[Dixielandjazz] Son of rant on the unamplified rhythm section

[Will Connelly]

My good pal Pat Cooke is a Fender bass/ amp advocate, and on this we
just aren't going to agree.

I remember long ago Sunday afternoons at the Royal Room in Hollywood
with Morty Corb and Phil Stevens playing bass with the Teagardens; and
Al Morgan in the Lark on Melrose Ave in LA playing with Joe Darensbourg;
and Tudie Garland, who stood about four feet six playing a full bass
with Teddy Buckner at the Beverly Caverns in LA; and I don't recall who
played bass with Jess Stacy and Johnny Lucas down in Santa Ana; but I do
not recall one instance of amped bass among those good players in those
good bands. 

I have the feeling that older bassists were also smart enough not to add
to their burdens in life by schlepping an amp! Instead, they invested
their energies in strong hands and good calluses!

For my gigs, I call bassist Ray Carle or Mark Trail or Phil Flanigan.
All use amps - GENTLY - but all also play honest to God
wood basses, which no one with ears will ever mistake for a Fender. And
my measure of a bass player includes the belief that 
the good guys play rhythm for the ensem and the other soloists and and
reserve their solos for their solos!

Kindly

Will Connelly