Dave Holland – Bass I struggle to say which is my favourite Dave Holland band; every line-up, from trio to big band, holds a special place in my heart. I loved the ‘Extensions’ band, the Wheeler/Coleman group, the DeJohnette/Coleman trio, all of the 90s bands, the Prism thing – it’s all incredible stuff. Even his…

Reginald Veal – Bass Something simple and soothing from Brother Veal, the complete bass performance for the tune ‘The End Of A Love Affair’ from the 1991 Wynton Marsalis album, ‘Standard Time Vol. 2: Intimacy Calling’. Just exert ballad playing and some nice easy reading to get started with. Watch the quavers/8th notes, though. Some…

Renaud Garcia-Fons A partial transcription (I am still trying to figure out how to transcribe his more intense arco stuff), this is the intro to the opening track of his 1997 album, ‘Oriental Bass’. There are a couple of moments where I can’t hear the details so I have relied upon the second time around…

Delbert Felix – Bass I don’t know much about this guy and couldn’t find a great deal online but I do know he played with Branford Marsalis on the saxophonist’s 1988 album, ‘Random Abstract’ album. This tune is from that recording and the transcription is the full Felix bass part including his short solo. Some…

Gary Willis – Bass I loved these early Tribal Tech records because there was a really creative mix between hi-tech guitar stuff and world percussion/saxophones. I always thought of this as a 1980s Weather Report – great compositions, great playing and great bass work from the legendary Gary Willis. Some of my own chops come…

John Patitucci – Bass A solo electric bass thing from John Patitucci’s 2015 ‘Brooklyn’ album. The tune is played on a six-string bass and is kind of two parts echoing back and fore, one part high up, the other low down, like a Jazz guitarist playing melodies and walking lines. The challenge here is the…

Ben Wolfe – Bass Another simple tune from the Marsalis stable, this is the complete Ben Wolfe part for the Billy Strayhorn tune ‘Midnight In Paris’ that is featured on the third of the seven-CD box set, ‘Live At The Village Vanguard’ that was released in 1999. The bass chair is shared on this set…

Nigel Price – Guitar This is Nigel’s romantic gesture for his wife on Valentine’s Day 2026. I am sure he slept in the spare room that night…. https://www.facebook.com/reel/967552879272616

Charlie Haden – Bass Another from the Master of Space, Charlie Haden. This is from another of the two records he did with John Scofield in the 1990s, this one from 1992’s ‘Grace Under Pressure’. The tune is called ‘Honest I Do’ (Soc’s wife names all of his tunes, apparently) and is a gentle waltz…

Charlie Haden – Bass Charlie Haden first made a name for himself as the bass player behind Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz innovations but went on to become one of the most musically rounded musicians to ever pick up the double bass. His CV includes everyone from Brecker and Metheny to Geri Allen, Keith Jarrett, Hank…