[Dixielandjazz] Son of rant on the unamplified rhythm section

[Russ Guarino]

Don't forget, basses come in various sizes.  I don't know the correct name
for the big full upright bass, but it is a big guy and it can produce a big
sound.  The smaller basses used today need to be amped.  They have small
"lungs".

Russ Guarino

Will Connelly wrote:

> 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
>
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