Seeking Recs for Killer Bass Solos

[colllin]

I'm a sucker for a great bass solo. I like inventive solos but not too avant-garde. I lean toward 50s and 60s material. Upright, accoustic only. My favorite soloists are Vinnie Burke, Gary Peacock, and of course OP & PC. Reply with bassists and/or specific tracks with "WOW!" solos.

A big thank you to all replies already received and all those coming. I will try to track down the vast majority of your recommendations, especially material on eMusic.

Edited September 2, 2010 by Colin Mathers

[jazzbo]

Mingus Ah Um. Amazing bass solos throughout.

[Shawn]

Wilbur Ware. Pretty much anything, but check out the track "Catharsis" from "Johnny Griffin Sextet", Griff & Ware do a bass/sax duet for a few minutes that's one of my favorite moments in recorded jazz.

[Larry Kart]

Wilbur Ware: "Woody 'n You," Johnny Griffin Sextet

Mingus: "I Can't Get Started," Jazz Portraits -- Mingus In Wonderland

Albert Stinson: "My Joy," Bobby Hutcherson, Oblique

[Guy Berger]

Ray Brown on "The Touch of Your Lips" (Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson)

[JohnT]

Scott LaFaro with Bill Evans - "Waltz For Debby", "Explorations", "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" "Portrait In Jazz".

[Hot Ptah]

Elvin Jones/Richard Davis--"Heavy Sounds" (Impulse)

[kh1958]

A few favorite Mingus bass solos: 1. The Haitian Fight Song from The Clown; 2. The Cryin' Blues from Blues and Roots; 3. Fables of Faubus from The Great Concert of Charles Mingus; 4. For Harry Carney from Changes Two; 5. Meditations on Integration from Town Hall Concert.

[Spontooneous]

An overlooked great Mingus solo is on "Get Out of Town" on the Thad Jones album on Debut, reissued on OJC.

And speaking of Thad, Richard Davis gets some truly great spots on the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra dates.

[B. Clugston]

All the above.

Also, check out François Rabbath, who did a series of bass and drums only records in the 1960s.

Alan Silva takes a few killer bass solos on Albert Ayler's Greenwich Village and Love Cry records.

[clifford_thornton]

Silva's flywheel arco on Cecil's "Unit Structures" composition destroyed me when I first heard it, and I still haven't recovered.

[Guy Berger]

Richard Davis on Eric Dolphy's "Hat and Beard" [not straight-ahead, though]

[AmirBagachelles]

Jack Casady's solo begins "The Other Side Of This Life" on Blessed It's Pointed Little Head.... From there, onward and upward.

[Free For All]

Elvin Jones/Richard Davis--"Heavy Sounds" (Impulse)

Especially on Shiny Stockings. That cut is ridiculous good.

[JSngry]

[Larry Kart]

Paul Chambers is in exceptional form (and recorded with great presence) throughout the title track of Louis Smith's "Smithville" -- brief but striking unaccompanied walking intro, great support for the other soloists (Smith, Charlie Rouse, Sonny Clark), blues-drenched solo.

[Chas]

Check out Reggie Workman's solo on Cunning Lee from Lee Morgan's Caramba LP. His playing in support throughout that track and Suicide City from the same album, is supple and propulsive and swinging.

[Guy Berger]

Jimmy Garrison, "Pursuance" and "Ascent"

[Spontooneous]

Check out Reggie Workman's solo on Cunning Lee from Lee Morgan's Caramba LP. His playing in support throughout that track and Suicide City from the same album, is supple and propulsive and swinging.

Yeah, Workman is just about the star of that session.

[felser]

Check out Reggie Workman's solo on Cunning Lee from Lee Morgan's Caramba LP. His playing in support throughout that track and Suicide City from the same album, is supple and propulsive and swinging.

Yeah, Workman is just about the star of that session.

Also check out Workman's solo at the start of "Prayer for Peace" on Charles Tolliver's 'Live at Loosdrecht' album (reissued on Black Lion CD as 'Grand Max'). And Alex Blake gets off a great one on the title track on Charles Sullivan's 'Genesis'.

Edited September 3, 2010 by felser

[CJ Shearn]

I really like Stanley Clarke's acoustic solo vignettes and "El Bayo Negro" on "The Toys of Men" album from 2007. Steve Rodby has a great solo on "How Insensitive" on the Pat Metheny Group's "Speaking of Now" DVD done as a trio with Pat and Antonio Sanchez.

[Shawn]

What Jim said. Great fuckin' record.

[B. Goren.]

Try these:

[randyhersom]

What Jim said. Great fuckin' record.

Can't disagree. But if you hear some Jimmy Blanton first, you'll know why they were dedicating a record to him. Jack The Bear, Pitter Panther Patter and Koko are the greatest of the great featured on Duke Ellington - The Blanton Webster Band.

Edited September 4, 2010 by randyhersom

[Pete B]

From the first time I heard it many years ago, I have loved Ray Brown's solo on "In a Mellotone" from "Ben Webster & Associates". He plays with authority and beauty. 30+ years later I still hear it with pleasure.