[Dixielandjazz] Bass Notes was cloddish musicians

[Steve barbone]

> "Patrick Cooke" <patcooke at cox.net> wrote (polite snip)

> Hooray!  I also like to play those big notes on the bottom strings, but
> without an amp you can mostly forget about them.  This is why so many
> players without amps rarely play on the E string.  With an amp and a good
> equalizer, those big bottom notes have definition, instead of sounding like
> gas bubbling out of a mud puddle.

Hi Pat, welcome back:

I'm with you man. The Double Bass is an integral part of our band and Ace
Tesone uses an amp. The wide sound he gets, is the key to setting up the
band for swinging. He took an 11 day vacation in Italy last month and we
used our first call sub for 5 gigs. Good player too, but we all missed Ace.

The clear wide bass sound a la Ray Brown always turns the kids on to our
brand of jazz. Especially with a player like Ace who never plays a wrong
note and is so much in sync with the drummer and guitar. Rhythm sections,
that's where it's at. Makes the front line job very easy. My hat is off to
all the Double Bass players who make it sound.

I did a jam session set with Barry Bockus on bass in a pick up band at an
Eastern memorial gathering for Joe Ashworth a few weeks ago. What a treat.
That same big funky sound. Sends shivers up my spine. Especially when a band
sub unit chorus consists only of Double Bass and one horn.

Ooh. I think I'm in love with the female bass player you described further
down in your post. Does she ever get East?

Cheers,
Steve

PS. Someone doesn't like "Nicksieland"? Hmmmm. When I used to go there (to
Nick's) to listen, and sometimes play, the bands there were Phil Napoleon,
Billy Maxted, Billy Butterfield, Pee Wee Erwin, et al. With sidemen like
Kenny Davern, Chuck Traeger, Andy Russo, Sal Pace, Kenny John, Jack Fahey,
Tony Spargo (Sparbaro of ODJB fame) Miff Mole et al. And before I was old
enough to go there, (in the 1940s) bands fronted by Eddie Condon, Sidney
Bechet et al. Goodness me, what's not to like? And who can forget Hank
Duncan on intermission piano? Great joint, run by an Italian (Nick Rongetti)
with a lot of soul. When he passed away, his wife ran the joint and she did
a great job too. I was so lucky to have been there to hear some of that
great music. "Nicksieland"? a trendy word of disparagement used mostly by
people who were not there, on the scene, at the time.

PPS. For Paul Edgerton to add to your definitions: There are two kinds of
musicians. "Jazz Musicians" and "Musicians who also play Jazz".