik und Vorlragsweise, opus 14. 25 technical studies, in 4 volumes, originally published by C.F. Schmidt, Heilbronn, later republished (except for the prefaces) by International Music Company, New York. Konzert-Etiiden fur KontrabajJ 20 studies for double bass by Storch and Hrabe, edited and published by Findeisen; later published as 57 Studies for String Bass, by International Music Company, New York.. Emanuel Storch was a fme bassist of the Prague school who played in the Gewandhaus Orchestra from 1859-76. He brought these studies by his teacher, Josef Hrabe. Solo pieces (double bass with piano) Nixenreigen-Fantasie, opus 9 [Nymphs' Round Dance Fantasy], published by C.F. Schmidt, Heilbronn. Accompanied by a poem by Ludwig Ankenbrand (whom we now nothing else about) and a nice picture of a bassist playing in the wood surrounded by nymphs. A copy of this picture was painted by A. Miihleisen in 1943 and presented by Findeisen's successor Max Schulz to his former student Arno Muller as a wedding gift. The original was an oil painting by a painter by the name of Mirwald. The order of creation of the poem by Ankenbrand, ·the fantasy by Findeisen and the painting is not known to us or to Muller, who commented that it could well have been a collaboration with the painter; Findeisen was a man with a good sense of humor. The copy painting was donated by Arno Muller to the Danish Double Bass Society.

Ture Damhus is a chemist by training (and serving as such in his daily job), and an enthusiastic bass amateur. He co-edited Bastidende (the magazine of the Danish Double Bass Society) with Preben Fahnr/Je for 12 years and has also served as international representative on the ISB board of directors.

20


Konzert No.2, opus 25 [in 1 movement], published by C.F. Schmidt, Heilbronn and Leipzig. Note: In a talk given at the bass convention in Mittenwald in 1991 ("Die Bedeutung der Prager Schule fUr die Padagogik des Kontrabass-spiels"), M. Gajdos indicated that there are three concertos by Findeisen. But we have not been able to obtain any additional information on a third concerto. Double bass and violin Romantische Suite, opus 10, published by CF. Schmidt, Heilbronn [Grodner (2000) also mentions a version for piano and double bass.] JS.Bach: 10Inventionen [arranged for double bass and violin, with fmgerings, by Findeisen], published by C F. Schmidt, Heilbronn. This music was kindly provided to us by Erich Hartmann. Miscellaneous Compositions Quartettsuite fur 4 C eili oder Kontrabiisse, opus 26, published by C. Merseburger, Leipzig.

Kadenz zum Simandlkonzert, opus 34, published by C.F. Schmidt. Articles l ) Das Vibrato 2) Eine Reform der Padagogik des KontrabaBspiels 3) Deutsche oder franzosische Bogenfiihrung (2 articles) Mein werk 'Der Lehrer des KontrabaBspiels' 4) 1) All articles in Der Kontrabass, a newsletter for the German

Double Bassists' Association; only 5 issues published in all, in the years 1929-1930. 2) Also appeared in Heft IV of Der Lehrer des KontrabafJ-spieles. 3) An introduction to Der Lehrer des KontrabafJ-spieles, which was offered at a favorable subscription price to the association ine~bers in no. 3 of Der Kontrabass (November 1929). 4) lightly revised version of the preface to Der Lehrer.

Preben Fahnr/Je is a professional bassist and guitar player in classical music as well as jazz. He holds a degree in musical education from the Royal Conservatory in Copenhagen and has taught several generations of Danish double bassists and electric bass players. He has published teaching materials for the double bass and the

electric bass, most recently The Nordic Bass with Henrik Bjr/Jrn Rasmussen [Edition Wilhelm Hansen, 2003}.

THIS BIG NEW BOOK IS THE BASS BIBLE THE FIRST DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO BASS REPAIR, ADJUSTMENT & SOUND.

tu and

By

With David Bro\vnefl and William lvlerchant _.&.£.11>.4"-'.1 ....

Traeger bassist, luthier & author

bass repairer, proprietor of the Bass Shop in NYC for many years .l'"'viJIU\....-'-'·V""--u

else n w to make easier to play.

1!I1'"'BIIi1''III<'lII'JIII~'-1IIl.41LJ11l1llll"'"

• . 1II

the

& 10878 Mill Creek Road

who will provide

Publisher~

~

OR 97325

information and secure credit card online ordering: www.henrystrobel.com $85 US plus $9 S&H USNCanada $18 S&H elsewhere

Maker, repairer, bassist. Editor MVA Journal

ISBN 1-892210-06-1

& Bill Merchant, bassist, Luthier, Successor to Chuck Traeger

MILLENNIUM Suitefor Violin and Double Bass

Aaron Clay (b. 1967)

III. Escape frOID History ~ 11

Violin

Presto con moto

When Peter Wilson (violin) and Aaron Clay (double bass) fonned a duo in 1997, repertoire for violin and double bass was scarce. Following a 1998 appearance on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Clay was inspired by the fast approaching Y2K to compose MILLENNIUM: Suite for Violin and Double Bass (from their CD Bridging the Gap, reviewed on page 64.) The score and parts for "MILLENNIUM" are available at www.bridgingthegaponline.com. The third movement, Escape from History, is reprinted with permission of the composer.

112

11--fl~_+J;-----"";;;;;;""-----+--------=---------l~_----'::=-----+----=-------I

@)

Double Bass pp

=

p

.9

v (IV)

cresco

-&

sfp

f ©1998 CLAYTYME MUSIC ©2005 Printed in the USA by PeterWilsonMusic www.bridgingthegaponline.conl 22


dl/fl.

MILLENNIUM III. Escape from History

2 21

2 p

v

1

~=======::

mf

25

33

o

4

2 +3

1

4

2

204

piu ",OSSO 1

f!.

4

.P

Volume 29, Number 1

23

MILLENNIUM

3

III. Escape from History

! q

4

~>

4 1

1

~4

+-fHl......--+-

2

f

4 1 4 1

65

1

3

+~,

(Keep thUtnb on string)

24


MILLENNIUM III. Escape from History

4 ::>-

>-

v

::>-

::>-

+

1

v

+

1

poco a poco cre,sc.

V

V

F1

4!.

>-

~V

~V

:ff

4

v

o

1 2 2

f

litO/to

cresco

::>-

4

3 0421 4221

>->->-

~

1 >- 1 2 >-

,., 0

2

3 2

3

~.

>>->-

Volume 29, Number I

25

Married to the Bass By Robin Meloy Goldsby

In her memoir Piano Girl: Lessons in Life, Music, and the Perfect Blue Hawaiian, Robin Meloy Goldsby (© 2005 Backbeat Books [www.backbeatbooks .comJ. Excerpted by permission.) recounts the trials and triumphs ofher 30 years as a working musician. Along the way, she devotes a chapter to the joys of being married to a bass player. In Robin s case, that happens to be solo artist and WDR Big Band bassist John Goldsby. Okay, Ladies, listen up. Bass players make great husbands. There is no scientific data to support my claim. But having worked my way through the rhythm section, the technicians, and a handful of brass, reed, and string players, I'm a qualified judge. First, consider this. A man who plays an upright bass is strong. He lugs the instrument around, carries it up steps, slides it in and out of cars, and maneuvers it through large crowds of people. If you marry a bass player you'll be getting a physically fit husband. Okay, there is the occasional back problem. This crops up two or three times a year-usually when you want him to move your grandmother's walnut armoire or need him to stand on a ladder and drill a hole in the ceiling. But you can cope with such minor inconveniences by calling a muscular clarinet player who is handy with a power drill. Good luck finding one. Here's the thing: When your bass player is pain-free, he's as strong as a bull. He has to be in order to make the gig. And he might even throw you over his shoulder and carry you over the threshold every so often, just because he can. Next, ponder the shape of the upright bass. It's shaped like a woman. A bass player knows about bumps and curves - he even likes them. He has dedicated his life to coaxing beautiful music out of voluptuous contours. He'll do the same for you. Just don't marry a stick-bass player, unless you look like Kate Moss or intend to spend the rest of your life eating lettuce. Examine the bass player's hands, especially when he's playing a particularly fast passage. Now imagine what those fingers can do to you. Enough said. A great bassist is an ensemble player, a team member who executes, with confidence,

a vital role in any band with the strength of his groove, the steadiness of his rhythm, and the imaginative logic of his harmonic lines. This doesn't just apply to the bassist's music. It also applies to his outlook on life. A bass-player husband will be loyal, true, and interesting, and will help you emerge from life's challenges looking and sounding better than you ever imagined. If you're in a bad mood, don't worry. He'll change keys. On the other hand, if you marry a pianist, he'll try and arrange everything and then tell you what your disposition should be. If you marry a guitarist, he'll try to get ahead of you by analyzing your temperament in double-time. If you marry a drummer, it won't matter what kind of mood you're in because he'll just forge ahead with his own thing. A bass player follows along, supports you, and makes you think that everything is okay, even when the world is crashing down around you. There are some minor drawbacks. You need to have a house with empty comers, especially if your husband owns more than one upright bass. I know, you have that newly reupholstered Louis XV chair that would look fabulous in the comer by the window. Forget it-that's where the bass has to go. You can come to terms with these trivial decorating disappointments by reflecting on the sculpture-like quality of the instrument. Even when it's silent, it's a work of art. If you have children - and you will because bass players make great fathersyour most frequently uttered phrase will be "WATCH THE BASS!" You willieam how to interject this phrase into every conversation you have with your children. For instance: "Hello, sweetie, watch the bass, did you have a nice day at kindergarten? We're having rice and broccoli for lunch, watch the bass, do you want milk or water to drink?" You will be doomed to a life of station wagons, minivans, and SUVs. You might harbor a secret fantasy of zooming around town in a Mazda MX5 convertible, but this will never happen unless you go through a big messy divorce, give your bass-player husband custody of the children, and marry a violinist, which would be no fun at all. Better to accept the hatchback as an integral part of your existence and get on with it. Any trip you make with your family and the bass will be a pageant that requires

Robin Goldsby

detailed organization and nerves of steel. In addition to your two children (one of whom probably wants to be a drummer-heaven help you), you will commence your journey with suitcases, bass, bass trunk, backpacks, amp, car seats, strollers, and diaper bag. Your husband, weighted down with an enormous backpack and a bass trunk the size of a sub-zero refrigerator, will leave you to deal with everything else. As you try to walk inconspicuously through the airpolt terminal, people will point and stare. First Spectator: "They look the Slovenian Traveling Circus!" Second Spectator: "Hey buddy, you should have played the flute!" Things like that. You will learn how to say ha, ha, ha, stick your nose in the air, and pretend that you are traveling with a big star, which of course he is, to you. Your bass-player husband will know the hip chord changes to just about every song ever written in the history of music. This is a good thing. Just don't ask him to sing the melody. He might be able to play the melody, but he won't sing it-he'll sing the bass line. And, if you happen to play the piano, as I do, don't expect him to just sit there silently and appreciate what you are playing without making a few suggestions for better changes and voicings. He'll never give up on trying to improve your playing. But that's why you married him in the fIrst place. He accepts what you do, but he pushes you to do it better. If you marry the bass player, you marry the bass. Buy one, get one free. Your husband will be passionate about his music, which will grant you the freedom to be passionate about the things you do. You might not worship the bass as much as he does, but you' lliove the bass player more every day. Volume 29, Number 1

27

CHILD'S PLAY

Virginia Dixon, Editor

The Bulgarian School of Bass Playing By Petya Bagovska In the center of the Bulgarian city of Sofia, at 94 Evlogi Georgiev, a street lined with beautiful chestnut trees, you will find the State Academy of Music, known by the name Pancho Vladigerov. With nostalgia, I well remember my student days, when on my way to lectures, music could be heard everywhere through the wide-open windows. I was so happy to go to my double bass lessons. Without even noticing it, I would make the climb to the fourth floor where my professor Todor Toshev taught. An outstanding musician, pedagogue and person, Professor Toshev established a Bulgarian school of bass playing and was renowned throughout the world. His musical teaching was unforgettable, imbued with much passion, and humor. During lessons, Prof. Toshev would stand nearby following with full concentration every note and movement of our hands. We were used to multitasking as we played and listened to his voice at the same time, giving us advice. After my own lesson, I would linger extra hours to listen to my friends and colleagues. The essentials I learned from Professor Toshev are twofold: the responsibility of my work as a pedagogue, and the importance of developing good habits and positioning in the student from the beginning. Holding the bass and the bow and playing with good muscular pressure with no tension in the hands is a solid basis on which to create technical skills, strong sound, and endurance. Prof. Toshev knew how to persuade you to love the double bass and to motivate you to do your most creative work. Thanks to him and Bulgaria's very fine musical traditions, many of us have since proven ourselves at national and international competitions. Seven of Bulgaria's largest cities have specialized music schools with excellent professional pedagogues on their faculties. Basic music education runs from first grade through a high school diploma, with an examination that includes solfege and individual instrumental performance. During the period from 1963 to 1980,

music schools offered early education on double bass, and at that time, small-sized double basses were manufactured in the Bulgarian factory, Kremona. Children between the ages of 9 and 12 years played these instruments; many of them were also members of a renowned children's orchestra, the Philharmony Pioner. Double bass is now only offered to kids starting at 12 to14 years old, by which time music students learn all required subjects as well as taking applied music lessons. At the end of seventh grade, examinations for high school are held and those accepted are able to continue their studies with two hour-long double bass lessons per week, in addition to two hours of chamber music Petya Bagovska and four hour sessions for orchestra plus all the regular classes, foreign language and mandatory hours per week of chamber music perpiano. At the end of each school year, stu- forming sonatas or other ensembles, as dents take an exam requiring scales, arpeg- well as orchestra, history of the double gios, etudes, cello suites by Bach, as well bass, methodology of teaching bass and as other solo pieces and concertos. After pedagogy, where the senior students actuhigh school the best ones apply to the State ally teach the young students from music school. Perhaps the most valuable part of Academy of Music. the program is the two hours of double In Bulgaria, in addition to the State bass lessons per week. One lesson is Academy, there are also two regional folkdevoted to scales and arpeggios in three lore schools and a national academy of octaves, technical skills, orchestra folk music and dance where one can study excerpts, etudes, and suites by Bach. The double bass. Anticipating and encouraging the pre-college music education in second one is for performing pieces and Bulgaria, there are competitions for instru- concertos with piano accompaniment. In mentalists in three age groups: 7 to 14 this way the students can prepare for their years old, 14 to 19, and 19 to 35. A very upcoming exams, concerts, and competipopular competition is the Svetoslav tions. For more than 30 years, Krastyo Obretenov, where Bulgarian music is pro- Kavlakov worked as the class accompagrammed. Over the years, this has helped nist. He has been succeeded by Bogdan to encourage composers to produce Stanev. Each year, the string department numerous new pieces. The most popular admits six new students of double bass. In Bulgarian composers who have written for the past, foreign students have been the bass are Emil Tabakov, Lazar Nikolov, accepted as well, with past students coming from Finland, Greece, South Korea Boris Karadimchev and Michael Pekov. The State Academy's double bass pro- and the Unites States. The course of study gram requires all students to have two is divided into two semesters, and in June Volume 29, Number 1

29

After graduation, students may go on to earn Masters degrees and the very best continue for Ph .Ds. During their course of study, bassists participate in the class meetings, concerts, and international youth orchestras. Many of them find solo opportunities with the professional Academy Symphony Orchestra performing concerti by Dittersdorf, Bottesini, Koussevitzky, and others. Professors Nikolay Nikolov and Georgi Velkov have been teaching double bass at the Academy for many years. As a pedagogue, I always look for new things with which to intrigue my students. Out of this searching arises my desire to write bass studies, articles, arrangements for double bass and my work to found different ensembles with four to eight basses. As their mentor, I try to include music from the Baroque through jazz eras. Performing together reaps excellent results, plus it is great motivation to

Petya Bagovska assisting a student

all students take double bass exams. The most common bow hold is French, but the German system is also represented.

work, and establishes a productive atmosphere. Playing in ensembles is a highly enriching experience. In 2000, my students and I performed as a bass quartet at the International Jazz Festival, in Bansko, Bulgaria. In the State Academy of Music we also have a bass club where we are organizing interesting events, concerts and master classes. To achieve excellent results in our work as pedagogues, I believe it is necessary to have passion, high professionalism, an individual approach to every student, but most of all, dedication and love. Petya Bagovska, PhD., is associate professor of double bass at the State Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria. Her website is www.bagovska.comlbass.

Douglas Maw Music Piano Accompanilnent CDs & Midi Files Personalized & Customized Works By: Antoniotti Bach Beethoven e Beveridge e Bloch Bottesini eBrahlns • Bruch - Capuzzi Challan • Cimador Corelli Couperin • de Fesch Debussy eDittersdorf e Dragonetti eEccles • Faure De Fesch - Franchi Galliard Gardoni e Giannini e Gliere van Goens e Gossec Handel Henze o Hindelnith .. Hoffmeister • Keyper von Koch Kodaly • Koussevitzky • Larrson • Lorenziti • Marcello • Massenet· Misek • Mozart • Niemoller • Paganini • Piehl Prokofieff Proto • Rachlnaninoff e Romberg Rota Russell • Saint Saens e Scarlatti Shostakovich Schubert Schunlann • Silnandl • Sperger • Stein • Still Tschaikowsky • Telemann • Tubin Vanhal • Verdi • Villa-Lobos Vivaldi • Wagner Walton Wilder Major Features: You pick the telnpi & key • Up to four works per CD/disk e All CDs custoln Inade • Harpsichord available on all baroque titles • All titles available vvith orchestra or solo tuning • Metronome added to clarify rests and complex rhythlllS • Midi files can be sent via the intenlet • Call about John Hood's books Three Octave Tune-up and Harmonic Finder • Can ll1ake recordings of works for double bass and piano not listed in the catalog • Transposed piano scores to works by J. C. Bach e J. S. Bach • Bottesini • Dittersdorf Dragonetti -Eccles • Faure Gliere • van Goens • Hindemith • Larrson • Lorenziti Koussevitzky • Misek • Mozart Paganini • Rachmaninoff· Schubert Schumann Stein • Vanhal Vivaldi o Many titles for other instruments • Professional Inusic copying service available • Check our website for a conlplete listing of titles. 0

0

@

0

0)

0

0)

0)

0)

(9

It

I)

0

(9

0)

0

$ 4.00 $ .75

30

0)

0)

0

Prices: $15.00 $20.00

Douglas Mapp Music Per CD (No Credit Cards) Per disk (please specify format) S/H for 1st item For each additional itenl Forei gn orders hi gher


0

0)

0

0)

0)

4)

0

0)

49 I-Ia11 Street Willialllstowo, NJ 08094-1809 (856) 740-9009 On the vVeb: \rvww.douglaslnappnlusic.com

E-Ivlail: [email protected]

1-1 •

.,.. S 1-1 •

.,.. S

Bert Witzel, Principal Bass, The louisville Orchestra Bert Witzel began playing bass in high school when he attended the Baltimore School for the Arts. He was then accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer. During his time at Curtis, Bert was an active freelance bassist in the Philadelphia area, performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philly Pops, among others. "I don't have a whole lot of experience taking auditions (this being my third audition) , so I don't think one has to have a whole lot of experience [in order to succeed]. What it really comes down to is how mature a player you are, and how much you have prepared. The mindset that I bring to auditions is not to worry about whether or not I will win the audition, or whether the committee will like my playing, or whether or not I'm going to mess up this passage or that passage, but to simply try to play the best that I can.

Jeff Turner, Editor

"My preparation for auditions has consisted of practicing around 4 or 5 hours a day, 6 days a week. I had mock auditions once or twice a week a month before the audition. In my practicing, I concentrate on the weakest excerpts at fust, while maintaining the other excerpts. Then as it gets closer to the audition I practice all of them equally. I always prepare as much as I can, because when I get to the audition, I never sound as good as on my best day at home. It is hard to do an audition because it is a new environment. You've never played in the hall, you sonletimes have very little time to warm up, and you only get five minutes to play in certain rounds. I always try to go for musicality in my playing, along with good, solid technique. You can have an edge by playing musically and showing the committee that you are a mature musician. Make a musical statement with your excerpts and solos: follow dynamics, use tasteful vibrato, come up with an idea of how you want the music to go, etc. When you have figured out what you want to do, practice it over and over so that you are prepared."

Bass

Bert Witzel

Pirastro

Orginal Flexocor P'lat ChromeSteel

$139 $145

Flexocor

Bass D'Addario Helicore... call Bass Strings by Dr. Tholnastik Spirocore $103 DnLJ~.CJS

We have a good selection a/basses rangingjrom $](XJ() to $20,000. Please go to our web site to view photographs of many ofour instruments or callfor

more infonnation or an appointment. Bob's Bass Buggy $65 Featuring a 6 inch pneumatic tire with ball bearing axle and solidsteel U-shaped bracket. Available in all standard shank sizes.

Volume 29, Number 1

31

INTERNATIONAL BASS CLUB DIRECTORY Felix Petit ACADEMIA NACIONAL DE CONTRABAJISTAS Conservatorio de Musica Simon Bolivar EI Paraiso, Caracas 1010 Venezuela Tel/fax +212-481-1441 [email protected] Esra Gul Atalay ANADOLU BASS CLUB Anadolu University State Conservatory Eskisehir, Turkey 26470 +222 335 05 80/6228 Fax +222 335 31 04 e-mail:[email protected] www.basscIub.anadolu.edu.tr Thierry Barbe ASSOCIATION DES BASSISTS ET CONTREBASSISTE DE FRANCE 22 rue de Champagne 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France www.contrebasse.com Sonia Ray ASSOCIACAO BRASILEIRA DE CONTRABAIXISTAS Escola de Musica e Artes Cenicas da UFG Campus II - Samambaia - Sala 205 Tele/fax +55-62-224-4264 [email protected] Mark Bernat BASS CLUB OF GEORGIA P.O. Box 49045 Atlanta, GA 30359 [email protected] Alana Dawes, President Katie McLachlan, Contact/Secretary BASSLINK AUSTRALIA PO Box 130 Belair, South Australia 5052 +61 88278 2016 [email protected] David Heyes BRITISH & INTERNATIONAL DOUBLE BASS FORUM P.O. Box 151 Aldershot, Hants GU12 7YQ United Kingdom [email protected] Petya Bagovska BULGARIAN BASS CLUB Hipodroma BI. 140, A, 12 Flat Sofia BUG-1612 Bulgaria +359/88-753-358 [email protected] www.bagovska.com/bass Sandra Grigorova-Bojkova BULGARIAN DOUBLE BASS ASSOCIATION j.k. "Bakston," bI. 17, vh.2, ap.30 Sofia, Bulgaria 1618 [email protected] Wei Bao Zheng CHINESE SOCIETY OF BASSISTS Flat 504, No.7 Fuxingmen South St. Beijing 100045, China Tel/Fax +86 09 79 92 [email protected] Miloslav Jelinek CZECH SOCIETY OF BASSISTS Komenskeho nam. 8 60200Bmo Czech Republic +420 5 43 24 28 05 [email protected] www.volny.cz/spol-kontrabas

32


Ture Damhus Andreas Bennetzen, Chair DANISH DOUBLE BASS SOCIETY Livjaegergade 43, st. tv. Koebenhavn OE 2100 Denmark +45 35 26 49 83 Fax +45 44 42 42 33 [email protected] www.bass-society.dk David MUlTay INDIANA BASS CLUB Butler University - Music Dept. 4600 Sunset Indianapolis, IN 46220 [email protected] Miika Asunta FINNISH SOCIETY OF BASSISTS Helsinginkatu 42 A 29 00530 Helsinki Finland +358-45-6777842 Miika.Asunta@saunalahtiJi Gerrit Hamacher GERMAN SOCIETY OF BASSISTS www.geba-online.de Cheryl Ann Brent HOUSTON BASS CLUB c/o Rice University Shepherd School of Music 6100 S. Main St. MS 5321 Houston TX 77005-1892 Karoly Sam HUNGARIAN BASSISTS SOCIETY Zrinyi u. 26 Budapest, Hungary H-I028 +36 1397 1821 Fax +36 62 11226 Klaus Schroff KONTRABASS-CLUB DEUTSCHLAND Roermonderstrasse 289 Aachen, Germany D-52072 Phone and fax +49 241 515 18 17 www.lownote-musikverlag-schluff.de Chang-ho Kim, President KOREAN KONTRABASS ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 434, Seocho-Gu,137-604 Seoul, Korea +82-16-726-3721 [email protected] [email protected] www.kontrabass.com Nobuaki Saikawa KYUSHU BASS CLUB 2-23-24 Tsutsumi Jonan,Fukuoka 814-0151 Japan Tel/fax +81-92-873-7355 [email protected] Zoran Pavloski MACEDONIAN DOUBLE BASS ASSOCIATION ul. Naroden front 5-1-13 Skopje, 1000 Macedonia tel +38 970 388 284 [email protected] Peter Tambroni THE MANNHEIM BASS CLUB Westdale Elementary School Mannheim School District #83 99 W. Diversey Ave Northlake, IL 60164 tambroni @hotmail.com Jim Ferguson NASHVILLE BASS CLUB 210 Mayfair Rd. Nashville, TN 37205 615/297-7453 Fax 615/463-8747 [email protected]

Barry Green NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BASS CLUB 430 Crestridge PI. Santa Rosa CA 95409 [email protected] www.innergameofmusic.com Irena Olkiewicz POLISH DOUBLE BASS SOCIETY Rynek 4/8 WrocIaw 50-107 Poland Tele/fax +4871 3220 [email protected] Florian Pertzbom PORTUGUESE DOUBLEBASS SOCIETY Escola Superior de Musica e das Artes Rua de Alegria 504 Oporto 4000 Portugal +3512580774 Fax +351 1 528513 RICHARD DAVIS FOUNDATION FOR YOUNG BASSISTS, INC. 902 West Shore Dr. Madison, WI 53715 608/255-6666 Fax 608/255-5524 rdavis1 @facstaff.wisc.edu www.globaldialog.com/-rdavis Paul Erhard ROCKY MOUNTAIN BASS CLUB 3655 Emerson Ave. Boulder CO 80303 303/492-4918 Fax 303/492-5619 Ken Hustad SAN LUIS OBISPO BASS CLUB 470 Arcadia Ave. MOlTO Bay, CA 93442 805/772-1477 www.bassisLcom/bassi.htm David Humphrey SASKATCHEWAN BASS CLUB 1516 Lome Ave. Saskatoon, SK S7H 1Yl Canada Jennifer Sharp SCOTTISH BASS TRUST 6 West Garleton Haddington EH413SL Tele/fax +44 1620 82 25 32 [email protected] Martin Simpson SOUTH AFRICAN BASS CLUB PO Box 785189 Sandton, South Mrica 2146 [email protected] www.Bassplayers.co.za Josep QueI' Agusti, President Mrs. Matias Lopez, General Manager SPANISH DOUBLE BASS SOCIETY TClMontgo n° 1- 2°_3 a Figueres, Spain 17600 [email protected] Lynn Lovell, President WESTERN NEW ENGLAND DOUBLE BASS SOCIETY c/o Downtown Sounds 21 Pleasant St. Northampton, MA 01060 415/586-6538 [email protected] www.wnedbs.org

BASS

CLUBS

I've just got back from Bass Encounters in Vienna and am reluctant to put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard, for fear that analysing what made it work so well will dispel the wonderful cloud of audio and visual images which has been floating around my brain these last few days However, needs must. .. Why was the third Bass Encounters in Austria such a huge success? In my opinion, two things contributed in a major way. First and foremost was the sponsor, Thomastik Infeld. We all know the importance of sponsors. Sometimes our local government agencies are not enough (even though Lynn Lovell tells me that their grant is usually enough for the Western New England Bass Club to break even). David Murray had D'Addario Strings and Lemur Music to help him out at a recent master class in Indiana, and whilst Miloslav Jelinek and the Czech Bass Society have help with accommodation from the Janacek Academy they are already are on the look out for sponsors for their next event in 2006, as are we in Scotland. Though we readily acknowledge that we need the sponsors' money, do we really appreciate the other aspects that a sponsor can bring, and the two-way process of sponsoring? Wayne Darling and Helmut Frank seemed to be well aware of these things and because they were both totally involved in the process of organizing and executing Bass Encounters, it worked extremely well. Thomastik Infeld and Wayne Darling have a happy and fulfilling relationship, which is exactly how it should be. They understand each other's needs and both give to each other. On this particular occasion, not only did the sponsor lecture us on string science (which incidentally was a popular highlight of the three days), but they also entertained their friends and colleagues. How they did this leads me to the second contributor to success, the venue. This was a well known and popular night spot in the centre of the city which meant that a) Peter Infeld, the owner of the Thomastik Infeld company, could take along some guests each evening and b) a more generalist jazz audience was entertained not only by solo jazz bassists but also introduced to the classical repertoire and other styles of music. This would seem to me to be a bass event requirement. I expect that we at the Scottish Bass Trust are like everyone else in the bass world; we want to provide opportunities for players and at the same time we want to promote the bass. We certainly can't promote

Jennifer Sharp, Editor

Czech bassists playing in the streets of Brno

Final Bow

our performers without first (or simultaneously) promoting the instrument. But how we choose to do this can vary a great deal, from the Czech bassists playing in the street in Brno (see photo), to playing all concerts in a popular night spot as happened in Vienna. It was odd to see drinks being served during a performance of the Hertl Sonata, but heartening to see that Duncan McTier received as warm a reception in the jazz club as did Niels-Henning 0rsted Pederson, for example. I mentioned two things contributed to the recent success of the Viennese Bass Encounters, but in fact there were three, since the performers were among the best available and were full of friendly advice and tips. It's hard to quantify the benefits to up and coming bass players of being able to hear' greats' like Rufus Reid at first hand, talking about his life and band expe-

riences and demonstrating his unique techniques. Attendees could also learn how Kristin Korb developed her styIe of singing whilst playing bass; how Circus Bassisimus developed their quartet and how the intricacies of Arabic scales give a distinctive sound to the music of sextet Basic Instinct. Miroslav Vitous presented an inspiring master class and NielsHenning 0rsted Pederson showed us all how to perfect the three fingered pizzicato technique - easier said than done! Each evening presented a mix of styles. Duncan McTier rallied from a recent back injury to play some of his own arrangements including Bridge's Spring Song and Faure's Apres une Reve, accompanied by Rebecca Woolcock. The Ami, Niels and Wayne trio was a knockout yet again, playing some of Ami Egilsson's compositions and supported by the inimitable drummer Volume 29, Number 1

33

John Hollenbeck and the peerless Austrian pianist Fritz Pauer, who seemed to be at home with every musician on stage. Concert two began with Basic Instinct, followed by Miroslav Vitous, complete with the computerised string section of the Czech Philharmonic and ended with Kristin Korb, again accompanied by Friz Pauer and John Hollenbeck which sent us all away singing. On the final evening, Dieter and Wolfgang Muthspiel set a rattling pace with all guns to be followed by Ban'e Phillips. Everyone who has heard Barre play can imagine the scene: BalTe walked onto the stage with only his bass, no amplification in sight, and stared at the audience. Then he allowed his bass to speak, gently at first, in order to draw attention. Within a very few minutes, everyone was enthralled. Rufus rounded off the again with Fritz and John, putting into practice what he had preached during the day and providing a wonderful finale to a wonderful tlu'ee days. Three ingredients for success ? No, no! There were yet more! How can I the delicious Sacher Torte (a local chocolate cake) and the Blaufrankisch (a plumy rich red wine grown nearby and tasted with Kristin Korb, Chloe Cutts and Ralph Krahmer in a small wine bar off the Clnt:J'f'1<:llh;r

Fussganger). And what about the Austrian version of our British boiled beef and carrots, shared with that stalwart of the bass making fraternity, Horst Grunert, who rushed out of the restaurant in the middle of his dinner to assist when Ami Egilsson's bridge collapsed, minutes before his performance. A sharing of culture as well as the music is, I believe, of great importance. And that's another great thing about travelling to meet colleagues in other countries, to share their music and their lives for a brief moment. There are lots of oppo11unities to attend Bass Club events going on around the world. Check out the ISB web site for more of these (www.ISBworldoffice.com). but for starters: ell

The Western New England Double Bass Society organized an Off the Deep End show on Sunday April 10th, 2005 and later in the summer will offer a jazz lecture by an area bassist Lynn Lovell says that their productions "typically shake standing-room-only crowds and are appealing to both young and old." They play music from movie themes to folk, pop, and the classical traditions and the group features plenty of variety and some humorous theatrics to elevate the spirit. Sounds like fun for everybody!

Also in April, BassWorks Australia, in association with the Australian Youth Orchestra, presented their Third National Double Bass Workshop. The week included recitals, master classes, lessons, ensembles, teacher training and bass making. For more information, go to www.bassworks.com.au . o Then there's the Bottesini Festival in Valencia, Spain, in May 2005, which featured lectures, master classes and performances of the music of Giovanni Bottesini. But if you can't get to Spain, Josep QueI' from the Spainish Bass Club is getting out and about, so there is a chance to experience Catalan and Spanish music in New York and in Kalamazoo in June. Also in June 2005 the Bass Club of Georgia had a workshop and competition in Decatur. For further information contact [email protected]. The 4th Ludwig Streicher Double Bass Festival took place at Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in July, featuring solo, chamber music, orchestral, jazz, theory classes, concerts and more. For more information go to www.ludwigstreicher-festival.org. Miloslav Jelinek and Czech Society of Bassists are organizing the 6th Czech Double Bass Convention in Bmo this September, acknowledging help with rooms from the Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts. If you can't make it this year, they are already looking for funds for 2006. And then the Danish Double Bass Society will be hosting Bassissimo in October, at the Carl Nielsen Academy of Music in Odense, the city of the famous Danish fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen. They have invited composers to celebrate the works of H.C. Andersen with new compositions for solo bass and bass ensembles. We are invited to check out http://www.bass-society.dk for more information as it becomes available. $

ll}

@

@

@

So if you're not already involved with your local bass club, do consider lending a hand! Over a final glass of local beer after Bass Encounters, Wayne did comment that his students had been invaluable in helping to keep the event rolling. Having enough helpers is a luxury which often goes unmentioned. A final thought: If you have a bass club and haven't heard from me recently, then I am having problems with your email address, so please get in touch. I'm always open to comments and suggestions for this page. If you'd like to write something yourself, please send it to me for inclusion.

34


CENTERFOLD

Steven Reiley, Editor

The Karr-Koussevitzky Double Bass In 2004, world renowned bassist Gary Karr, the founding father of the ISB, made a very special gift by donating his prized double bass to the ISB. As it is perhaps the best known bass in existence, Gary's supreme act of generosity brings prestige to the organization he founded, and also makes available to young bassists (the potential Gary Karrs of the future) an opportunity to see and perform on one of the great instruments in the world. With this gift, Gary has presented the ISB an instrument of extreme value. It is noteworthy for its direct link to the famed Serge Koussevitsky and also to the members of numerous audiences around the world, who have been blessed to hear the great Gary Karr interpret the vast solo and chamber music repertoire that he has helped develop for the double bass. This is the bass upon which Gary built his career, playing many premiere performances and making recordings that have inspired bassists of all ages for decades. To help document the origins and pedigree of the instrument, a panel of three internationally recognized experts, dealers and appraisers graciously donated their time and expertise: David Gage of New York City, Don Robeltson of Albuquerque, NM, and Steven Reiley of Grand Rapids, MI. On the ISB's behalf, Dustin Williams of Nashville, TN, assisted. After studying the instrument over an intensive two-day period, the panel determined the gamba-shaped instrument is probably of French origin, c.1800. The following is a description of the bass. The top is made from two pieces of spruce of narrow growth in the center moving to medium width growth in the flanks. The lower bouts have wings added from similar spruce. The back is made from two pieces of maple marked with a faint narrow figure ascending from the center joint. The ribs of the lower and middle bouts are of maple with a more defined figure and the upper bouts are similar to that of the back. Throughout the course of studying the instrument, the panel discovered the top, lower ribs and C-bout ribs exhibit similar varnish and aging of the wood. Original three-piece purfling exists in the center bouts of the top and slight movement outward in the upper and lower comers. From the comers upward and lower comers downward were new four-piece purfling, indicating that the upper and lower

bouts have been modified, in order to develop the lovely and distinctive sloped-shoulder, solo shape that now helps define this fine instrument. Since the original shape has been altered (by reduction in the upper and lower bouts), the panel determined a newer back had been made to accommodate the redesigned shape. This work appears French, dating to the mid 1800s. The four-piece purfling used in the reduction ofthe top was present throughout the entire back, including the "C" bout area. In the process of reducing the instrument in size, a new end block and new neck block were installed. The lower ribs (original to the bass) were shortened at the endpin and new ribs were made for the upper bouts out of similar maple to that ofthe back. The neck and scroll are additions to the instrument, which Gary Karr himself commissioned. These are beautiful workmanship, and worthy of such a fine instrument. The varnish is a deep reddish orange on the top, lower ribs and C-bout ribs and a slightly more golden orange color on the upper ribs and back.

After the examination by the ISB panel was complete, the instrument was shown to Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer of Knoxville, TN. Dr. Mayer is a noted dendrochronologist in the Department of Geography at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, who also graciously donated his time to analyze the Karr-Koussevitzky bass. He studied the growth rings in the spruce used to make the top of the bass, and his study of the age and period of the historical growth of the tree coincided with the findings of the panel. I personally want to thank Gary KaIT for this tremendous gift to the ISB, as well as the other members of the panel of experts who generously donated their time and travel to such a W011hy and historic effort. Measurements for the Karr-Koussevitsky double bass: Body Length: 104.7 cm Upper Bout: 48.5 cm 33.5 cm Center Bout: 62.8 cm Lower Bout: String Length: 105.5 cm (or41.5 inches)

JEFF BOLLBACH, LUTHIER, INC. BASS REPAIR & RESTORATION

516

www.JeffBollbach.com 867-1395 • 359 Miller Ave. • Freeport, NY 11520 Volume 29, Number 1

35

The left side of this photo is from the top c-bout area. The right side ofthe photo is from the c-bout area on the back of the bass. No doubt the purfling is the original that runs out above the upper corners and below the lower corners (not pictured here). The right side of the photo clearly shows the two outer black strips, and two very unusual inner white strips. This four-piece purjling is inset in the entire back and is also visible in the top where the original purjling runs out just above the upper c-botlt corners and just below the lower c-bout corners.

The upper corner c-bout area from the top shows a portion of the original purjling at the corner running toward the outer edge, and the new four-piece purfling continuing in a normal placement. The original purjling running toward the edge is a clear indication that this bass was cut down in size at the upper and lower extremities. The four-piece purjling on the back being the same as the new purjling on the top indicates that the back was purjled by the same person who did the size alteration. These facts, combined with the varnish color differences (the back and upper ribs have a more yellow-brown tint; the c-bouts, lower ribs and top have a more red-brown tint), indicate that the top, c-bouts and lower ribs are from one bass and the upper ribs and back are from another bass. Instruments that have been altered in size and shape are rarely cut down at the c-bouts.

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ROBERTSON 36


Volume 29, Number 1

37

Ray Brown HArt of The Bass" Videos Four chances to see and hear Ray Brown again as he shares savvy tips and makes music with fellow bass greats Milt Hinton, John Clayton, Francois Rabbath and his own Triple Treat Trio with pianist Monty Alexander and guitarist Herb Ellis. Every bassist and studio will want these hard-tofind videos in their libraries (VHS format only, color, 30 minutes except Vol 4., which is 60 minutes long.) __ __ __ __

Vol Vol Vol Vol

1 Featuring Milt Hinton 2 Featuring John Clayton 3 Featuring Francois Rabbath 4 "An Evening with Triple Treat" featuring Ray Brown, Monty Alexander and Herb Ellis

$20 each. Add $5 shipping and handling for one video, $7 for two videos, $8 for three or more videos. Send order to IS8, 13140 Goit Rd, Suite 320, LB 120, Dallas, TX 75240. TOTAL ENCLOSED Check in U.S. funds enclosed

_

MasterCard, Visa, AmEx Card

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Exp

_

Name on SHIP TO (PLEASE PRINT)

Name - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Address Clty/State/Zip Daytime

~·cxIu

<;r9my. ~·9Ja4.s

Volumt\l

38


_ _

ALL

THAT

.JAZZ

Jeff Campbell, Editor

The ..Jazz Bass Player as Accol11panist When I was in high school, my father gave me a Sonny Rollins record called, Way Out West. I was excited to hear the album because it featured one of my favorite bassists, Ray Brown. Though I loved Ray's playing (along with Shelly Manne's drumming) I had a hard time relating to the music because there was no chordal instrument in the group. Even though Ray's bass lines were clearly defined, I found it hard for my ears to track along with each of the tunes because at that point in my musical development, I was dependant on a the guitar or piano to 'flesh out' the harmonies. Sadly, I put the record on the shelf where it sat for more years than I care to admit. Years later, I found myself playing in a professional situation without a chordal instrument. I discovered that I truly enjoyed the open feeling associated with this type of instrumentation and realized that as a bassist, I had a certain amount of latitude to help shape the overall harmonic content of the group. It was then that I dusted off my old Sonny Rollins record and with more mature ears, gained a new appreciation for what I was not able to grasp as a younger musician. Perhaps most significant was the realization that the bass player is perfectly capable of providing significant harmonic definition without playing every note in every chord. This is not to say Ray himself would have played differently with the inclusion of a chordal instrument. Instead, to point out that his lines were so well crafted that the addition of a piano or guitar would do little to enhance the overall perception of the harmonic movement of the music. Of course, it is important to recognize Sonny Rollins' role in providing amazingly clear melodic/harmonic material so that, in combination with Ray Brown's bass parts, this two-voice texture is sufficient to realize the most essential harmonic and melodic elements of each piece. As I learned to appreciate the sound of the piano-less trio of Sonny Rollins, Ray Brown, and Shelly Manne, I became curious about how other bass players approached this type of playing. Fortunately, there are some wonderful recordings of groups using the same format.

Though any list will unintentionally be noncomprehensive, I have chosen a few examples that uniquely illustrate the bass' role as an accompanying instrument in jazz. Also, as part of this discussion, it is interesting to note the way bass players have expanded their technique and conception of their function to accommodate the changes and advancements in jazz music over the past 50 years. To illustrate this, I will discuss six recordings (in chronological order) that feature the bass accompaniment of Ray Brown, Wilbur Ware, Charlie Haden, Sonny Dallas, Jimmy Garrison, Ron Carter, and George Mraz.

Ray Brown There are several piano-less recordings from the late 1950s that feature the bass player as the primary accompanist. Most of the bass playing from this period features the walking bass line as the primary mode of accompaniment. As discussed above, Ray Brown's performance on the Sonny Rollins' Way Out West (1957) record is an excellent example of both creative and functional bass playing. As an example, consider Ray Brown's walking bass line on I'm an Old Cow Hand (ex. 1).

Cm7

Gm7

Cm7

tion' of secondary dominant chord (D7 in the key of Eb major) by playing a high P# a tenth above the bass note. With this one 'high note,' Ray's line accurately guides the ear through the harmonic sequence toward the cadence in Eb Major. As simple as this may seem, the use of a large interval between the bass note (D) and the major third (F#) is significant to the listener's perception of the harmonic movement of the piece. And while a well placed high-pitched third does not guarantee complete harmonic definition, in this case it is a very powerful and articulate note choice that very clearly indicates precise harmonic motion. In a ballad styIe, Ray uses economical bass accompaniment to guide the harmonic direction of Duke Ellington's composition Solitude (ex. 2). Note the way in which Ray uses chromatic notes to accentuate the ascending motion of the harmony from the Gbmaj7 chord in bar one to the Bbm7 in bar two. To help define the Ab7 sound in bar three, he uses an inverted triad with chromatic passing tones moving into bar four. At the end of bar four, the use of both the notes Aband D serve to propel the harmonic

Gm7

Am7 07 Gm7 C7

Fm7

I'm an Old Cow Hand

G~aj7

Solitude

Notice the use of chord tones and the proximity of range within the first four measures. Then in the fifth measure Ray focuses harmonic attention on the 'func-

movement towards the Db7 chord in bar 5. Also notice the use the whole-tone scale fragment in the fifth bar that colors the sound of the Db7 chord.

Volume 29, Number 1

39

9Vlo 0 racfian

The Premier Instrument Cover for the Serious Player -

-

I

The Original Deluxe Bass Bag Available in Black, Green, or Burgundy * Water-Resistant, Durable, Polyester Material * 1" Fiberglass reinforced polyurethane Foam Padding * Large Manuscript Pocket on Back * Exclusive "One Hand Opens" Pockets * Wheel and Accessory Pocket on Front * Extra-Large Bow Pocket * Ergonomically Positioned Padded Shoulder Strap * Padded Carrying Handles in all the right places * Heavy duty, cloth-backed zippers with padded interior zipper guard to protect your bass

Standard Bass Bag * Black Nylon Fabric * 3/4" Foam Padding

* Bow, Docu ment, and Accessory Pockets

* Shoulder Strap * Many Handles

* Heavy Duty Zippers * Zipper guard along bottom

AES Fine Instruments Atelier Constantin Popescu Bass Church Brook Mays String Shop David Gage String Repair Gold Violin Hammond Ashley John Michael Smith Lemur Music Lisle Violin Shop Metzler Violin Shop Robertson and Sons Violins Shank's String Instruments SMR Basses Sonksen Strings Southwest Strings String Emporium World of Strings Arvi Basses Jean Auray Thwaites & Co.

(914) 243-0955 (203) 227-9577 (206) 784-6626 (972) 233-9633 (212) 274-1322 (713) 729-2231 (206) 878-3456 (651) 647-1148 (949) 493-8323 (800) 545-4753 (818) 246-0278 (505) 889-2999 (717) 361-0511 (847) 869-6187 (312) 243-0621 (800) 528-3430 (800) 600-2689 (562) 599-3913 (902) 569-3279 (33) 04 74 600073 (44) 19 23 232412

NY CT WA

TX NY

TX WA MN CA

TX CA NM PA IL IL AZ AZ CA Canada France UK

em

Wilbur Ware In November of the same year as the record above, Sonny Rollins made another seminal piano-less recording: A Night at the Village Vanguard with bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Elvin Jones. This live recording features the group playing standard material such as I've Got You Under My Skin, A Night In Tunisia, Softly as in a Morning Sunrise, Old Devil Moon and I'll Remember April. As the primary harmonic provider, Ware plays very clear walking bass lines that allow Sonny Rollins to explore and develop a myriad of melodic paths. At musically opportune moments, Ware introduces conversational but nonobtrusive commentary without intelTupting the forward motion of his walking bass lines. These short bursts of annotation function much like a pianist inteljecting a chord into the texture of the rhythm section support of a soloist. On several of the up-temp tunes, Ware plays walking-line solos that reveal subtle variations in quarter note lengths. This variety in note length helps to propel bass line along but without feeling dated. Throughout the recording, Ware's sound is big, fat, punchy, and buoyant, blending perfectly with Elvin Jones'

AG7

G7

em

G7

Cm

Cm

AfiJ7

A.7

De7

0"7

G7

G7

J

Softly as in a Morning Sunrise

cymbal beat. (In many ways his sound reminds me of a modern, 1950s Jimmy Blanton.) In addition to great walking bass lines, Ware creates interesting 2-beat accompaniment during the statement of the various melodies on the record. As an example, consider his opening line on Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (ex. 3). Note the various ways he chooses bass note for each of the Ab7 chords. Also, notice the use of contrasting articulation for each of the repeated B-flat notes in measure 7.

CharUe Haden As jazz music has evolved, so too has its rhythmic and harmonic language. Consequently, jazz and improvising musicians have always been interested in developing and expanding the vocabulary of the music. This was certainly the case in 1959 when saxophonist Ornette Coleman produced his recording, The Shape of Jazz to COlne with Charlie Haden on bass, Don Cherry on trumpet, and Billy Higgins on drums. In this group, Charlie Haden's accompanying responsibilities were not nec-

The Realist™ acoustic transducer was designed by Ned Steinberger in collaboration with David Gage.

~DESIGN The Realist is available for bass, cello, violin and viola and can be custom fitted for a variety of other acoustic instruments including banjo and kora. For purchase information or to see a list of local dealers please visit our website at www.davidgage.com or call us at (212) 274-1322. Volume 29, Number 1

41

(LEfT TO RIGHT) BOB CUNNINGHAM, JAY LEONHART, LISLE ATKINSON, KAREN ATKINSON, REGGIE WORKMAN, LEW NORTON, PERCY HEATH, JACK LESBERG, MILT HINTON, BEVERLY PEER, ARVELLSHAW, RICHARD HARTSHORNE, EARL MAY, GEORGES ANDRE, PAUL WEST, RUf-1JS REID, EDDIE GOMEZ, MARC JOHNSON

•

Kolstein Uni-Air as

arrter

n Only the Best Will Do!

New Monocoque KevlarNinyl-Ester construction provides a continual structural shell. Beige, charcoal grey, brown, burgundy, or custom exterior colors available. Unique Kolstein Uni-Strap Adjustable Suspension System with the Kolstein Uni-Air Inflation System and safety relief valve (PAT. PEND.) affords maximum protective safety during abusive public handling.

Silk black plush material-lined high density foam interior containing full wardrobe area, hardshell bow case storage facility and removable Kolstein Tote Bag. I.\Cti SUSI't:NSIOr'- 1'\1/:;

Infbtion Ail

Back Suspension Foam Pad System with the Uni-Air Bags and four independent suspension systems, which "air suspend" the bass to protect against rough handling. Heavy duty hardware for mininlum maintenance, with vulcanized rubber skidding at all critical protective points.

Wide stance uni-body construction for added stability in the upright loading and storage position.

adjustable for all size basses, including those with low'-C extensions.

Thermal dissipation factor protection. weatherproof gasket, and "Gold Tone" Hygrometer. .'\lllll\t\llll'IIC

Spring-loaded handles located at all strategic points which lay flush to case while not in use.

Kolstein Music.,

.795

wCII',hl

Ill"

Self-contained dual wheel systenl easily handled by one person.

EE

ORE. n"t

1151

(51

546-9309

essarily to provide harmonic definition, but rather, to create instantaneous counterpoint in support of the free improvisational vocabulary of Omette Coleman and Don Cherry. Most of the bass accompaniment is realized though non-tonal (but very melodic) walking bass lines. In addition, Charlie Haden uses drones, pedal notes, and ostinato-like figures to support the open and free nature of the music. This important recording serves as a significant example of new thought about the improvisational language of jazz. And Charlie Haden's bass playing throughout illustrates that the role of the bass was expanding beyond its traditional, utilitarian responsibilities. An important aspect of Haden's bass playing captured on this recording is his fully sustained gut-string tone, especially in the lower register of the instrument, pointing towards the future of the jazz bass sound that was to come later with the introduction of steel strings.

Sonny Dallas In 1961, Verve records captured a live date with Lee Konitz on alto saxophone/ leader, Sonny Dallas on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. In the tradition of pianist Lennie Tristano, Konitz's invents improvised melodies that are spontaneous, organic, and void of cliche. Konitz creates complex melodies based on the harmonic rhythms of standards such as You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To, I'll Remember April, All of Me, and I Remember You. Dallas supports Konitz's musical concept by creating brilliantly articulate walking lines that provide exceptional harmonic clarity. Also, Dallas' rhythmic vocabulary is quite loyal to strict quarter notes, avoiding the use of excess extraneous rhythmic decoration. With such stable harmonic and rhythmic bass accompaniment, Konitz is free to create melodic lines that instinctively weave in and out of the conventional, symmetrical phrase structure of the tunes. Many jazz critics and fans alike consider this to be among Lee Konitz's bestrecorded documents of his definitive and unique improvisational styIe. During the 1960s, the syntax and vocabulary of jazz music expanded to include a greater variety of rhythmic, formal, and harmonic constructs. The exploratory music the John Coltrane Quartet, the adventurous nature of the Miles Davis Quintet, and the conversa-

tional spirit of the Bill Evans Trio all represent examples of the expanding improvisational styles being investigated by jazz musicians during this period. Bassists such as Ron Carter, Scott LaFaro, Jimmy Garrison, and Richard Davis, to name a few, were developing new ways of producing functional and creative bass parts that supported these new ways of thinking.

Jimmy Garrison An excellent document of this new type of playing is found in the bass accompaniment of Jimmy Garrison on the 1968 recording Puttin' It Together. This record, led by drummer Elvin Jones along with Joe Farrell playing tenor/soprano saxophones, alto flute, and piccolo features a body of spirited and adventurous repertoire composed by the members of the trio. Having been members of Coltrane's seminal quartet, both Jones and Garrison had developed a strong musical empathy that is clearly expressed throughout the recording. To support the open and daring feeling of the music, Garrison uses ostinato patterns, walking lines, fingered strums, double stops, and arco to accompany the multi-woodwind talents of Joe Farrell. Often, Garrison variegates the regularity of his walking lines with contrapuntal dialog in a three-way conversation with Farrell and Jones. The open nature of the music suggests Garrison's harmonic definition be more implied than stated, with emphasis on an organic, non-restrictive feeling throughout. It is interesting to compare Garrison's tone on this trio record with that heard on many of the Coltrane quartet recordings. By this point, Garrison, along with many other jazz bassists, had converted to steel strings and his bass is recorded using the pickup sound associated with the early transducer types manufactured by companies such as Polytone and Barcus-Berry. (Another interesting recording documenting the 'new' steel string sound is Four! Joe Henderson Verve 314 523 657-2 with Paul Chambers playing bass.)

Ron Carter Ron Carter masterfully demonstrates 'the jazz bassist as an accompanist' on the recording Joe Henderson - The State of the Tenor - Live at the Village Vanguard with Al Foster on drums. Recorded in 1985, this double CD set contains jazz

standards such as Beatrice, Friday the Thirteenth, Isotope, and Cheryl, as well as the popular standards Stella by Starlight and All the Things You Are. Throughout all fourteen tracks, Carter creates bass lines and bass parts that go far beyond functional playing. Instead, he uses a keen sense of counterpoint and conversational playing that orchestrate a harmonic support system for Henderson's ingenious improvisational explorations. Of particular interest is the manner in which Carter improvises bass lines on the Thelonius Monk composition, Friday the Thirteenth. The harmonic rhythm is based on a repeated two-measure structure with the following chords changes: G7

F7

Eb7

D7

Over this simple set of changes, Carter spins out eight minutes and seven seconds-worth of creative and harmonically clear bass lines that amazingly are never repeated. In other words, he conceives of seemingly endless ways to navigate through this very simple descending set of dominant chords. Carter's constantly fresh and resourceful bass accompaniment is the perfect 'hand-in-glove' fit for Joe Henderson's never-ending melodic inventiveness. And while all three musicians improvise within a very adventurous and creative spirit, the music is firmly rooted in the hard swinging and emotionally charged tradition of jazz. In addition, this recording serves as a classic example of Ron Carter's signature bass sound, complete w'ith amazing sustain and clarity.

George Mraz Another type of accompaniment explored by jazz bassists is the use of double stops to create a chordal backdrop. This is often seen in slow tempo ballads. While double stops are not new to double bass technique, their application has been become much more 'user-friendly' with the steel strings and lower string action. Consider the manner in which bassist George Mraz provides both beautiful and functional accompaniment on Blue in Green from Rich Perry's 1998 recording Doxy (ex. 4). During Perry's initial statement of the theme, Mraz uses double stops to articulate the bass motion in the lower voice and harmonic counterpoint in the upper voice. He does this by finding a single chord tone in conjunction with Volume 29, Number 1

43

Blue in Green

each bass note, providing only the most crucial harmonic information. As the piece unfolds, Mraz continues to explore many different pitch combinations that guide his band mates (as well as the listener) through the ten-measure harmonic rhythm of the piece. With modem setup and steel strings, Mraz's full sustaining bass sound provides sufficient, yet lean harmonic 'bandwidth' to suggest each chord change. Consider the first ten measures of Mraz's bass accompaniment. As the notation illustrates, Mraz utilizes upper and lower voices to create his bass part with each voice working simultaneously along its own path to 'advance' the harmony from one measure to the

44

next. Also of note is the manner in which Mraz expresses the chord of E7#9 in the eighth bar of the piece. He begins with the open E - which rings through the duration of the entire measure. From there, he plays a stopped high-G# a major-tenth above. He then plays a harmonic high D (the flat seventh) expressing an E7 chord. Finally, he plays a high harmonic G (the sharp ninth) to fully articulate the E7#9 sound.

Conclusion In the recordings discussed above, each bassist designed specific ways to support the harmonic and rhythmic content of each of the various musical situations. As

a student and fan of jazz bass playing, this type of 'bare-bones' format fascinates me because it allows a direct view into each bass player's modus operandi regarding their role as an accompanist. Also, it is interesting to observe how each bassist negotiates the different harmonic, rhythmic, and textural possibilities specific to the musicians with whom they are working and the stylistic boundaries of each musical situation. And while the discussion has focused on the bass accompaniment for each of these recordings, credit must be given to the respective saxophonists and drummers who round out each trio. There are a number of these types of 'horn trio' recordings that represent a large and varied stylistic range. I have included a brief discography below for further consideration and study. This is by no means a complete list, but rather just a sample. Thanks to my students Ryan Kotler and Alex Tabaka for exposing me to many of these recordings. And thanks especially to my drumming father, Bob Campbell for giving me that great Sonny Rollins record all those years ago! Sorry it took me so long to catch on.

TITLE (LABEL)

SAXOPHONE

BASS

DRUMS

At theVillage Vanguard (Blue Note 99795) Adobe (Sunnyside 1137) Beautiful Love (SteepleChase 31360) Black and Tan Fantasy (Ascent ASC 1001) Dance (ECM 1108) Doxy (SteepleChase 31473) Fly (Savoy Records) Golden Circle (Blue Note 4224) Heroes (Nagel-Heyer 2041) Live at the Kerava Jazz Festival (Ayler 28) Motion (Verve V6 -8399) Near Earth (Origin 82429) Old School (M.A. Recordings M058A) Putin' It Together (Blue Note 84282) The Empty Foxhole (Blue Note 4246) The Shape of Jazz To Come (Atlantic 1317-2) The State of the Tenor (Blue Note 28879) This Place (SteepleChase 31443) Trio Fascination (Blue Note 33114) Trio Jeepy, (Columbia CK 44199) Triology (Warner Brothers 45731-2) Triplicate (ECM 1373) Update 3.3 (Label Bleu 6530) Verbs of Will (Radio Legs RL-O 11) Way Out East (Red Records 176) Way Out West (Contemporary 337-2)

Sonny Rollins Tony Malaby Rich Perry Lou Tabackin Charles Brackeen Rich Perry Mark Turner Ornette Coleman onald Harrison David Murray Lee Konitz Hans Teuber Peter Epstein Joe Farrell Ornette Coleman Ornette Coleman Joe Henderson Chris Potter Joe Lavano Branford Marsalis Kenny Garrett Steve Coleman F.Jeanneau Tony Malaby Steve Grossman Sonny Rollins

Wilbur Ware Drew Gress Jay Anderson John Heard David Izenzon George Mraz Larry Grenadeir David Izenzon Ron Carter Henry Grimes Sonny Dallas Jeff Johnson Scott Colley Jimmy Garrison Charlie Haden Charlie Haden Ron Carter Scotty Colley Dave Holland Milt Hinton Kiyoshi Kitagawa Dave Holland Henri Texier Mark Helias Joony Booth Ray Brown

Elvin Jones Paul Motian Victor Lewis BillYHiggins Paul Motian Billy Hart Jeff Ballard Charles Moffett Billy Cobham Hamid Drake Elvin Jones Tad Britton Peter Erskine Elvin Jones Denardo Coleman BillYHiggins Al Foster Bill Stewart Elvin Jones Jeff Watts Brian Blade Jack DeJonette Daniel Humair Tom Rainey Joe Chambers Shelly Manne


Now you can get the complete package; the book and the

OVO!

MYRIAD LIMITED presents

THE EVOLVING BASSIST Millen;um Edition $29w95 191 Pages

THE EVOLVING BASSIST is designed to take you through a process to help you become that consumate bass player. It is dedicated to the student who may have difficulty finding and/or being able to afford a regular teacher. This method book is an aid to help yourself now. It will continue to be your reference book as you and your playing mature through the years. This Millenium Edition includes more transcriptions from recorded solos, original compositions arranged as duets, and new etudes. Information is given dealing with practical, ureal life" situations for traveling and recording. More answers to frequently asked questions about strings, amps, pickups, and microphones are included.

WARNER BROSM PUBLICATIONS presents

THE EVOLVING BASSIST industry standard doublebass method book is now brought to life through explicit video instruction to help YOU become that sought after bassist you've always wanted to be. You will learn to obtain a great sound, strong pulse, an infectious groove, and melodic bass lines all combined with clarity.

Tutorial DVD VIDEO $29.95 Over Two Hours

In THE EVOLVING BASSIST DVD you will learn bass-line construction, left hand technique, right hand pizzicato technique, and how to get friendly with the piano. You will apply these concepts playing classic jazz standards such as uHave You Met Miss Jones," Embraceable You,tt "The Song is You," Rufus' own composition, lilt's the Nights I Like." Blues changes, major and minor, rhythm changes, modal music, and more will be demonstrated. The DVD contains printable PDF lead sheets and transcribed bass-lines taken from the book for you to follow. This video will stand alone, but studied along with the book! musicianship as a jazz bassist will excel and you, will develop to become an evolving bassist.

Special Feature: Concert with: Mulgrew Miller, piano THE GAIT KEEPER

m

~

Lewis Nash, drums

CD features: Rufus Reid - Bass Rich Perry -Tenor Freddie Hendrix - Trumpet John Stetch - Piano Montez Coleman· Drums Sunnyside Records sse 1106 $15~OO

Web Site: http://www.rufusreid.com

Email: [email protected]

The Virtual Accompanist Ready, willing, and able to rehearse when YOU want to! Titles Include:

Features:

• •

.. •

Int. Solos, Vol. 2: Apres un RAve, L'~lephant, etc. Advanced Solos, Vol. 1: Bottesini - Elegy; Haydn Serenade; Koussevitzky - Chanson Triste .. Bottesini - Concerto No.1, Reverie (t) .. Bottesini - Concerto NO.2 in B minor (t) 4) Bottesini - Concerto in FI minor (t) .. Brahms - Sonata in Em .. Capuzzi - Concerto in F • Cimador - Concerto in G • Dittersdorf - Concerto in E (t) • Dragonetti - Concerto in A (t) ., Eccles - Sonata in' Gm .. GUere ... Four Pieces (t) .. Franck ... S,onata in A -GalUard - Sonata in G .. Handel - Sonata in Cm .. Hindemith ... Sonata (t) • KoYssevitzky ... Concerto, Ope 3 (t)

•

Maroello Sonata in Em

• • •

Marcello Sonata in G Schubert - Arpeggione Sonata (t) Telemann ... Sonata in Am Vanhal - Concerto in E (t)(Also available in C) Vivaldi Sonata No. 3 in Am Vivaldi Sonata No.4 in B flat

.. 1\

..

• • • • ..

• •

CDS & MIDI NOW ,AVAILABLE

Accompaniments marked with (t) are available for bass in solo or orchestral tuning (please specify your choice) Makes practicing more enjoyable and productive Develop intonation, phrasing and ensemble skills

USED BY BASSISTS WORLDWIDE All works performed from standard editions Priced at $15.95 per CO, $19.95 per MIDI disk and $12.95 per tape piUS $3.00 shipping for the first item, $0.50 each additional item ($4.00/$1.00 outside Continental US) New York State residents please add 8 1/40A. sales tax Visa and MasterCard accepted

SEND FOR OUR FREE CATALOGI Check for the very latest releases at our Web site: WNW. virtualaccompanist.com

John DeWitt Music 20 NevinwoodPlace Huntingto,n Station, NY 11746 USA Phone/Fax 631.271.5742

• We are Exhibitors at the Music Fair Frankfurt I Germany April 6-9, 2005 and at the ISS Convention June 6..11, 2005 in Kalamazoo I Michigan USA ..

Pollmann

SINCE

1888

4th Generation of Master-Bassmakers Michael and Ralph Krahmer Elmauer Weg 17 D-82481 Mittenwald / Germany tel: 0049-8823-4548 fax: 0049-8823-5298

e-mail: [email protected]

www.poellmann-contrabass.de German Music Instrument Award 1999 ISBMaker's Competiton 2003 - Convention Favorite Dou'ble Bass - Medal for Workmanship - Medal for Tone 46


Busseto

BODV

..

BASS

Linda M. Gilbert, D.M.A., R.Y.T., Editor

Relieving Tension in the Forearms Tension in the forearms can come from many sources: using a computer, exercising (including sports such as golf, tennis, weight training), gardening, cooking, and playing the bass, to name a few. Clearly, muscle tension in the forearms is nearly impossible to avoid. However, there are ways to minimize its accumulation, and to relieve it once it is present. This article will briefly review the fundamental aspects of posture (ways to minimize tension's accumulation) and present a few stretches to relieve tension in the forearms. As discussed in previous columns, the importance of a healthy posture cannot be overlooked. Healthy posture creates an environment for the body to function as it was designed to, with minimal effort. When the body is out of alignment, different muscles try to compensate for the imbalance. When this occurs, some muscles are overworked in their efforts to 'pull' the body back into alignment. One might not initially think that the muscles of the forearms could be susceptible to this since they are relatively 'distant' from the torso. However, when the spine is out of alignment, muscles in the back, neck and shoulders work harder than necessary to keep the body upright. As the muscles in the back, neck and shoulders work harder, a greater amount of strain is then transferred to the forearms. So while some forearm tension will occur from physical activities such as those mentioned above, some forearm tension can occur when the body is in a state of imbalance. Optimal Example la muscle health occurs when the body is in alignment~ optimal health occurs when the body is in balance. While there are several stretches to relieve tension in the forearms, we will focus on three primary stretches. Some of you may be familiar with them. Subtleties will be examined in order to provide an even greater awareness and benefit of the nature of each stretch. Example lb

The muscles of the forearms include two main groups commonly referred to as wrist flexors and wrist extensors. Several specific muscles make up these groups. These muscles bend and stretch the wrists and assist in finger movement. When they become overworked, tightness, weakness and fatigue may occur. Wrist flexors are the muscles on the underside of the forearm~ wrist extensors are the muscles on the top of the forearm. As always, remember to proceed with the following stretches slowly and with awareness. At no time should you experience pain. Consult with a medical professional if you are at all concerned prior to proceeding with the stretches.

Wrist Flexors Stretch Check to see that your posture is healthy and in alignment. Throughout the stretch, keep your shoulder down. Begin by rotating your right arm out so that the underside of your forearnl is facing up. Bend your elbow, bringing it to your side. Keep your forearm either parallel to the floor or angling toward the floor~ if the arm is bent too much, the effect of the stretch is greatly diminished. Place your left hand on the palm of your right hand, contacting both the palm itself and the fingers. (Take care that your left hand is not resting only on the fingers, as this can cause overstretching.) Maintain this action for several breaths. (la) After some time, slowly straighten your right elbow. (1 b) Check to see that the forearm is either parallel to or angling toward the floor. Maintain this action for several breaths. (As you straighten the elbow, you may notice an increase in the sensation of stretching. By straightening the elbow, an additional muscle is being addressed. Part of the wrist flexor group crosses the elbow joint to the upper arm~ another part exists only in the forearm without crossing to the upper arm.) Slowly release from the stretch and gently shake out your arm.

Example 2a

Example 2b

Example 2c

Volume 29, Number 1

47

Wrist Extensors Stretch Check to see that your posture is healthy and in alignment. Throughout the stretch, keep your shoulder down. Tum your right arm over so that the top of the forearm is facing up. Bend your elbow, bringing it to your side. Keep your forearm either parallel to the floor or angling toward the floor. As with the previous stretch, if the arm is bent too much, the effect of the stretch is greatly diminished. Place your left hand on the back of your right hand, contacting both the back of the hand and the fingers. Maintain this action for several breaths. (2a) After some time, slowly straighten your right elbow. (2b) Check to see that the shoulder is still down, and that the forearm is either parallel to or angling toward the floor. Maintain this action for several breaths. After some time, you may also slowly rotate your arm inward; the hand will move away from the body. (2c) This action intensifies the stretch for the muscles that cross the elbow to the upper arm. Slowly release from the stretch and gently shake out your arm. Repeat both the Wrist Flexors Stretch and the Wrist Extensors Stretch on the opposite side.

Wrist Flexors!Nerve Stretch Check to see that your posture is healthy and in alignment. Throughout the stretch, keep your shoulders down. In this stretch, the sensation may feel slightly more intense. Take care not to move too quickly or too far to avoid overstretching. Move slowly to be sure you can distinguish between the intensity of the stretch and pain. Remember that at no time

should you experience pain. If you do, slowly come out of the stretch. Press your palms together. Straighten your fingers. If possible, slowly lower your palms so that your forearms are parallel to the floor. There may be a tendency for the palms to separate and/or for the fingers to bend. If possible, keep the heels of the palms together and straighten the fingers. (3a) For some of you, this may be plenty. (3b) If so, maintain this action for several breaths and then release, gently shaking out your arms. To continue, keep your palms pressing together and your fingers straight. With the forearms still parallel to the floor, slowly push to the right with your left hand, a very small amount. (3c) There will not be much actual movement here, but you will feel an intensifying of the stretch with minimal movement. Maintain this action for several breaths and then slowly return to center. From here, check once more to see that your palms are pressing together and your fingers are straight. With the forearms parallel to the floor and your shoulders down, slowly push to the left with your right hand. Maintain this action for several breaths and then slowly return to center. Gradually release from the stretch and gently shake out your arms.

Example 3a

Example 3b

Take several deep breaths and relax. These stretches, while designed to focus on the forearm muscles, also affect the wrists and hands. In future columns, more specific stretches and exercises will be presented for the wrists and hands. With thanks to bassist Donald Howey, member of the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

Example 3c

Violin!) Viola, Cello and Double Bass Boyvs

GEORGE RUBINO Bow Maker

Now offering a full line of exceptionally high quality STANDARD MODEL BOWS, in addition to PROFESSIONAL MODEL BOWS. 317 Hallowell Road Pownal, Maine 04069 USA Telephone/Fax (207) 688-4885 • www.rubinobows.com 48


Spotlight Double Bass 2005

If Mozart were getting his start in today's crowded marketplace, there's no doubt he'd be looking to the Internet as a tool to help build his career. One such digital "patron" for today's would-be Wolfgangs is Accessible Contemporary Music, a Chicago-based, non-profit organization founded by Seth Boustead. ACM promotes the performance and understanding of music by living composers, many of whom are not yet well known, through concerts, recordings and community outreach. Each week members of ACM and professional guest musicians from the Chicago area meet and conduct a prepared reading of a new piece of music, and post the recording

onto its website (www.acmusic.org) as audio streaming. Composers send their music to ACM specifically for this project, called Weekly Readings. Parts are handed out to players at least two weeks before the reading session and there is a short rehearsal before the recording equipment is turned on. While pieces in all styles are considered, those that require a conductor or extensive preparation do not become part of Weekly Readings, although they may still be considered for performance on a live ACM concert.

.SB Partners with Accessible Contemporary Music This summer, the ISB has teamed up with ACM to present Spotlight Double Bass, a collaboration of the International Society of Bassists and Accessible Contemporary Music featuring music written for the double bass, either as a solo or in ensemble. Seven professional and graduate student bassists from the Chicago area will record flfteen pieces featuring the bass between July and August 15, 2005. The recordings will be posted on the audio section of www.acmu-

sic.org, and the recordings will be photographed or represented artistically by Chicago photographers and artists. The fIrst audio is scheduled to be posted on July 1. Featured performers for Spotlight Double Bassist include bassists Jeremy Attanaseo, Petya Bagovska, John Elmquist, Christopher Flores, Peter Lawson, Roland Moyer and Patrick Williams, pianists Seth Boustead and Kara Kesselring, and flutist Laura Koepele-Tenges. Composers whose works will be read are Emanuela Ballio, Seth Boustead, Giampaolo Bracali, John Elmquist, Frederic Glesser, Michael John Mollo, Patrick Neher, Behzad Ranjbaran, Greg Steinke, Luca Vanneschi, Daniel Walker and Christopher Wicks. Please visit www.acmusic.org/sdb.htm! often throughout this summer to listen to fresh new repertoire as read in a "virtual salon" setting by leading musicians of Chicago's contemporary music scene. If you are a con1poser and you are interested in having a piece read by ACM, go to www.acmusic.org, or contact Seth Boustead at 773/227-4858 or [email protected].

@) sp

John Michael Smith, Luthier Repair, restoration, set-up & adjustment ofdouble basses and hows Bow rebairing Fingered C extensions 1\

Strings, instruments and accessories Cavallaro instrument and case covers By appointment 2190 Carter Avenue, St. Pau~ MN55108 TelelFax (651) 647-1148

jsmith7@infi·net

Volume 29, Number 1

49

Ple.se submit music for possi-

Hans Sturm, Editor

THE LATEST SCORE

ble review in • future issue of B.ss World to ISB, 13140 Coit Rd., Suite 320, LB 120, D.II.s, TX 76240.

This..is.llanS$tur111.'§lastcolulnn!g.nThe Latest Score. Hans becomes ISB presidentelect at· the 2005 conventionandprogranz chair for the 2007 convention. Hans .has been writing insightful reviews of new music/or the ISB for six amazing years, and we will miss his dedicated and thorough work. Our new editor for The LatestScore will be Robert Black, look for more about him in the next issue. The title of the position I've beld for the last six years, New Music EdItor, is slightly deceiving. 'While everything reviewetfin. this column is newly released for public . consumption, the truth of the matter is that there is aSI1luch old wine presented in new bottles as there are new works. In celebration of 300 years of fme double bass vintages, I have chosen four selections from recent submissions, each representing a different century of music making. From the .17th Century, Two Sonatas for Two Violas (or Gambas), Double Bass, and Continuo by Daniel Speer, edited by Alfred Planyavsky. Representing the18th Century, one .of gr~atmovements)o:f the €lassical Period,the AdagioMQ¥ement from the Mozart Clarinet Concerto transcribedfor double bass.and··piano. The 19th Century selection is a transcription of Dvorak's Opus 75, the Romantic Pieces. And finally, an innovative instructional treatise for that most personally creative 20th Century genre, Mike Downes' TheJazz Bass Line Book.

Two Sonatensatze 2 ViQlen(Bratschen oder Gamben)

und Violone (Kontrabass) Daniel Speer (1636-1707) Edited by Alfred Planyavsky Pedagogical Series Low Note MusikverIag Schroff Heinrichsallee 36 D-52062 Aachel1, Germany www.lownote-musikverlag-schruff.de Theqerman composer Daniel Speer is perhaps.. better known as a music theorist than acomposer. Born in 1636, he traveled frequently, finding work as a church musi50


cianandteacher.in .several cities including Stuttgart,GQppingen . anqthen· Leonberg, where his Musicalisches ABC was published. His most famous treatise, Grundrichtigen Unterricht der lnusikalischen Kunst oder vierfaches musikalisches Kleeblatt, was published in 1687. Serving as an instructional manual for playing contemporary instruments, the work features examples of music for wind, string and keyboard instruments and details period practices. Included in the manuscript are several complete sonatas he used to demonstrate style, most notably chamber works for three andfour trombones that have become stapies of the repertoire. Planyavsky's preface to the Sonatensatze is at 0llcea historic investigation and argumeIltfQf using the double bass instead of the more widely accepted cello. As a historic document, the edition features facsimile examples from· Speer's original score, the Praetorius Syntaglna .musicum from 1619, and a picture of the Merten Webetharoque six-string double bass violone from 1597. Planyavsky contends that the work is one of the earliest ttio sonatas, featuring two melodic voices above a bass instrument and accompanying continuo keyboard. He cites a variety of sources that suggest that the double bass violone is acceptable in a trio sonata setting including quotes from Michael Praetorius, "The great bass violin isbec6ming and lightens up the harrnonieswith its lovely sound" and Heinrich Schutz, who felt that the double bass violone was well suited for trio sonatas as "the most comfortable, elegant, and best instrument, a particular honour (sic) to music." Nevertheless, the edition includes optional parts for both a sixstring violone (tuned G 1, C, F, A, d, g1, written as a cello score) and contrabass (tuned lEI ,AI, D,G,notated an octave higher). The sonatas are virtually identical in length, style, and form. Both are quite brief· single movements, fewer than thirty> bars in leIlgth, feature a light buoyant line, and are written in an AAB form. Yet there are distinct differences in content. The galloping unison rhythmic figure in the upper voices of the A sections in Sonata I, an eighth note followed two sixteenth notes, contrasts with the contrapuntal writing in the A sections of Sonata IT. Here contrapuntal figures progressively shrink from two bars of repeated eighth notes down

to two beats of ornamental sixteenth notes by the end of the section. The B sections of both sonatas move from duple to triple meter. Sonata I features a six-measure interlude that opens up the texture with half notes and rests on the fIrst beat before introducing the new triple meter. Eight bars of a homophonic quarter-note chorale then leads into a graceful passage of eighth note counterpoint for four bars before returning to the chorale in the fmal three-bar cadence. The B section in Sonata IT begins in triple meter at the outset with a fourmeasure homophonic chorale. Scalar sixteenth-note counterpoint between the upper voices carries the piece to its conclusion. As one would expect, itis the upper viola parts that have the primary moving material. That being said, playing the kontrabass in the higher octave gives the part a more melodic quality, a character heightened when the continuo line moves. to unexpected harmonic areas, such as chromatic leading tones and s~condary dominants. Planyavsky suggests that the work may be performed without keyboard accompaniment, further featuring the bass continuo line against the darker sonorities ·of the .viola. As one of the earliest examples of the trio sonata form, the Speer Sonatensatze gives a bassist a chance to perform two gems of historic significance that have been virtually untouched for 300 years. - Review by Hans Sturnl

Adagio (from .theClarinet

Concerto) W.A.Mozart Arranged by Norman Ludwin Ludwin Music 3618
several keys. As with many double bass orchestral passages, debates remain over the range of the piece and how clarinetists should execute the lower pitches. It is also interesting to note that Mozart enhances the darker quality of Stadler's clarinet in his orchestration by omitting the brighter sound of oboes and trumpets. Critic B .T. Babgy address this point and in so doing also echoes others that have commented on the particular beauty of this late work: "The orchestral colors give the concerto as a whole a specially warm, intimate tone, luminous in the Adagio, and make the expressive, gently curving melodies particularly affecting. Mozart may not have meant the Clarinet Concerto to be his swansong, but it has a subtle beauty of sound, a ripe abundance of melody, and a compassionate tenderness of feeling that make it as moving a testimony to his genius as anything he ever wrote." In this transcription Norman Ludwin has been creative in tailoring the piece for the bass and offering the performer a few options. As with most of his solo editions, Mr. Ludwin has included two piano scores, allowing the bassist to play the work in either orchestra or solo tuning. Furthermore, while the movement is wonderfully lyrical, it features occasional passages fraught with extraordinary technical challenges. In an effort to address playability issues while enabling a bassist to enjoy a successful interpretation, two double bass parts are also enclosed. The fIrst is faithful to Mozart's original with only a few alterations. In three instances thirtysecond note runs have been rewritten as sixteenth note triplets and octave transpositions were made in a two bar passage to avoid awkward leaps. The second bass version has undergone more substantial editing, but remains a viable alternative. In this version several of the ornaments and runs are further simplified, however the original range and melodic material remain virtually identical. Written in triple meter, the form of the Adagio isABAC, where theA sections are a beautiful and decep-

tively simple melody. The range of the theme is an octave, from the d on the G-string up to the d harmonic. The melody begins with two arching two-bar questions in moving eighth notes, followed by a four-bar response at a piano dynamic. This entire phrase is repeated in forte. Returning to piano, two two-bar descending motifs appear, the second a step higher than the fIrSt. A third descending motif appears higher yet, but then spins out into a four-bar phrase that introduces sixteenth notes. Like the opening phrases, this too is repeated at a forte dynamic. Unlike the A sections, both the B and C sections are highly ornamented both rhythmically and melodically. Sextuplets and thirtysecond notes are dressed up with chromatic accidentals as passing tones and ornaments. While these contrasting sections are not variations, the basic phrase structure remains very similar to the A sections; two or three two-bar phrases are followed by an answering fourbar phrase. Furthermore, while the fleet moving gestures occurring in mid-phrase may traverse the range of a seventh or more in both directions before finally coming to rest, the interval between the fIrst and last note of each phrase is rarely larger than a fourth and frequently no more than a step. The simple phrase rhythm and limited range of first and last phrase notes reinforces the lyric qualities of the movement even with the increasing rhythmic and chromatic complexity of the solo line. The music of the Classical Period is deceptively difficult. Featuring simple and direct melodies composed in balanced phrase structures, music from this period needs to appear effortless to the listener. The Adagio from Mozart's Clarinet Concerto is arguably one of the greatest movements of the period and consequently Mr. Ludwin's transcription provides us with a substantial and beautiful challenge, to breathe life into the graceful, arching phrases as effortlessly as a clarinet. - Review by Hans Sturm

The first multi-adjustable performance chair for bass players.

The complete ~asso line Multi-adjustable

'concert' Basso Portable

'gig' Basso Brand New

'timpani' Basso plus afull line of accessories

Visit our web site for complete information or call us at: TEL: (519) 243-2400· FAX: (519) 243-1124 Email: [email protected] Web Site: www.concertdesign.com Basso Page: www.concertdesign.comlbasso.html Mail: Box 125, Port Franks, ON, Canada, NOM 2LO

Volume 29, Number 1

51

Romantic

75

Antonin Dvorak Arranged by Norman Ludwin Ludwin Music 3618 Cazador St. CA 90065 Los www.ludwinmusic.com Dvorak conceived the Four Romantic Pieces as a trio for two violins and viola while in a house in with an amateur violinist, Josef KTuis, and his teacher, Jan Pelikan. A.CI:;orGllllg to IVlonslnan, author of the program notes to the 1996 Tucson

Chamber Festival, Dvorak wrote to his publisher, Simrock: "Just - I am writing small bagatelles for two violins and viola. I enjoy the work as much as I do when I write a but what do you say to this? are intended for amateurs, but didn't Beethoven and Schumann sometimes express themselves with modest means?" the However the violin pal1 was technical abilities of the young amateur. Dvorak rewrote the work for solo violin and piano as the Four Romantic Pieces (Op. 75) and then the somewhat easier (Op. for his amateur

friends. The composer violinof the ist Karel Ondricek at the Romantic Pieces in Prague in 1887. Incidentally, the trio version of the (Op. 74), was work, Terzetto in C released much later for publication. has a disEach of the four short tinct character yet all have an 111"l,rl.ol·h,1Inn-

Czech flavor. The first Moderato, is a pure Written in two-bar motifs, the A section is r- .... 11r"'ln·''lc,::.,rl

n1t'lrY'l.Q1""1h:,

half notes where of a third are answered downward octave Int;ersoe:rsed with one and two beat The B section introduces more adventurous harn1onies, lnelodic chromaticism, and a wider more The an the

lnaestoso, is an Written in three varied with a coda, the with fortisshno broken chords that alternate with lines. The second section ·with broken chords, but now lines of fleet Inovsixteenth notes are introduced. the chords appear in the third section followed a section of teenths, now in a furious series of broken octaves. The chords appear for a final time, the coda, teenths float away

itive, but in an each bar into three beats of 3/8 each, the of each solo part is silent at the fIrst and second beat, instead a I r mil v ··s~( ~( nu I note up into the second 52


eighth note of these large beats. The third beat appears as an eighth followed by three sixteenths, moving ahead to the next silent downbeat. This buoyant rhythm creates a lilting effect, where every melodic gesture is an introduction to a downbeat that only occurs in the continuously moving piano part. Combined with the earthy Czech harmonic language, the result is at once otherworldly, hypnotic, pastoral, and ultimately Romantic. - Review by Hans Sturm

The Jazz Bass line Book Mike Downes Advance Music Veronika Gruber GmbH. Maierackerstr. 18 D-72108 RottenburglN. Germany www.advancemusic.com www.mikedownes.com Well known as a source for excellent jazz pedagogical materials, Advance Music has long championed the double bass. The source for Michael Moore's innovative Melodic Playing in the Thumb Position and Sigi Busch's seminal Jazz Bass Compendium is now home to Mike Downes' approach to the art of walking, The Jazz Bass Line Book. Downes, chair of the bass department at Humber College in Toronto, has organized his thoughts in a progressive manner, from the application of introductory theoretical material to advanced rhythmic concepts. The basic precept of the book is not rev01utionary; many well-written jazz bass books exist. Two attributes set this text apart. First, it is written in an open manner, introducing a comprehensive range of concepts without overly detailed analysis. This allows for independent thinking and application. Second, every concept is illustrated with numerous lengthy transcriptions of jazz masters. This alone makes The Jazz Bass Line Book an invaluable addition to the libraries of both aspiring amateurs and professionals alike. The text is organized by complexity of harmonic patterns and

chords. Downes does not rehash the chord/scale graphs that appear elsewhere and invite wholesale memorization, but instead he begins by asking the student to consider two types of walking lines at the outset: chordal bass lines and scalar bass lines and their respective variations including inversions, voice leading, and various chromatic passing tones. In the following chapters he asks students to consider melody, harmony, and rhythm in bass lines, and touches on specific ideas such as motivic walking, sequences, tritone substitutions, pedals, drops, and anticipations to name but a few. Several of these points are illustrated with eight or more bars as played by Paul Chambers, such as alternate changes and syncopations. The heart of The Jazz Bass Line Book lies in the middle chapters concerning the blues and rhythm changes. Downes has transcribed performances of eight historically significant bassists playing two choruses of the blues and one chorus of rhythm changes. The transcriptions are presented in two ways, as individual transcriptions (play view) and then stacked side by side as an eight voice score (comparison view). This is fascinating from both a pedagogical perspective, how different bassists treat the same basic material, but also an historic perspective. The blues performances date from Pops Foster in 1929 to Charlie Haden in 1988 and the rhythm changes performances from Doug Watkins in 1958 to Ray Brown in 1990, although the most modem stylistically is the 1981 performance of Miroslav Vitous. Comparisons and conclusions are left for the reader to make. The balance of the text covers stylistic variations (playing with a 2 feel, waltzes, ballads), advanced harmonic advanced concepts (slash chords, modal harmony, double stops, Giant Steps), and rhythmic variations (playing with a broken feel, over-the-barline rhythms, Latin tumbao). The final chapters and appendices concern practice suggestions, transcription reference, a list of jazz standards all bassists should know, and a suggested listening list.

Yoan Goilav The Double Bass A Philosophy of Playing history • pedagogy • technique Bilingual edition English-French (DO 456, 65.00$) a rich study which reveals itselfto be a je}vel ofil1:[ormatio 11 concerning per.fornzance practice. " H •••

Professor Alfred Planyavsky, Vienna Ie livre du siecle traitant de la contrebasse, Ie plus complet et Ie plus d 'actualite, que tout contrebassiste devrait posseder comlne livre de chevet. " H •••

C 'est

Professeur Jean-Marc Rollez, Conservatoire de Paris

By the sanle author

Concert Pieces for the Double Bass (with piano)

Volume I (DO 442, 24.00$) • Aria ., Danse paysanne ., Elegie • Aria-Lensky

Henry Purcell Constantin Dimitrescu Jules Massenet P.I. Tchaikovsky

Volume II (DO 448, 24.00$) .. La Cinquantaine Gabriel Marie P.I. Tchaikovsky • Valse sentimentale -Etude n° 7 Frederic Chopin Frederic Chopin • Valse HThe transcriptions in both volun1es are intelligently and in a ~vay that serves both the double bass and the 1nusic. Piano parts in both orchestral and solo tuning are included, 'which are easy to read, con?fortably spaced and have sensible page turns. " beaut~fitlly rendered

Paul Sharpe, Double Bassist No. 23, SUlnmer 2003

For a limited time offer a 15% reduction on each of the three to ISB members

For detailed i1l:(ormation see: www.dobermaneditions.com

d~

DOBERMAN-YPPAN

P.O. Box 2021 Saint-Nicolas, QC, 07A 4X5 Canada Tel: 1 (418) 831-1304 Fax: 1 (418) 836-3645 E-mail: [email protected]

Volume 29, Number 1

53

A newly published work by Gene Lees,

The Jazz Bass Line Book fills a void in the literature as a creative teaching resource. This is not a book for beginners without experience; it assumes a certain amount of theoretical knowledge. Nor is it another how-to text with recipes for cookie cutter ideas to be memorized and played in every key. Instead Downes carefully presents all the concepts in a direct manner with suggestions on how they may be developed and utilized on the bandstand. With guidance and direction from a teacher, young bassists will quickly develop professional sounding lines and established players will find further inspiration for their own development. Arranged logically and thoughtfully, the text touches on the subtleties that enable the creation of personally tailored bass lines ranging from the merely artfully supportive to the ridiculously innovative.

Friends Along The Way: A Journey Through Jazz, is a delightful window into the lives of

some of the giants of our music. Only someone with personal relationships with these artists could write so intimately. There are less than a handful of people living that have had the opportunity to hear and to know these wonderful artists. And only someone like Gene Lees, who enjoyed their friendships and the knowledge of their music, could write in such vivid detail. This book is a collection of 15 mini-biographies including portraits of Bill Evans and his personal manager Helen Keane, pianist Junior Mance, big band innovator Stan Kenton, hom man Pete Rugolo, saxophonist Stanley Turpentine, pianist Lou Levy, arranger Claus Ogerman, and the great bassist, Ray Brown. Helen Keane may not be a household name - Review by Hans Sturm to many, but she is the one person most responFriends Along The Way: A sible for giving the pianist Bill Evans to the world (and Gene Lees is responsible for giving Journey Through Jazz Helen to Bill!). In his chapter on "Helen and Gene Lees Bill" Lees relates how this occurred and it is a Yale University Press most interesting story. Ms. Keane was Evans' ISBN 0-300-09967-3 personal manager and agent for many years. Gene Lees Jazzletter In the chapter about the acclaimed arranger PO Box 340 Claus Ogerman, Lees brings the reader into the Ojai, CA 94024-0240 heart and mind of this genius and his music. Ogerman was the arranger for many of our musical legends including Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Darin, Torme, Vaughan, and most recently, Diana Krall. But Ogerman became best known for his collaboration with the talented Brazilian Franyois Rabbath composer Antonio Carlos Anthony Bianco Jobim. It is notable to mention that Gene Lees is the person Gilles Duhaut that translated many of JolmHamil Jobim's songs, including Rodney Farrar Corcovado, which became

2005 Summer Bass Workshop

August 8-12

Christian Laborie Robert Peterson

Hans Sturm David Young George Vance II<

Special appearance by jazz singer Jackie Allen

Institut International Franyois Rabbath University of Maryland School of Music Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center For more information contact 9100 Louis Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 telffax: 301-588-9275 e-mail: [email protected] www.slavapub.net

54


Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars,

and Desafinado, which became Off Key. During the early 1960s Lees wrote translations or adaptations of a number of Jobim's songs in close collaboration with the composer and with Claus Ogerman. Junior Mance, an underrated but very talented pianist, in a conversation with Lees, tells ofhis work with the early Cannonball Adderley group, and of his experiences in the jazz movement from the 1950s to the present.

The Ray Brown chapter titled ''The Walking Sound" may be the most interesting to our readers. Lees tells of his long friendship with Ray and of his initial meeting with him in a small club in Ontario where he was working in a duo with Oscar Peterson (1951). And Lees tells of the exciting nights when the Peterson Trio (with drummer Ed Thigpen) was holding forth at the London House in Chicago. Lees spent many evenings with Ray and the trio and on one occasion Ray said "I'm getting too old to play it and almost too old to carry it!" Brown was 35 years old at the time! Lees writes of Brown's first trip to New York City and ofhis visit to the famous 52nd Street where he, on his first night, heard Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Art Tatum, and Hank Jones. While Ray was talking with Jones during a band intermission, Dizzy Gillespie was introduced to the bassist and Jones says, ''This is Ray Brown, a friend ofmine and a very good bass player." So Dizzy says to Ray, "You want a gig? Be at my house for rehearsal at 7 o'clock tomorrow." Brown says he almost had a heart attack. The next night when Ray arrived for the rehearsal there were Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Max Roach, Hank Jones and Dizzy. Two weeks later the band picked up a young vibraphone player named Milt Jackson. Gene Lees concludes this chapter with the event of Ray's 75th birthday party in Studio City, California, that was arranged by John Clayton and Frankie Cappo It was a wonderful evening with many of Brown's longtime friends and colleagues paying tribute to the bassist. It was the last occasion that Lees would see the legendary bassist as Ray died the following July on the road with his newest trio. For over 50 years author, publisher, lyricist and singer Gene Lees has been a great friend to many in the jazz world. Lees sees jazz as an art form of the highest caliber, representative of the true values of American culture. The vivid and intimate portraits he paints of his subjects in this work reflect not only their contributions to the art of jazz but their humanity. - Review by Paul Pearce

The Autobiography of Pops Foster: New Orleans Jazzman As told to Tom Stoddard Forward by Ron Carter Backbeat Books ISBN 0-87930-831-1 www.backbeatbooks.com Jazz aficionado and avid collector, the late Tom Stoddard met and formed a close relationship with bassist Pops Foster in 1967.

After hearing the stories and memories that Foster related, Stoddard agreed to assist him in putting down on paper the experiences gained over seven decades as a bass player, from the very beginnings of jazz as a musical form into the 60s. With over 70 hours of taped interviews with Pops, Stoddard agreed to set it to paper. And what a fascinating story it is. In the introduction to this autobiography, legendary teacher and bassist Bert Turetzky writes of the importance of this doublebass giant, George Murphy "Pops" Foster, and ofhis impact on its development as a jazz instrument. Turetzky details Pops' playing style and in particular his left hand technique ("fisticuffs" method of positioning) with several photos of the bassist in performance. With this method Pops developed the most significant aspect of his playing, his powerful and projecting sound. Originally published in 1971, this edition includes a new forward by jazz bassist Ron Carter. As Carter states, "The lively description and compelling imagery of the life of a jazz musician makes one feel like a witness to the events related and the personalities described. It is easy to see how Mr. Stoddard became enthralled by Pops Foster's account of his life and music." A most astounding attribute of Foster is his clear and detailed memory of the many years he spent as a jazz performer. Pops gives us a close and uncensored look at what life in the 1920s and 30s was like for jazz musicians. From New Orleans to New York City, from early gigs with Louis Armstrong to Ellington and Coltrane, Foster sets the record straight on many important points of jazz history. As Pops told Tom Stoddard, "This book is gonna straighten a lot of things out." Stoddard stated: "I realize that many things in the book conflict with 'known' jazz history. But Pops was a historical source and was as entitled to say his piece as the cat who wrote that history." Foster pulls no punches in relating stories about the musicians and the wild times they had in New Orleans and other cities. He tells of playing with Kid Ory, Henry "Red" Allen, Johnny Dodds, "Hot Lips" Page and Louis Armstrong. He also tells ofthe racism and conflicts that the black musicians endured over the many years he played. This is an important work for today's bassists. All of the great players we admire owe a debt of gratitude to Pops Foster and his early contribution to the development of jazz bass playing. The next time the reader listens to a recording of one of our talented jazz players of today (like Messrs. Brown, Reid, Carter and Clayton) we can thank Pops for laying down the initial groundwork. Fortunately writer Tom Stoddard got

it all on tape and then put it on paper. This is highly recommended reading for students and fans of jazz. In order to know where you are headed, it's nice to know where you've been. Thanks, Pops. - Review by Paul Pearce

The Setup and Repair of the Double Bass for Optimum Sound Chuck Traeger With David Brownell and William Merchant Henry Strobel & Sons www.HenryStrobel.com Up until now, finding any information at all about the maintenance, repair, and tonal adjustment of the double bass was nearly impossible. Luthiers have had to glean their information about bass repair and adjustment from years of trial and error, piecing it together from various sketchy violin repair books, or from other bass repairmen in the world. Bassists who wished to customize their instruments to their own liking have had to trust their repairman, perform their own experiments, or adapt their performance techniques to achieve what they wanted. The Setup and Repair ofthe Double Bass for Optimum Sound was written by Chuck Traeger, a well respected bass repairman in New York City for many years, with additional information and ideas from both David Brownell and Bill Merchant, both fine luthiers themselves. Destined to be a standard for a long while. This book helps both the professional bass repairman and bassists who simply want to know more of the "how and why" their instrument works. The fIrst person narrative is sometimes wordy and confusingas the author repeats himself quite a bit throughout the book, and with more efficient editing about fifty pages could have been taken out. More pictures, perhaps in the series, would have served to better illustrate the points the author makes. With that out of the way, this is a "must own" book for every person who touches a bass! For bass musicians it is a good start to understanding and visualizing the mechanics of their instrument. It is similar to a doctor's anatomy book, only for the double bass. Musicians, please understand this: know your limits! Bass players should not be taking the tops off their basses and trying to make new bass bars on their own! Most repair jobs should be left to those who do it everyday. Responsible bass luthiers should read this book and then evaluate what they practice. A trained luthier, if doing something radically different, should be able to explain why they

believe differently and how they will go about achieving better results. Chuck Traeger did the right thing by inviting David Brownell and Bill Merchant to help with the writing in this book because what you have heard is true: "Ask three luthiers a question and you will get five different answers." This book contains many good answers from several different viewpoints - some of which the author includes in his own book even though he disagrees! Chuck Traeger writes that this book was written first and foremost for the bass player and then for the general repairer who occasionally works on a bass, the bass specialist to show them better ways of doing things, and to the young repairer as a guide. Mr. Traeger's book touches on everything from scrolls to endpins, bows to bridges, C-extensions to broken necks, mode matching to dovetail keys, and just about everything else in between. It is a massive book, over 370 pages long, and very reasonably priced at $85.00. This is an extremely helpful book that can help every bass player gain a solid understanding of their instrument and will serve as a reference book for the professional repairman. Again, this book is a must for the library of anyone who touches the double bass. Review by Dustin Art Williams

www.brucegertz.com

JJWalkin" Jazz Bass Lines/56 pages Now includes 2 play-along CDs™ with a great rhythm section of Joe Hunt, Drums, Andy LaVaerne, Piano and Bruce Gertz , Bass (one side only) Enjoy hours of walking or soloing on standards and blues! (slow, medium, fast) Walkin Video/2 vhs tapes includes approaches, articulation, time and rhythm,acoustic and electric bass Instruction by Bruce Gertz, Professor at Berklee College of Music (Former students include Jeff Andrews, Victor Bailey,Alain Caron, Matt Garrison, Peter Herbert and SkuIi Sverrison)

Walkin book/CD set $22.00 Walkin video set $47.50 Overseas add $6.00

Order online or Send check or money order to: Bruce Gertz Music, P.O. Box 3004 Wakefield, MA. 01880 USA Volume 29, Number 1

55

SOUNDING BOARD Please submit recordings for possible review in a future issue of Bass World to ISB, 13140 Coit Rd., Suite 320, LB 120, Dallas, TX 75240.

Vandana:Journey2gether Bill Koehler, bass Manpreet Bedi, tabla Bob McEntyre, drums Glenn Wilson, bari sax David Collier, bass marimba/vibes John Baboukis, voice Virtual Time Records VTR2004 [email protected] telephone: 309-438-8408 Schorer Music Publications Frankforter Ring 247 Munich, 80807 Germany telephone: + 49-1749877994 Journey2gether is the name of the CD, Vandana is the name of the duo, and "cool!" is what you'll say when you listen in. Bass players and drummers have a special rela-

Chris Kosky and Sandor Ostlund, Editors

tionship in non-classical music; together we create the groove over which all those horn players, guitar players and singers do their business-without us, they would be nothing! (well ... ) On this CD bassist Bill Koehler and tablist Manpreet Bedi feature themselves and the groove, resulting in some very interesting and beautiful music. The duo cites their musical influences and interests as contemporary classical, jazz, world music and the music of India, and the fusion of eastern and western musical languages. Journey2gether features some written, but mostly improvised music. With the exception of Vernon Duke's Autumn In New York and a 14th century ballade by Guillaume de Machaut, all of the compositions are by Koehler and Bedi, and sound heavily influenced by Indian music. For example the opening cut, Caravan Bacchinal, begins with Koehler's cadenzalike ruminations on an E-phrygian scale, then he sets up a groove, and after Bedi and guest drummer Bob McEntyre join in and

The family of Scott laFaro has created a beautiful, full-color commemorative poster taken from an original painting by Scott's brother-In-law, the painter Manny fernandez, size: 38" x 24".

All proceeds from sales benefit the Scott lafaro Prize, given biennially as part of the ISB Double Bass Competition .. Perfect for home or studio.

take over the groove, Koehler picks up the bow and continues wailing. The drummer and the tablist both take solos before the piece is through, and when it's over the listener will be surprised that eleven minutes have passed-compelling stuff. Euphoethos has a guest appearance by baritone saxophonist Glenn Wilson, and he and Koehler take turns providing cascading phrases throughout the piece. This tune, like many on this recording (and particularly Deep, Is My Love For You), has a wonderful, hypnotic effect. The tunes Incantation, Consolation, and Postlude are grouped together, seemingly as one piece, and are tremendous. Consolation employs Wilson's bari sax as well as David Collier's bass marimba and vibes - one of the great things about this album (and Consolation is a very good example), is the way Koehler brings together so many low-pitched instruments, and how fantastic these instruments sound together. There is such warmth-it's the musical equivalent of "comfort food!" Koehler's bass playing is top-notch. His sound, particularly when bowing, is beautiful and his intonation enviable. His compositions are published and available through Koehler himself or Schorer Music (info above), and I suspect that they are equal parts fun and challenging. Tablist Bedi is a delight; he gets a gorgeous tone and his accompaniments or interactions are noteworthy throughout the album. Journey2gether is an excellent addition to any CD collection-check it out, play it for your students, and enjoy listening to a terrific example of what else the bass can do! - Review by Chris Kosky

Treat yourself or your

Avery Sharpe Trio: Dragon Fly

favorite jazz fan. Send $40

Avery Sharpe, bass Onaje Allan Gumbs, piano Winard Harper, drums Chico Freeman, tenor sax Jeri Brown and Athina, vocals JKNM Records AS89895 www.jknmrecords.com www.averysharpe.com

U.S. plus $10 shipping and handling (international orders add an additional $10 for airmail shipping.) Checks or money orders in U.S. funds, or MasterCard, Visa and American Express accepted.

Name City, State, ZiplPostal Code Country Telephone or email Amount enclosed in U.S. funds $_ _ _Check _Credit Card (MCNisalAmEx. 56


Address

_ _ _ Exp

_

Dragon Fly is bassist Avery Sharpe's latest release, and features a terrific selection of tunes, most of which are Sharpe's own compositions. With the exception of the boppish opening track (titled Oh No!), many of the tunes have a smooth jazz fla-

vor. Swingfield (for Springfield, MA), which ironically has a straight-eighth feel, has a soulful groove, and Jeri Brown's wordless vocal over that groove is nicely done. Dragon Fly, a very interesting composition, begins with the bass aggressively bowing sixteenth notes - perhaps the beating of the dragonfly's wings? The song goes out with the same bass line, but this time with the drums soloing over it; quite a programmatic effect. Sharpe's other compositions include Protect Me, the fittingly funky Now That's What I'm Talkin' 'bout, Change, and All About You. Change is one of the coolest tracks on the disc. It's just bass and vocals (Brown) and the bass sets the tone with a percussive riff (a lot of slapping) . For Brown's part, she does a very good job with the tricky melody, then further distinguishes herself by "holding down the fort" - singing a riff for the bass to solo over. If Change is one of the coolest tracks, then All About You should get the prize for prettiest song. This selection is one of several on which Sharpe plays acoustic bass in an accompanimental role with the rhythm section, then plays electric bass over this in a lead voice role (overdubbed), and on this thoughtprovoking ballad he gives an impressively emotional performance on electric bass. There are two standards, Sweet Georgia Brown (Sharpe grew up in Georgia) and My Favorite Things, which is given a fresh treatment in the meter department- the head is in 7/4 part of the time and 2/2 others, and the solos are over a fast 4/4. Again, terrific job on the vocals-cool, husky interpretation on the head and nimble scattingby Jeri Brown. Morning Glow (Asayake) is pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs' Latin/swing compositional contribution, and Chico Freeman wrote Evolution - just two more great originals on an album full of strong material! The performances are generally very good all around. Winard Harper's drumwork is solid through various meters and musical styles, and Gumbs takes several nice solos,

most notably on his own Morning Glow. On acoustic bass, Sharpe favors a hard attack, for which the tone (particularly in the upper register) sometimes suffers, but he excels as a member of the rhythm section-the trio (Sharpe, Gumbs and Harper) lays down excellent grooves throughout the many different and challenging tracks. Review by Chris Kosky

Mike Downes: The inds of Change Mike Downes, bass Dave Restivo, piano Ted Warren, drums Topfrog Records TF040 1 15 Eleventh Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada M8V 3G2 www.mikedownes.com The proliferation of indie record labels is great news for musicians and music fans alike; it helps to bring some notoriety to talents who may not be known outside of their town, state/province, or even their country, and makes their music available to that segment of the public that hungers for more than what the big labels are dishing out. Take bassist Mike Downes, based in Toronto, Canada. He has performed with jazz luminaries Diana Krall, Renee Rosnes, Michael Brecker and John Abercrombie, just to name a few. The Winds of Change is Downes' second recording as a leader, though as a sideman he has appeared on many others. Most of the tunes on this release are Downes' originals, and he is as gifted a composer as he is a bassist. The 3/4-metered Sunrise is an example-a good tune made even better by the nice touch and spirited solo of pianist Dave Restivo. Prayer is another standout example of Downes' writing, as is the lovely ballad Thorns to Stars. And don't miss Any Chance to Prance, though how much actual prancing one could do to this very funky, straight eighth 10/4 (4+6) groover is the question - for this cousin-ofthe-blues one might "ooze" more than prance. Any way you dance it Prance is a cool cut with great playing by all.

SPECIALIZING IN STRINGED INSTRUMENTS EXPERT ADJUSTMENTS, REPAIR & RESTORATION INSTRUMENTS, STRINGS, & ACCESSORIES

WORLD OF STRINGS 1738 E 7TH STREET LONG BEACH CALIF. 90813 U.S.A.

562/599-3913

Volume 29, Number 1

57

Downes' terrific melodic sense is reflected in his compositions and bass lines. The album is chock full of good examples of this, but perhaps none better than his solo on Sunrise. Restivo and drummer Ted Warren each contributed one original to the disc. Red Wren Sang At U is Restivo's offering, and a good one it is. Harmonically rich, as one might expect from a pianist, and exceptionally pretty in a modem jazz style, it seems to bring out the best in the trio members. Another pretty cut is Warren's The Trail. This one has a straight-eighth feel and an ECM or Keith Jarrett-y sound to it. (Fellow bassists, please don't tell Keith Jarrett that I made his name into an adjective...) I love the concept of the album, the opening suite (Suite for SA.), and the short and sweet reprise of Thorns to Stars to close the recording. Downes, it seems, put a lot of thought into the programming. There is a lot of beautiful, languorous music here, though at about the two-thirds point, I confess I was ready for something with a little more pep. The Winds of Change is an excellent showcase for Downes' compositional and bass playing talents, as well as a splendid example of sensitive and locked-in trio playing. - Review by Chris Kosky

Jeff Johnson: Near Earth Jeff Johnson, bass Hans Teuber, tenor saxophone Tad Britton, drums Origin Records 82429 8649 Island Drive South Seattle,WA 98118 phone: 206-781-2589 www.origin-records.com www.jazzbassist.com It's fun to play "jazz genealogy," so what links might one make upon listening to bassist Jeff Johnson's trio on Near Earth? First of all, Cool School, due in some part to Hans Teuber's sax sound-from a Stan Getz or Lee Konitz lineage. Then draw a line from some of the early simultaneous improvisation groups like the Bill Evans trio, through the free jazz players, and of course, note the obvious resemblance to Sonny Rollins' (and others') piano-less trios. Well, this baby's from a good family! This CD has freely improvised pieces interspersed with those that are composed-though even the "tunes" are very freely interpreted. Besides Teuber's cool sax sound, many of the pieces are reminiscent of the Cool School because of the band's sound, collective light touch, tempos 58


or implied tempos, and volume. Many of the pieces are so cool they're aloof! For example, the opening track, a group improvisation titled Three Rivers, has a very loose feel, in fact it starts cold with three different meters that eventually come together for a while, but it's all very understated. There's a lot to this music because of the simultaneous improvisation - here a recording is a benefit, because in a live performance the musicians would create and it would be gone, but the recording affords the listener the opportunity to go back time and again, listening for different things with each pass. Johnson's composition Zen is even cooler, if that's possible. It begins with bowed bass, ultra soft sax and cymbal rolls in the drums (and later the use of brushes). This piece, like almost all of those on this recording, might best be described as a "soundscape" - shifting feels, changing colors - atmospheric. The pre-composed pieces are equally loose. This group's rendition of Johnny Mercer's Dream presents the merest suggestion of the tune, though the resultant piece is lovely. They are more generous with the tune in The Good Lifea sweet, lazy version that begs a hammock. Johnson is a talented bassist; his concepts and playing are good throughout the recording. Check out his excellent solo on his own composition Gaia, he does some cool double-stops and melodic ideas over a drone. All three musicians are very accomplished and are comfortable in their free music skin. Overall, the music within is on the mellow side and very pretty. Free jazz fans (and others) will certainly want to put their ear to Near Earth. - Review by Chris Kosky

KakaUa: The Seeds of Analog Rebellion Thomson Kneeland, acoustic bass & electronics Nate Radley, guitar & electronics Mike Connors, drums & percussion Jerry Sabatini, trumpet Jason Hunter, tenor sax Weltschmerz Records 04 22-31 35th Street Astoria, NY 11105 www.thomsonkneeland.com [email protected] As a reviewer, I attempt to describe what I hear so that the reader will seek out the CD if it sounds like something he or she is interested in... and Kakalla mocks me at every tum! (And good for them!) Yes,

Thomson Kneeland and his mythical menagerie are back again, defying category and blending so very many musical influences - hurray! All of the compositions on this, the band's latest release, like its CD The Voice of Twilight (which was reviewed in Bass World v. 27 no. 2, 2003) are by Kneeland, but this time the compositions employ electronics and digital sampling in addition to the acoustic instruments. For the most part, the electronics are used to add another voice or color to the music; what I would call a "good use" of technology - an expanded palette. Take, for instance, Caustic Raptures ofthe Cloven Hoof, sections of which sound like the fight-scene portion of a science fiction movie soundtrack because of the electronic sounds. Or the haunting The Sea, The Bells which features the good, strong trumpet sound of Jerry Sabatini as he plays a beautiful lyrical line over a smorgasbord of acoustic and electronic sounds - terrific. Two of the more avant-garde tracks (The Death of Sysyphus and The Grand Inquisitor) used more electronic or sampled sounds than acoustic, with sounds appearing seemingly randomly. These are very interesting, if not as immediately palatable as some of the others, such as From These Hands, Sadness Flows, Sir Charles s Transmogrification and The Ghosts ofDirty Laundry. Kneeland's compositions are often programmatic - or at least sound like what their titles suggest. The Ghosts of Dirty Laundry, Caustic Raptures of the Cloven Hoof and Maleficent Oblations to a God of Benevolence are excellent examples. From These Hands, Sadness Flows features the trumpet and bowed bass playing long flowing lines together over an arpeggiated guitar accompaniment. The tune's 5/4 + 6/4 meter seems perfectly fitting for the tune title, and the band's rendition is natural and effortless, yielding a beautiful piece. Kakalla is a tremendous band with laudable energy and creativity. Drummer Mike Connors displays great versatility and attention to detail; whether playing time or adding colors, he's right on. Nate Radley, a very accomplished guitar player, stretches himself even farther on this release with the sampling, delay and other effects he used, (and most importantly) always to a great musical end. And don't forget the bandleader: Kneeland's powerful bass playing and inventive compositions continue to impress. Kakalla-check 'em out. - Review by Chris Kosky

Peter Paulsen Quintet: Three-Stranded Cord Peter Paulsen, bass Tom Lawton, piano Joe Mullen, drums Bob Meashey, trumpet/flugelhom Chris Farr, saxophones R & L Records RLCD-1061 PO Box 6623 Harrisburg, PA, USA 17112 phone: 800-756-5299 www.randlrecords.com Hot! Right from the opening track, you'll know you're in for a treat. And what an opening track, Forza Blu, a Paulsen original, is a real frrecracker. The band is supertight on this higWy arranged tune through all of the tricky, boppish lines and polyrhythmic sectionsterrific! Paulsen writes in the liner notes that this piece was written while he was in Italy, and at a couple points I heard that minor third-interval "ambulance siren" sound, though upside-down (ascending) -loose, swinging, AND programmatic. The title track features the pretty flugelhom sound of Bob Meashey interpreting Paulsen's 3/4 melody. Paulsen then takes the frrst solo, displaying a nice feel, phrasing and ideas; a very good ride. Meashey, too, plays a beautiful solo before handing it over to pianist Tom Lawton. A cool tune, beautifully played. Of the six tracks, four were composed by Paulsen: the aforementioned two, the laid-back bossa-ish Endless Mountains, and the unusual and interesting Reddish Blues. Reddish Blues, dedicated to Red Mitchell, is a dark, somewhat hymn-like piece with a very loose drum feel over which the soprano sax of Chris Farr wails a lamentation. I enjoyed the warm hue or mood of the piece; like watching a great sunset until that last instant when it disappears from view. One of the two standards on the album is Bill Evans' Turn Out The Stars. Paulsen's arrangement begins with a magnificent solo bass (arco) introduction. His bowed bass sound is very good, and in this introduction he makes use of ponticello and col legno to excellent musical effect. At the end of his intro, he

sets up the entrance of the band and all four accompany him as he bows the head. After the head the flugelhom and soprano sax trade one-bar phrases on the first section, and half-bar phrases on the second section, though by the end the two hom players' phrases are completely entwined and all of this spills into the final section back to bowed bass melody. Sensitive, mature playing, over a calming tom-tom groove, with playful piano interjections, all in all an ethereal rendition. The ability and experience of the quintet members pays off for bandleader and bassist Paulsen. There are consistently fantastic performances throughout the album. This 2003 release is definitely worth a listen, and Paulsen currently has a trio recording out (Tri-cycle) , so look for a Bass World review of that in the near future. Review by Chris Kosky

Art of the Bow with Fran~ois Rabbath Fran~ois Rabbath, double bass Hans Sturm, producer and director Ball State University www.artofthebow.com

This pedagogical tour de force is the latest and most in depth examination of Fran~ois Rabbath - one of the most investigated string players in history. In this DVD bassists have the opportunity to delve deeply into the mysteries of the double bass with a master who has spent a lifetime devoted to its study. Furthermore, the DVD medium comes as close as is possible to a long series of private lessons with Rabbath as he transmits an extraordinary wealth of information. The work encompasses an amazing breadth of material that is broken up into six different sections. The frrst two sections are a series of short lecture demonstrations that teach basic, yet vital, elements of double bass playing. The frrst of these, called 'essentials,' delivers information which is needed to begin the study of the bow arm movement that is the primary focus of this DVD (such as posture, bow hair and the weight of the bow). The

Scott LaFaro Here's the first book of Scott Lafaro solo transcriptions taken from the Bill Evans trio recordings Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby. This book contains highly detailed transcriptions of all 15 of Scott's bass solos, including the alternate takes. $19.95 Transcribed by Phil Palontbi To purchase, please go to www.philpalombi.com or write to Phil at 324 W263rd st Bronx, NY 10471 Available in Noventber, 2003

ADD8uneiog

the releaseef

The Big Bad Bass Anew video,featuring·b,assist.David Murray. Recorded live in performance! Featuring - Failing by Tom Johnson Possessed by John Steinmetz (arr. Murray) Ashokan Farewell by Jan Unger Caprice #3 by Edouard Nanny and B.lJ.Wolfby Jon Deak

Volume 29, Number 1

59

In Memory of

Niels-Henning 0rsted Pedersen (1946-2005) liThe world of music just lost one of its very best. Niels was a fascinating person, a great musician, and a good a unique bass friend. I am for having known him and worked with him. Blessed be his memory." - Ami Egilsson "Niels-Henning, my friend for over 25 passed away 19 in Copenhagen, playing a gig with his trio. always told him was the 'Paganini of the Bass.' He inspired a lot of bass players, and will be remembered as one of the greatest of our time." - Pierre Josephs 0rsted Pedersen: a great bass player, an even greater person." - his drummer, Harold Jones

1'11P'lc_r,pnlnlnl{T

"In Niels-Henning 0rsted Pedersen the world has lost a great bassist. with his playing. In the I first heard him in 1967 and was 70s, he followed me with and we became good friends. Some ago I a tour of Japan with Niels-Henning and Ray Brown, we had a great time. We will all miss him very much." - George Mraz

PIERRE JOSEPHS VIOLINS 125 Locust Ave. Larkspur, CA 94939 415/924-2731 @ Fax 415/924-3322 www.stringcharger.com

60


second section, 'The Bow Arm,' explains the movement of the body, arm and bow in great detail. Each concept is so thorougWy explained and well represented on the video that it is not unreasonable that a student struggling with body mechanics and tone production could fmd great progress could be made in improving their technique and sound that by studying these two sections alone. The third section then allows Rabbath to demonstrate with a nonbassist (Sarah Kruger who is a graduate assistant in Ball State University's biomechanics laboratory) how he would start a beginning double bassist. By assisting the student with the bow stroke from the beginning of her studies, Rabbath is able to teach the movement of the arm, wrist and hand in as relaxed and efficient a manner as possible. In the fourth section, Rabbath is seated in a bistro and speaks for over forty minutes on a variety of topics including perfonnance anxiety, teaching, practicing and interpretation. Time is also devoted to more personal issues such as the significance of the chains that Rabbath wears and how he was inspired by a chance meeting with Yehudi Menuhin early in his career. The final two sections are an indepth study of a series of bow strokes that Rabbath has categorized into seven 'families'. These seven families not only sound different (for example a legato versus a staccato sound), but are also physically approached in different fashions. It is here that the versatility of the DVD format becomes so valuable. To begin with, Rabbath explains and demonstrates how to perform each of the different strokes. These demonstrations can be seen from the vantage point of any of four different camera angles, and you can switch between the four views while watching the DVD. To compliment this, the Biomechanics Laboratory at Ball State University helped Sturm create a virtual three-dimensional bow arm using Rabbath's movements (by using three high speed cameras that fumed Rabbath performing the strokes with reflective markers on his bass and body) to further demonstrate how to per-

form the various bow strokes. One can hardly imagine a more efficient method of conveying the subtleties of these bow strokes than the combination of the multiple camera angles and virtual demonstrations. This DVD is sprinkled throughout with live performances from a 2002 concert from France (a two DVD box set of this complete performance called Carte Blanche d Franr;ois Rabbath is scheduled to be available soon) which often demonstrates in a real world setting the concepts that are discussed on the DVD. Although Rabbath demonstrates only with the French bow, many of the concepts discussed are applicable to any double bassist regardless of which bow they play. This DVD represents both a huge step forward for suing pedagogy as well as an immensely valuable and inspirational tool for any double bass student or teacher. - Review by Sandor Ostlund

Breaallng the Gap Peter Wilson, violin Aaron Clay, double bass www.bridgingthegaponline.com Aaron Clay is principal bass with the Fairfax (Virginia) Symphony, a member of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, and one half of the creative violin/bass duo Bridging the Gap, with violinist Peter Wilson. Wilson and Clay founded Bridging the Gap in 1997 after becoming friends and colleagues in "The President's Own" band. Most recently they were a featured act during the Inauguration as part of the Salute to Those Who Serve celebration, where they received a standing ovation from the 14,000 military and public safety personnel in attendance. Having recently met these remarkable musicians in Washington, DC, and listened to their amazing selftitled debut CD Bridging the Gap, I'm thrilled to share my excitement at their artistry, musical vision and creative arrangements. Remember this name: Aaron Clay! What's so special? The arrangements are the duo's own, and they work. Somehow Wilson and Clay

sound like more than two fme musicians. They bridge the gap from Clay's own pen, from a Gershwin medley, I Got Someone to Watch over My Rhythm, An Appalachian Prayer, Ashokan Farewell, Amazing Grace and Simple Gifts to Aaron's original Millennium Suite for violin and double bass. This contemporary three-movement classical suite is an outstanding contribution to the violin and bass repertoire. Peter Wilson's virtuosity and musicianship is showcased in his own arrangements, from Elgar's Salut d'Amour, his funky original Move Awayfrom the Vehicle, or Sondheim's Send in the Clowns and Williams' music from Schindler s List to an authentic 18th-century Baroque Allegro from Gioseffo Fiocco. Many of these fabulous pieces are being made available through their BridgingtheGaponline website. I have seen several and they are beautifully laid out, clean and well crafted. The bass parts are well written and very playable. Much like the Turtle Island String Quartet inspired many quartets to follow their path playing pop music and jazz through their recordings and publications, Bridging the Gap will no doubt launch many violinlbass duos with great repertoire to spice up traditional recitals and appearances at parties, jazz clubs, chamber music series and festivals. A native of Fairmont, West Virginia, Clay began his musical training at the age of 10 when he taught himself to play jazz on the electric bass. He later pursued classical training on the upright double bass prior to attending West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he studied with Richard Manspeaker. After graduating in 1989, he was selected to join the United States Navy Band in Washington, DC, and has been a member of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band since 1993. In addition to writing works for violin and double bass duo, Clay is developing a reputation as a composer of works for larger ensembles. An invitation by the director of the Marine Band to write a work for wind ensemble led to Clay's composition e-volution, which was premiered by the Marine Band in 2002. His next work, Serial Number, was also premiered by the Marine Band. Clay has a beautiful lyric singing quality to his upper register playing as demonstrated in his breathless, tender, obligato part in Sondeheim's Send in the Clowns. He scampers through the passagework in his Duke Double like a fleet footed bunny rabbit! He gets nasty with his high tech funkie groove in Peter Wilson's humorous spoof on a DC traffic jam called Move Away from the Vehicle.

The intonation in all the registers is amazing1y accurate. While bassists will marvel at Clay's command of their noble instrument, violinist Peter Wilson is his perfect technical and musical match. They are sensitive passionate performers and equally gifted at creating arrangements that showcase their talents. - Review by Barry Green

2005 Convention Shirts

Voice and Double Bass

~)~

Irina-Kalina Goudeva, double bass IKG: IKGl [email protected] www.contemporanea.dk When one thinks of bass players who sing while they play, one immediately thinks of Joelle Leandre, Kristin Korb, Jay Leonhart and certainly Slam Stewart. After hearing Irina-Kalina Goudeva's new CD titled Voice and Double Bass, you will add her to this list of multi-talented bassists. This is more of a 'bass plus other media' CD, as only two of the seven works on this disc have voice parts. The other pieces involve electronics or were conceived to be performed with dance or video. On this well recorded and attractively packaged CD, Irina-Kalina Goudeva has assembled a compelling collection of works that explore a variety of contemporary compositional trends. Throughout she plays with a rich and clear sound, fine intonation and sings beautifully. The frrst piece, Motive by Emil Tabakov pays homage to the composer's bass teacher at the Sofia Musical Academy in Bulgaria, Todor Toshev. This short and exciting piece alternates between lovely lyrical sections and quick virtuosic moments. It is a fast, challenging and effective piece, cleanly performed by Goudeva. In the six short movements of Ivar Frounberg's llerqorsutin, Goudeva displays her sensitive singing and playing. This work is based on an ancient Greenlander form of storytelling where the storyteller has forgotten part of the text. The texts present an almost perfect balance between culture and nature. This music is dark, personal, and ideally suited to Goudeva's talents. Next comes Dance de L'Aube by Edith Canat de Chizy. Conceived of as music for double bass and dancer/choreography, the work is melodic and rhythmic. Although written in a contemporary idiom, it doesn't venture into the realm of extended techniques. Effective on its own, one can imagine the strong impact this work would make when combined with the dance. Hovering Depths by Magnar Am was originally written for a video based on paintings by the

~aggyal(@(@~ 2005 ISB CONVENTION Wes1ernMlch'ganUnJverslly.l:alamozoo

Bassapalooza! Heather Teal, 100% Pre-shrunk Cotton, sizes L, XL and XXL $15 includes shipping (international orders add $5) PLEASE PRINT:

QTY

_SIZE

TOTAL ENCLOSED $_ _ _Check in U.S. funds __MC, Visa, AmEx Card # Exp _ Name on Card _ SHIP TO: Name Address City/StatelPostal Code/Country Daytime Phone

_ _

_

Email

Compositions by: Giovanni Bottesini G.E Handel G.P. Teletuann J.M. Sperger Teppo Hauta-aho Camil Van Hulse Patrick Neher __ '!!!~Lm!!!!Y",QJ!1~I~","'M.'_ .' .

Sofifo

Volume 29, Number 1

61

Experience the Quality of Heritage Bass Strings

TFIE ULTIMATE

EXPEl~lElVCE IN

NS

ARC() A1'll) PIZZJ,\CAT() PLA YIN(;

MADE IN USA A PRODUCT OF KM.I. BALDWIN, NEW YORK USA

"Recently, I performed with the great pianist Cecil Taylor at a New York jazz club for six consecutive nights. For those who know anything about the music of Cecil Taylor, this is a challenge for any bassist. But my concerns were soon put to rest. After nearly a week of some very energetic music, my hands were just fine. The tension on the strings was fantastic. I find the Heritage String to be one of the lnost accurate strings I have ever played, both pizz and arco style. These strings create a lush and beautifully rounded sound across the entire neck, in all positions. What a pleasure to play on them. No, let me rephrase that, what a necessity ! These strings have C01ne along at a tilne when modern bass playing, with all of its extended techniques and fast tenlpos, dictate an easier, less prohibitive playing area. With these strings, Kolstein Music has overcome some of the problems bass players encounter every day. The Heritage String makes playing double bass far more enjoyable and less stressful experience for the hands and all the connecting muscles. Many thanks for these wonderful strings. " - Dominic Duval "Thanks for introducing me to the Heritage Bass Strings. They are excellent! It's the first set of strings that I've used that serves all my needs. These strings are perfect for arco and pizzicato. Whenever I need strings, I'll get Heritage Bass Strings from Kolstein Music. " - Lisle A. Atkinson "Just a note to thank you for all the years ofkindness and artistic, excellent repair of lny two basses. I would like to especially thank you for allowing me the opportunity to try out your new Heritage Bass Strings, which I've been playingfor the last two

After three years of research and development we've created the first PerIon, synthetic core double bass string to offer players the wonderful feel and tension of gut strings, while emulating the arco and pizzicato tonal qualities of the finest steel orchestral and jazz strings. Heritage Bass Strings are the first of a new generation. Finall~ strings that honor the legacy of great jazz playing but remarkably, do not roll under the bow. Heritage Strings also fulfill the most demanding are%rchestral bowing requirements. Just read what satisfied users are saying about Heritage Bass Strings: months. They are remarkable. The Heritage strings resonate with great clarity, bringing out the deep, rich quality ofboth basses. The tonality is even and true from bott01n to top and across from string to string. The timbre does not dissipate from tone to tone anywhere on the fingerboard. The gauge ofthe strings is ideal. It offers lne great flexibility, comfort and ease while playing. Bowing is so easy. The traction is excellent. I'm really enjoying my playing my basses now. Thank you for this wonderful experience. I will spread the word. " - Paul E. West "] really like the arco response and clear fundamental of the E, and the projection, without any nasal quality, of the G." "The strings have been on my bass since February 23rd. I love the strings. The G sounds so natural and thick and the E string responds very quickly, even on stopped notes. Someone described it as instant boom! I've never played gut but they sound and feel the way I imagine gut strings perform. ] bought these strings because Obli--tos are notorious for failing after only afew weeks under the hands of a strong jazz player, so I thought I'd offer myself up to test the longevity of these strings under a heavy-handed jazz player. I can get away un-amped a lot more 'with these strings, and I pull the heck out of them. Thanks for the strings!" "My guitarist, who is on the advisory board at a major string manufacturer, was very impressed 'with how the Heritage Strings turned out. He had been following them since you first put them on my bass. It's a new era for strings. They are officially slammin'!"

The Next Generation of Bass Strings Heritage Bass Strings are available at all major dealers. Regularly $225/set • SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE • $135/set (GDAE), or $150/set, including low C extension string

HERITAGE BASS STRINGS • 795 Foxhurst Road • Bald-win, Ne-w York 11510 516-546-9300 • 800-886-VIOL • Fax 516-546-9309 • [email protected] • www.kolstein.com

Norwegian artist Einar Magne Flo. The

bass as an equal in conversation with various

Proto's transcription of Gliere's Cradle Song

beautiful rising melodic lines in the begin-

instruments, often displaying the beautiful

for viola and double bass allows both instru-

ning are a perfect vehicle for Goudeva's

vocal qualities of an accomplished soloist.

ments to sing. Ira Weller's high tessitura viola

expressive playing. The melodic writing is

McCoy is ably assisted by several of his col-

playing maintains the sweet vocal qualities of

interspersed with harmonics, tremolos, and

leagues in a delightful blend of serious, witty,

the piece, and the bass provides a gently rock-

double stops that take advantage of the full

intense and lighthearted conversations. The disc

ing accompaniment. Less than one minute

range of the bass.

includes familiar works by Rossini, Bottesini,

long, Edward Elgar's striking Duetto for trombone and double bass is a jaunty contrapuntal

is an interactive work that uses the program

and Telemann, in addition to new and old gems by John Patitucci, Martin Dalby, Edward Elgar, Reinhold Gliere and Jean Fran9aix. McCoy demonstrates not only a full rich

MAX. As the computer tracks parameters of

sound, but also complete control of articula-

the conversations possible between basses

the bass (pitch, amplitude tempi, rests, artic-

tions and timbres as he and Steven Doane the Rossini Duetto. The r'\a~+A~'rna-rc

fIrst experiment with the combination of

The next two works explore different aspects of current music technology. Cort Lippe's Music for Contrabass and Computer

ulation, etc) and triggers electronic events,

fanfare captured perfectly by McCoy and trombonist Demian Austin. McCoy and Patitucci continue to explore on Grateful, another Patitucci original, his

and

perfectly capture the opera buffa quality of

double bass and six-stling electric bass.

shapes the computer output. This clearly

the work while paying serious attention to

Both instruments share the roles of melody

audible, interactive process is fascinating to

detail. Next on the disc is John Patitucci's

and harmony in this tender reflective work.

follow. As a result of winning the Triade

The Root, in which both he and McCoy acoustic basses. Patitucci reduced the score to two basses from a small ensemble, and the drum-like effect of the instruments playing African and South American rhythms is the and connotic. I was surprised tinuity of sound between the bass and bassoon on Telemann's Sonata No.2, which is onlnn:::tllv from a

the performer continuously

Prize, Enjar Kanding was commissioned to write Ari/d. The work is informed by text from the Swedish poet Marie Lindquist and makes effective use of

of live

processm:g. Perfonning with technology can be a suc:ce~;;sh111V meets

task and Goudeva the Ch2llle][lges.

The last work, I'll Make You MOl1en Olsen is a short, delicate

two like instruments, Both

sation for voice and electronics done in

Whitney Crockett produce a

collaboration

with

the

Danish

composer/poet Morten S. Danielsen. It is a way to end a fine CD.

with Double Bass

ment, followed by a

waltz and the

per'petual motion of the final Vivace with the variety

and

on this for

every listener. any of the

ly balanced sound without

Review Don Payne

Bottesini's Gran Duetto No.3. The are outstaIldlflg

the very first chord wraps around the listener

elec-

also includes

be the first CD record-

of Martin Dalby's

tric bass Laura Gilbert,

carnival feel to

and draws you in to the conversation. The disc

McCoy, double bass John Patitucci, double bass,

from a

the dreamlike reverie of the second mov-

resonance of the low instruments.

and tone colors on this Ua~EUQI~UleS

Duo Baroque by Jean Frans;aix. Each of the four movements has a different quality,

disc, there is

Patitucci returns on double bass for

Review by Robert Black

June Han joins McCoy for the last on the disc, a delightful work entitled

IvlacPherson~f)

Rant,

and flutes

Whitney Crockett, bassoon

and alto flute. Based on Scottish folk music,

Ira Weller, viola

the

Steven Doane, violoncello

exclamations and

Delnian Austin, trombone

bass and flutes. Toward the end, the bass has a

June Han,

ShOlt soliloquy but is eventually joined again

is a selies of

agitated between the

by the flute and both have the last word. Frank

9163

RECYCLED NOTES

JAZZAZART PRODUCTIONS

1-800-406-2320 861 NW 73rd Ave. Plantation, FL 33317

once in a while, I have a moment where I sit in my car after I have anived at my destination in order to find out what is

on the radio. I had such a

moment with this recording, when I got into my car just in time to hear the first chords of the Rossini Duetto

and the announcer tantalized

the listeners by playing only a couple movements, so ofcourse I had to get the recording for my collection. The bassist in question is Jeremy McCoy, veteran of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York and clUTently the group's assistant principal. The idea behind Dialogues with Double Bass was to feature the Volume 29, Number 1

63

LUTHIER'S CORNER

Thomas Martin, Editor

Dendrochronology and the Karr-Koussevitzky Double Bass By Dustin Art Williams "So, how old is it?" Luthiers are often asked this question. Only the most experienced makers are able to correctly date a specific specimen by examining an instrument. Experts now have many tools at their disposal to trace the lineage of an old instrument. One way to date the wood on the top of an instrument is through dendrochronology, the science of measuring and precisely dating tree rings to the exact year they were formed. The instrument in this case study is the famous double bass previously owned by Serge Koussevitzky and then given to Gary Karr by Koussevitsky's widow, Olga Koussevitzky, in 1961. Gary Karr performed on this bass for over forty years and has generously gifted it to the ISB. So how old is it? What does the science of dendrochronology have to say about it? The ISB asked Dr. Henri GrissinoMayer for his assistance. Dr. GrissinoMayer is a climatologist and biogeographer whose primary research interests include the reconstruction of past environments using information from tree-ring data, or dendrochronology. His accolades include the development of a 2,200-year long reconstruction of annual precipitation for northwestern New Mexico based on tree-ring data, and he has been involved in numerous reconstructions of fire regimes in the western United States. He is actively involved as the moderator for both the Dendrochronology Internet Forum and the Biogeography Internet Forum, is former secretary of the Tree-Ring Society, associate editor of several journals, and a member of the advisory board and past chair of the International Tree-Ring Data Bank. Dr. Grissino-Mayer is the dendrochronologist that the Violin Society of America asked to date the wood used in the famous "Messiah" Stradivari Violin dated 1716. His research proved the violin is made from wood that grew between the years 1577 to 1686. In Dr. Grissino-Mayer's laboratory at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville,

Year

Year

1446

1445

1659 1695

1650

1684

1761

1741

Tree ring dates in relation to the top of the Karr-Koussevitzky Bass.

the double bass's strings and tailpiece were carefully removed to gain full access to the widest part of the bass in the lower bout. The bass was securely positioned upon a manual measuring bench (Velmex Measuring System), specially designed to move in the smallest of increments either left or right with the simple turn of a small wheel. The measuring bench was interfaced with a special computer that took the exact measurement of the bench's position to the thousandths of a millimeter (Measure J2X software). A video microscope (specifically, a trinocular boom arm stereoscope) was positioned over the surface of the double bass and was connected to a monitor where all present could see in fine detail the surface of the bass. Through the video monitor, the double bass's fine tree rings now appeared quite

large and much easier to define. A large "X" is etched into the video monitor's screen. When the small wheel on the table was turned, the instrument moved ever so gently to the right or the left. Dr. Grissino-Mayer would then center the "X" over a dark tree ring. By pushing a button, the tree ring's exact position was recorded on the computer. As each tree ring was measured, its distance from its neighboring rings was scrutinized carefully and precisely and the fingerprint of the wood began to emerge and was recorded electronically. Dr. Grissino-Mayer was assisted by Georgina Wight, Evan Larson and Danica Praza. His work was checked many times. He was adamant about accuracy, and is gifted in distinguishing tree rings from cracks. Dr. Grissino-Mayer and his team started with the older rings Volume 29, Number 1

65

Dr. Henri Grissino-Mayer closely examines the tree rings on the top of the Karr-Koussevitzky Bass.

on the outside of the bass (excluding the and worked inwards toward the center seam. The treble side was measured three times. The bass side measured twice. The work was painstakingly slow to eliminate errors. A total of thirteen intense hours of measuring was

spent to validate and revalidate the previ0us findings. Dr. Grissino-Mayer's commitment to accuracy was impressive and professional. The end result was a 317-year chronology of the wood. To everyone's knowledge, there has not been an instrument

Treble side of the lower bout: Inner ring is year 1445 Outer ring is year 1741

The ultimate example of Power Without Corruption: The new Focus SA™ satellite power amp: 600W of AI sound from a 3.5-lb.. package..

Bass side of the lower bout: Inner ring is year 1464 Outer ring is year 1761

Pair it with any high quality preamp or supercharge your (larus or Focus..

the full spectrum at acousticimg.com or caU 919-598-3113

co u8.tJC ~USical mal::!>p

Amplification: Setting The Standard

66


measured with that many tree rings. An average of 26.6 tree rings per inch was established for the top of the bass. Not included in the 317-year pattern were the wings which were added by the maker to widen the lower bout of the bass. The wing on the treble side had 35 rings and the wing on the bass side measured between 37 and 42 rings. From the distance between the rings, it appears that the bass wing was flipped when it was added on. After the measurements were taken, the goal was then to map out the patterns from the tree rings and to match it to data on file from the Alps. Tree rings have different widths defined by the light portion of the ring (the earlywood or spring growth) and the dark portion of the ring (the latewood growth or summer growth). The variations in width create a pattern distinct in different parts of the world. Exact dates were obtained by matching the patterns from the bass with patterns from already-developed reference tree-ring chronologies. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has access to databases of this information. Dr. Grissino-Mayer had to find a 317-year stretch of time when the trees from the Alps would match the pattern produced by the tree rings in this bass. After spending two and a half weeks analyzing the wood in the bass for age and origin, Dr. Grissino-Mayer's findings are below. "Inner ring" refers to the oldest tree ring and "outer ring" refers to the youngest tree ring. "Inner" and "outer" do not refer to the rings' positions on the bass, but rather to its ment within the tree trunk.

Treble wing: Inner ring is year 1650 Outer ring is year 1684 Bass wing: Inner ring is year 1659 Outer ring is year 1695

@

@

@

@

Obergurgl, Austria, at the Italian border: location 46 52'N, 11 Ol'E Berchtesgaden, Gennany, at the Austrian border: location 47 40'N, 13 OO'E Paratomagno, Italy, in the northern Appennine Mountains: location 43 40'N, 1146'E Simmetral, in the western part of Switzerland: location 46 24'N, 7 26'E

So, how old is it? Dendrochronology tells us that the instrument was a late 18th century instrument with a spruce top that came from the western Austrian The results of Dr. also confirm

(l to r) Assistant Georgina Wight, Dustin Williams and Knoxville (TN) Synlphony principal bass Steve

Benne look on as Dr. Grissino-lV1ayer (seated) measures the Karr-Koussevitzky Bass.

All four of wood were from the same tree. The wood is 10 to 20 of the outer would have been removed when the luthier was with the wood. A few years must then be facof the wood before the tored in for the np·t1nitp.lv

bass could be constructed. Dr. Glissinoestimates that the bass was made sometime between 1775 and 1790. of the spruce tree used The on this bass correlates with trees from four locations, all within the same basic area:

the Karrbass. This team, which also gelt1er'Ouslv donated its travel and time to the ISB, includes David Steven and Don Robertson (see article on page 35 in this issue.) useful information that backs up the VI-/J..luv.u,i:), and is another valuable resource in the toolbox for luthiers L:>"T£"'~·"T''''Tn£:»... Al1CCCJ',{Tl1~'7'I?"U

c>

Volume 29, Number 1

67

Stephen Reinfranck, Editor

YOUNG BASSIST'S PAGE

Greetings & Salutations, Young Bassists!

The Secret Life of Basses

In this

By Scott Sund

issue~

I'd like to address "What's Important and What

Isn't."

By now, you have probably seen lots of other bass players your age, and lots of older, more advanced students; perhaps you have even seen (and heard) some professionals play in your area. Once you have seen a bunch of bass players, I'm certain that you'll be struck by the appropriateness of the old adage that there are "different strokes for different folks. " It is only normal to look out of the comer of your eye at the players next to you in your orchestra section (especially if you have spaced out and have forgotten to count during the last long section of rests ... ) Maybe someone in your section has the fingers of their left hand going all over the fingerboard like killer worms on steroids, or they are waving their arms around wildly or rocking the bass back and forth maniacally while they are playing. If so, you might wonder why they are doing that, and if that means they are clued in to something that you aren't. .. Or perhaps a little voice in your head says "I'm not as good as they are" - then you are in trouble! I once taught a kid for only a few lessons, and then didn't hear from his family again. I never found out if he switched to another teacher, or, perhaps the kid thought he knew everything, and didn't need to take lessons. I don't want to be too harsh, but I thought the kid was pretty talented, though his forays up and down the fingerboard were what I jokingly call the "chromatic search mode." But even though he didn't come back to me for lessons, I began hearing the other kids talk about him: "Man, Lothar [name has been changed to protect the innocent] has incredible technique! He's all over the bass! Lothar plays notes I haven't even conceived of yet. .. !" Anyway, I just think it's interesting how many ideas you can get from listening to different people. So much of playing music is personal, and I guess the trick is to find the best way to express yourself through the music. Have any of you had more than one teacher? And have they told you everything exactly the same? Of bargain in the city, generous scholarships, and new outstanding facilities. course not! One last thought: I realize that boys Faculty: Violin: Joseph Glymph, Sylvia Myintoo,DavidTaylor,Assistant don't always mature as fast as girls, but Co,zcert1I1aster, Chicago Symphony Orc:hestra as I mentioned in my last column, I Viola: Joseph Glynlph (conductor),Vincent Oddo thought for sure that some irate boy Cello: Michael Duggan, Richard Hirschi, Chicago Sj'mphony Orchestra would write with a rebuttal to Kara Bass: Gregory Sarchet, Chicago Lyric opera - Sajeske's "Girl Power" article ... But no Performing Ensembles: String Orchestra and chamber Inusic ensembles mail, so it looks like "Girl Power" has The Music Department offers comprehensive undergraduate and graduate degrees programs in perfonnance, pedagogy and music education. struck again! Until next time - remember, Bass For more infurmation on faculty and scholarships visit our website at ·www.neiu.edu (Click on ','Celebrate the FiI,le, ArtS,:' then, Music Department)" the Final Frontier!

Happy Summer!

StrinB5 :~~~=::::~~:~::~a~;~~::::d:~~~:~:

or contact Profe~or Peter Chang at <7.73)442-5914; f~: (773)442-5910; ematl: p'[email protected]

Northeastern Illinois Universi!y

'

5500 NoRTH ST. loUIS AVl!NUli CHICAGO,ILUNOIs60625-4699

68


Regards, Steve Reinfranck

2005 Convention Shirts

Bassapalooza! Heather Teal, 100% Pre-shrunk Cotton, sizes L, XL and XXL $15 includes shipping (international orders add $5) PLEASE PRINT:

QTY

_SIZE

TOTAL ENCLOSED $_ _ _ Check in U.S. funds _MC, Visa, AmEx Card # Exp _ Name on Card _ SHIP TO: Name Address City/StatelPostal Code/Country Daytime Phone

_ _

_

Email

QUALITY INSTRUMENTS, PRECISELY SET-UP TRADE-INS AND

CONSIGNMENTS

~.

MCINTOSH

WELCOME

OUTSTANDING

REPAIRS AND RESTORATIONS.

rl~

BOB BEERMAN'S

BASS VIOLIN SHOP Greensboro, NC 336-274-2022 www.bassviolinshop.com

70


,

NEW PRODUCTS The Bass Bus A Bass Place, $199 www.abassplace.com. "I first came to New Orleans with a dollar and a quarter in my pocket," says Wally Kay, jazz bassist and owner of A Bass Place & String Shop. "I had to hit the street to try and make money for groceries. 1 carried my bass all around, and usually an amp as well. And 1 had to carry a stand, too!" Kay isn't alone. Many musicians, especially bassists, lug their instruments around from gig to gig - a literal backache for many. So, Kay devised a plan to create a transport system to not only make hauling his bass easier, but also one that would convert into a bass stand, or a place to sit and play while busking or gigging. "Six prototypes later, and after a year and a half of development, 1 found a [design] that worked, and we went into production," Kay says of his new Bass Bus. Weighing in at 19 pounds, the cart-and-seat combo measures rougWy 7 x 20 x 30 inches (the size of its shipping box). It's constructed of sturdy metal, and sports a durable but comfortable seat cushion made of coated foam (the same material used for standard life vests). Two straps hold the bass in place during transit, and a collapsible handle pops up for easy maneuverability. (The handle folds down when the cart is stationary, can be attached to a scooter or bicycle, and can be replaced with a longer version.) When the Bass Bus is doubling as an instrument stand, the seat provides a soft front cushion for the instrument's back while the bottom of the instrument rests on a cushioned, rubber bar. Kay plans to release optional accessories for the Bass Bus soon, including an amp shelf, an adjustable backrest, and upgraded wheels. Review by Heather K. Scott

From Strings January 2005, issue 125 © 2005 String Letter Publishing. All rights reserved. For nl0re information on Strings, contact String Letter Publishing, PO Box 767, San Anselmo, CA 94979; (415) 485-6946; Fax (415) 485-0831; www.stringletter.conl.

Volume 29, Number 1

71

AD INDEX ACOUSTIC IMAGE 66 ATELIER CONSTANTIN POPESCU 4 13 BASS CHURCH BILL MERCHANT DOUBLE BASS LUTHIER 6 BOB BEERMAN'S BASS VIOLIN SHOP 70 BOB'S HOUSE OF BASSES 10,31 BRUCE GERTZ MUSIC 55 19 CINCINNATI BASS CELLAR CLEVINGER BASS 14 51 CONCERT DESIGN INC D'ADDARIO 26 DAVID GAGE STRING INSTRUMENTS IFC, 41 DAVID MURRAY 59 DOUGLAS MAPP MUSIC 30 E.M. POLLMANN 46 EDITIONS DOBERMAN-YPPAN 53 FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS 67 63 HACHEZ & LORGE LUTHIERS HENRY STROBEL & SONS 21 ISB CONVENTION BASS-WEAR 61, 70 61 ISG PUBLICATIONS JEAN AURAY, LUTHIER 15 JEFF BOLLBACH, LUTHIER, INC 35 JOHN DEWITT MUSIC 46 JOHN MICHAEL SMITH 49 8,42, 62 KOLSTEIN MUSIC, INC LEMUR MUSICAL INC IBC

LIBEN MUSIC PUBLISHERS MARTELLO WEDGE BRIDGE MOORADIAN MYRIAD LIMITED NICK LLOyD NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY PALOMBI MUSIC PED XING MUSIC PHILIP WEINKRANTZ PIERRE JOSEPHS VIOLINS RAY BROWN ART OF THE BASS VIDEOS RECYCLED NOTES MUSIC CO ROBERT G. MCINTOSH ROBERTSON & SONS VIOL. SHOP INC RUBINO BOWS SAN FRANCISCO CONS. OF MUSIC SCOTT LAFARO COMMEMORATIVE POSTER SHANK STRING INSTRUMENTS SLAVA PUBLISHING STRING EMPORIUM THOMASTIK-INFELD TUFF-LITE BASS CASES UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN VEKTOR GERMANY WILSON PICK UP SYSTEMS WORLD OF STRINGS

28 71 40 45 51 68 59 60 34 60 38 63 70 9 48 70 56 3 54 16 BC 64 69 57 52 57

International Society of Bassists 13140 Coit Road, Suite 320, LB 120 Dallas, TX 75240, USA 9721233-9107 ext. 204 Fax 9721490..4219 email: info@IS worldoffice.com www.ISBworldoffice.com

Join now to receive Bass World magazine and the Bass Line newsletter! Renewal

New Member

Change of Address

CHECK ALL THAT APPLY: Young Bassist University Student Studio Teacher School Teacher University Professor

Telephone:

_

MEMBERSHIP RATES (Check one) USA _ 1 year $50 2 years $90 _ 3 years $120 _ Full Time Student (1 year) $25 _ Senior (65 plus) $40

_

INTERNATIONAL _ 1 year $55 _ 2 years $100 3 years $135 _ Full Time Student (1 year) $30 Senior (65 plus) $45

_

Gift Subscription

. .

Check/money order enclosed payable in US Funds VisalMasterCard/American Express Credit

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Exp Date

Signature: Print name on

72

_ .


_

Professional Orchestra Jazz Bassist Freelance/Independent Amateur/Hobbyist Luthier

_ LIFE MEMBER $750 (payable in 6 annual payments of $125)

Bass World

Recommend Documents