[Dixielandjazz] Bass Players

[Stephen Barbone]

About 10 years ago, I booked a Dixieland wedding in Tarrytown NY, 150
miles north of my home. I already had another version of Barbone Street
gigging in Philadelphia so I booked several NYC jazzers with whom I
gigged, to do this gig with me, and got a clarinet sub for the Philly
gig.. Among them were Dr. Palu, (trumpeter Paul Squires, Salty Dogs way
back when) and trombonist Bobby Pring. (NYC journeyman jazz/studio muso,
not a wrong note in the horn). I asked them to recommend a bass player
and they helped me book Tom Kirshmer a recent Julliard graduate, then
all of 22 years old.

What a delightful surprise he was. Superb. Solid swinging bass line back
up and incredibly inventive solos. He took a bow solo on "Black & Blue"
that knocked everybody's socks off. The guests kept requesting more
bowed solos from him and he outdid himself on "I Found A New Baby" and
others. What's he doing now? Mostly classical and studio cause that's
where the real money is for a musician trying to make a living in music
alone.

Don't like bass solos? You are probably listening to the wrong bass
players.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. Pianist on the gig was Jon Williams, now also playing in The Rent
Party Revelers. An incredibly talented stride pianist, he also got some
extra bucks for playing 30 minutes of exquisite Bach and Bartok during
the gathering prior to the ceremony