Anthony Jackson – Contrabass Guitar

Actually, I am not entirely sure that this is a six-string bass as there are no notes below the bottom E of a four string and, if I am not mistaken, at this point, AJ was still transitioning to the big six. I don’t know but there are about 7 or 8 Al DiMeola recordings that feature AJ front and centre. This track has only a couple of short passages that will cause some of us difficulties on the first read through but they are mostly diatonic or pentatonic so easy enough to play once you know the passages in question.

This is the complete Anthony Jackson bass part for the tune ‘Elegant Gypsy Suite’ from the 1977 Al Di Meola album, ‘Elegant Gypsy’. I have no doubt that there are other versions of this chart out there but I can assure you that this is all my own work. I have proof read it and I think it is accurate but there is a long passage without any changes that I am not entirely sure about (bars 87 – 178)