|
| The double bass players... |
|
|
"Bass and guitar players have to play nonstop throughout a performance. The acoustic bass strings tear and rip at the player's fingers. The skin quickly hardens, but some players still suffer greatly with damaged fingertips. During a piece of music lasting an average of four minutes the bassist, playing four quarter notes to each bar, can play
up to 400 finger strokes or more; at speed perhaps up to double that amount. Producing a sound on the bass entails pulling one of the highly tensioned strings back strongly and releasing it to form the note. This requires strength and skill. Before the advent of bass amplification the amount of power necessary to make the bass audible was considerable. The continuous plucking of strings, often accompanied by the unnatural posture necessary to reach the upper register, also causes spinal problems to the player. Add to this the truly awe-inspiring mental selection of chordal and passing tones he will make at speed from parts mostly consisting of chord symbols, and it is clear that the bassist is the most hard working member of any jazz orchestra." Ron Simmonds (trumpet player) Lennie Bush has an individual web page... Jack Fallon 
Born in Canada in 1915, Jack Fallon came to London with the Canadian air force in 1946 and played for Ted Heath's band for six months. His modern style bass playing attracted a lot of attention and he became much in demand when bebop took off in London playing with all the pioneers. He played on the first studio recording by Carlo Krahmer's Esquire record label in 1948. He was in demand for tours by Duke Ellington, Django Reinhardt, Sarah Vaughan and others. He recorded with the top British jazz talent but in 1952 formed his successful Cana Agency booking British bands and other show biz talent. He broadcast as a country and western violinist with Johnny Duncan as well as free lancing with jazz groups, all while running his agency. He was still recording in the 1980s.For details of his extensive recording career see the following discographies: Ronnie Scott, Johnny Dankworth, Tommy Pollard, Victor Feldman, Dizzy Reece, Don Rendell, Ronnie Ross, Joe Harriott, Tubby Hayes, Tony Crombie, Jimmy Skidmore, Tito Burns, Eddie Thompson, Norman Burns, Jack Parnell, Keith Christie, Leon Calvert, . Joe Muddel born in 1920 Joe Muddel was an original Club Eleven bass player. He began playing at seventeen years of age but his musical career was interrupted by war service in the RAF. He played with Tito Burns in 1947 before Club Eleven in 1948. Then in 1950 became a founder member of the Johnny Dankworth Seven. Worked with various groups in the early 1950s before forming his own band in 1952 before long spells with Tommy Whittle and Tony Kinsey in the mid 1950s. He than became a prolific free-lance with TV, radio and studio work. see also the following discographies: Ronnie Scott, Johnny Dankworth, Tommy Pollard, Don Rendell, Jimmy Deuchar, Tommy Whitttle, Harry Klein, Hank Shaw, Jimmy Skidmore, Victor Feldman, Vic Ash, Tito Burns, Kenny Graham, Kenny Baker, Keith Christie, Eddie Harvey, Bill Le Sage, others. ...back Kenny Napper Born in 1933, Kenny served in the Army and after demobilization worked with Jack Parnell (1953-54), after which he freelanced extensively through the 1950s with the top names of British modern jazz including Ronnie Scott, Don Rendell, Alan Clare, Stan Tracey, Tubby Hayes, Tony Kinsey and Tony Crombie. From March 1960 to January 1962 he was with the Ronnie Scott - Jimmy Deuchar Quintet. Susequently with Johnny Dankworth and Ted Heath in 1965. After this he again worked with Dankworth (1967) and Stan Tracey (1966). Through the 1960s he also worked successfully as arranger and composer writing for films, television and radio. In the early 1970s he worked in Germany and Holland as composer and arranger. For details of his recording career see the following discographies: Ronnie Scott, Victor Feldman, Don Rendell, Jimmy Deuchar, Ronnie Ross, Harry Klein, Derek Humble, Stan Tracey, Tubby Hayes, Les Condon, Tony Crombie, Tony Kinsey, Jack Parnell, Bill Le Sage, Leon Calvert, Bert Courtley, Eddie Harvey, Others. Coleridge Goode born into a musical family in Jamaica Coleridge Goode came to Glasgow University in 1934 to study electrical engineering. He joined the University orchestra playing violin but began to collect records by Count Basie and Duke Ellington and was smitten with the jazz bug. He started with the double bass on a few local gigs and in 1941 came to London. His first jobs were with Dick Katz and Johnny Claes and from 1942 he was with the Eric Winstone showband, touring the country and making his first records, until in 1944 he joined the Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson all coloured band. By 1946 he was also broadcasting with George Shearing, Stephane Grapelli and Django Reinhardt and became a member of the Ray Ellington Quartet. Work followed with the Tito Burns Sextet in 1953 and in 1954 he met Joe Harriott and began a long association that lasted through to the late 1960s. Through the 1970s he had a long spell, (ten years or so), with his quartet at Churchill's Hotel. see also the following discographies: Joe Harriott, Tito Burns, Black British swing bands ...back Jeff Clyne Jeff Clyne was born in London in 1937 and during Army service in 1955/7 played alongside Alan Branscombe in the Third Hussars Band. After demobilization worked with Stan Tracey and Tony Crombie before eventually joining the Jazz Couriers with Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes in late 1958 where he stayed until May 1959. Then toured US bases in France with Bobby Wellins returning to the UK to work with Vic Ash in 1959 before a longer stay with the Tubby Hayes Quartet from 1959 to 1961, subsequently working with Hayes on and off through the 1960s. Other jazz work included Terry Shannon Trio in 1962, tony Kinsey Trio in 1963 and from 1965 Gordon Beck's trio. He was a house musician at ronnie Scott's clun from 1966 often as part of Stan Tracey's group. During the late 1960s, among other jazz names he worked with the Don Rendell - Ian Carr Quintet and many other names form the jazz avant garde as well as accompanying many visiting US musicians. During the 1980s and 1990s he worked with singers Annie Ross and Norma winstone as well us undertaking extensive freelance work. Prominent in jazz education he teaches at theGuildhall and Royal Academy. Continued to play regularly into the early 2000s. see also the following discographies: Tubby Hayes, Stan Tracey, Gordon Beck, Harold McNair. ...back 
Freddy LoganFreddy Logan was born in Holland c1930 and after touring Europe came to London in the mid 1950s where he recorded with Kenny Graham in 1954 and Harry Klein and Derek Smith in 1954/5. He left for Australia in 1955 and was quickly acknowledged as the best in the country. In 1960 he formed the highly acclaimed "The 3-Out" trio with Mike Nock and Chris Karan. In 1964 he returned to London and with his fantastic technique and huge sound quickly became Tubby Hayes bass player of choice, working with Tubby's big band and quintet until 1965. He recorded with other bands but disappeared from the London jazz scene after 1966. "The 3-Out" trio made two LPs in Australia and Logan is heavily featured. The 3-Out - September 28th, 1960, Sydney, Aust - (Move - Columbia 33OSX 7639 (Aust) Mike Nock (p), Freddy Logan (b), Chris Karan (d). Autumn In New York/Softly As In A Morning Sunrise/Squeeze Me/Primitive/Freshwater. October 14th, 1960, Sydney, Aust - (Move - Columbia 33OSX 7639 (Aust) Personnel as September 28th. Little Niles/If I Were A Bell/Way Back/Move. The 3-Out + others - May 2nd, 3rd and 10th, 1961, Sydney, Aust - (Sittin'In - Columbia 33OSX 7650 (Aust) Mike Nock (p), Freddy Logan (b), Chris Karan (d) + Ron Falson (tp-1), Colin Jones (tb-1), Don Burrows (as,bs-1), Errol Buddle (ts-1). I Love You/New Jade/Autumn Leaves/Night In Tunisia/The Lady Is A Tramp/Sittin' In Blues(1)/Dizzy Pipe(1)/Loganberries(1)/Nock Out(1). see also the following discographies: Kenny Graham, Derek Smith, Johnny Keating and Vic Lewis ...back Kenny Baldock Kenny Baldock was born in Chiswick, London in 1931 and started playing piano at the age of six. After service in Canada with the RAF he studied piano and double bass at the Guildhall School of Music in London. After work in France and Germany he returned to London and began to specialize on the bass. In the early 1960s he toured Europe with singer Rosemary Clooney. After TV and club work he began to freelance and worked with top jazzmen such as Bill Le Sage in 1965, then Pat Smythe, Brian Lemon and Alan Branscombe. In the mid '60s he toured with Dakota Staton and gigged with the likes of Vic Ash, Tony Kinsey, Stan Tracey, Gordon Beck, Phil Seamen, etc. In 1965 he began a long association with John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, toured with Ronnie Scott and began a long period working at Ronnie Scott's club. Continued to work with prominent jazz groups such as the Danny Moss Quartet, Bob Burns / Kathy Stobart, Colin Purbrook and Brian Lemon. In the early 1970s he again worked with Stan Tracey and accompanied many visiting US artistes including Benny Carter, Teddy Wilson, Al Haig, Blossom Dearie, Ernestine Anderson, etc.From February, 1975 until December, 1976 he was in the Ronnie Scott Quartet and also worked on the Oscar Peterson Trio for two TV series. He led his own band in the late 1970s and worked regularly with Bobby Wellins from 1981 until 1986. Kenny Baldock himself, (via e-mail), added the following comments: "I have worked for BBC radio and TV with Phil Seaman during the 1960s and on tour with Dick Morissey Quartet, Radio and TV with John Dankworth and Cleo Laine for many years, similarly with Ronnie Scott, also with a galaxy of visiting American Jazz musicians and singers at Ronnie Scotts Club plus touring and recording. I was with the Oscar Peterson trio in the late 1970s for two BBC TV Series and I also worked at various Jazz venues for four evenings each week for the last five years of Phil Seaman's life until his untimely death in 1972. The four decades I worked at Ronnie Scotts ended in 2003, but 'Ken Baldock Quintet' with Henry Lowther (tpt), Stan Sulzmann (tnr sax), John Critchinson (pno), Martin Drew (drums) and myself playing double bass, will appear at the Ealing Jazz Festival on Sunday 2 August 2009 commencing 2.00pm - 3.15pm." see also the following discographies: Peter King, Bobby Wellins, Gordon Beck, Phil Seamen. ...back John Hawksworth John Hawksworth was born in London in 1924 and studied piano at school. After service in the RAF where he played bass with Buddy Featherstonhaugh in an RAF band he joined the same leader after demobilization at the Gargoyle Club in London in 1947. After brief spells with Tommy Sampson, Joe Saye and Tito Burns he joined Ted Heath in 1951 where he remained until 1965 with some freelancing when possible. He led his own sextet for a while in 1964 before becoming musical director for Thames Television and had some success as a composer. He continued to freelance on bass through the early 1970s before settling in Sydney, Australia where he freelanced, often playing piano, during the 1990s. During his career he played with many of the top names in British jazz and recorded under many leaders, and was frequently featured in recordings with Ted Heath. see also the following discographies: Ted Heath ...back More bass players... |