Roy Babbington

[JohnS]

I've had the pleasure hearing Roy play on two occasions in the last few months. A veteran of Nucleus and Soft Machine he is on top form now as part of the Geoff Eales Trio, playing in the tradition of the great Bill Evans bass players. Great technique, listener, soloist, his interplay with the pianist is brilliant. I don't know when I've enjoyed a bass player more.

If any UK board members can get to a Geoff Eales gig on his current then it's worth it just for Babbington, but I don't want to detract from drummer Mark Fletcher who makes a lovely noise and pianist Eales.

If you've caught the band what did you think?

[clifford_thornton]

Babbington was great with the Softs and Keith Tippett, and it's good to hear he's still active.

I'm quite a fan of Jeff Clyne, with Chris Laurence coming in shortly thereafter. Barry Guy is, of course, in a class all by himself... so as for Britain's number one bassist, that's an argument I'll stay out of, though Clyne is up there for me.

[Guest the mommy]

babbington got a great electric sound. he must have used some sort of filter effect with a slight wah or something. but it was heavy and round. examples would be on the nucleus album "labyrinth".

[GA Russell]

My most recent Babbington recordings are Vols. 1 and 2 of Mose Allison's The Mose Chronicles.

Babbington does an excellent job, although I wouldn't say that these two CDs are prime Mose.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Don't know about number one, although I certainly like his stuff a lot.

Also, John Edwards, Marcio Mattos, Paul Rogers (although PR lives in France).

Canadian Joe Williamson is also working out of the UK at the moment.

Barry Guy is nice, but IMHO somewhat hyperactive.

Chris Laurence I can't comment on - the one occasion I saw him I was bored rigid, but this was not necessarily a function of his playing - more a rather 'sleepy' band!

[sidewinder]

Babbington was great with the Softs and Keith Tippett, and it's good to hear he's still active.

... so as for Britain's number one bassist, that's an argument I'll stay out of, though Clyne is up there for me.

Not Dave Holland?

[Alexander Hawkins]

Babbington was great with the Softs and Keith Tippett, and it's good to hear he's still active.

... so as for Britain's number one bassist, that's an argument I'll stay out of, though Clyne is up there for me.

Not Dave Holland?

...To butt in, no. (although if he'd stopped after Conference...)

[Nate Dorward]

Barry Guy is nice, but IMHO somewhat hyperactive.

Hey, Barry's great! But I don't think I'd call him a "jazz bassist", really.

Was impressed by a recent Nick Stephens record I heard.

Hey, any good words for Dave Green? Peter Ind?

[clifford_thornton]

Barry Guy I would call a jazz bassist at the outset - those first few Howard Riley records are definitely "jazz" LPs, as are a few of Bob Downes' early dates (on which Guy plays). The Downes obviously "stretch" more than the Rileys.

I have not familiarized myself with Peter Ind, though I would like to!

Chris Laurence I like on LPs by Alan Skidmore, Harry Beckett and that crew. I can't speak for his more recent work, or his being stuck in a snoozy band!

[marcello]

Malcom Creese is a favorite.

Acoustic Triangle

[Alexander Hawkins]

Barry Guy is nice, but IMHO somewhat hyperactive.

Hey, Barry's great! But I don't think I'd call him a "jazz bassist", really.

Was impressed by a recent Nick Stephens record I heard.

Hey, any good words for Dave Green? Peter Ind?

[i feel terrible for being so negative...] Nick Stephens is another guy I've only caught with rather pedestrian bands...

Dave Green - yes!

On a straighter tack, indeed - Andy Cleyndert, who's Stan Tracey's regular bassist, is fantastic.

I do like Guy, I should say - it's just he's not always my cup of tea! (With the wrong drummer, for example, he could make one's head explode...)

I should check out more of Laurence - I can imagine him being more to my taste on something by Skidmore or Harry.

[JohnS]

I've heard Dave Green and Andy Cleyndert recently. Both fine swinging players. Not sure what Jeff Clyne is up tp these days but I understand he's still active. But Babbington's playing with the Eales trio was something else. Definitely had the wow factor.

[clifford_thornton]

I do like Guy, I should say - it's just he's not always my cup of tea! (With the wrong drummer, for example, he could make one's head explode...)

I saw him with Gerry Hemingway and it was like you say... though with Oxley, Lytton, Alan Jackson or any number of more appropriate folks, he's stunning.

Daryl Runswick, though his discography is fairly scant, is another wonderful player.

[Guest the mommy]

runswick did some great work on at least one henry lowther album (on electric bass, though).

[clifford_thornton]

Runswick's electric bass playing on Rites & Rituals is off the hook. I don't have the Lowther (the Deram?) but intend to get it at some point.

His upright graces a number of Ray Russell LPs...

[Alexander Hawkins]

Wow - not familiar with Runswick.

Jeff Clyne is still playing as far as I know. I think he's in one of Steve Waterman's groups, for instance.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Had the great pleasure of playing 3 sets with Roy Babbington tonight, and can only echo what JohnS said up top - Roy's fantastic! Indeed, a great listener, great support (rock steady time!), and great interplay. And a very nice guy to go with it.

[JohnS]

Had the great pleasure of playing 3 sets with Roy Babbington tonight, and can only echo what JohnS said up top - Roy's fantastic! Indeed, a great listener, great support (rock steady time!), and great interplay. And a very nice guy to go with it.

I'm delighted to read the above Red.

[Roger Farbey]

Nice to see a thread about a great British bass player. I agree that all the others mentioned are also great too and not forgetting that veterans like Jeff Clyne played with the likes of Tubby Hayes. As did Ron Mathewson for whom there is a benefit coming up shortly at the Bull's Head in Barnes.

Edited January 16, 2007 by Roger Farbey