Marc Johnson – Bass One of my ‘Mount Rushmore’ players, Marc Johnson first came to the attention of the Jazz universe through his work with the late pianist Bill Evans who he toured and recorded with for the last two years of his career (Evans passed away in 1980). He then worked with a comprehensive…

Jimmy Woode – Bass Woode was born September 23, 1926, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. His father, also named Jimmy Woode, was a music teacher and pianist who had played with Hot Lips Page. The younger Woode studied piano and bass in Boston at Boston University and at the Conservatory of Music, as well as at the Philadelphia Academy. He joined…

Jack Bruce – Bass Jack Bruce was one of those superb musicians who, whilst known primarily as a bass player and singer, could play a whole catalogue of instruments and had skills as an original arranger and composer that allowed him to move in any number of directions. His reputation also afforded him numerous opportunities…

Juanjo Puertas – Bass Someone asked for a transcription of this – it’s a YouTube video. I have absolutely no idea who it is, what it is or where it is. I don’t even know when it is. It’s just me ‘passing it on’.

Mick Hutton – Bass Classically trained on the piano, Hutton taught himself to play the bass, developing his own technique using three basic positions with the left hand coupled with three fingers on the right hand. He has been well known on the British jazz scene since 1980 and has toured extensively in Europe, Scandinavia,…

Reginald Veal – Bass Another cut from the 1993 masterpiece from the Wynton Marsalis Septet, ‘Citi Movement (Griot New York)’, this track always stood out to me but I hadn’t heard it for a while. As soon as I heard it again, I remembered the thrill of those first bass notes at the start of…

Will Lee – Bass Bob Mintzer’s Big Band charts are great for reading practice; they are clear, concise and have a internal logic that makes it relatively easy for the bass player who is reading the dots to put together a solid performance. This tune is the closing cut on the 2015 live album, ‘Get…

Unknown – Bass Can’t find the bass player on this one (it does help that most of the websites referencing this band are in Portuguese). A request from one of the forums, a simple tune from Samba Reggae legends Olodum. Very simple part for beginner readers. This one is all about the groove.

Geddy Lee – Bass It’s been an age since I posted some Geddy but I have just finished his biography ‘My ‘Effin Life’ and it sent me to the records (many of which I bought as they were released). This was certainly one that I bought the day it came out although it didn’t really…

Sam Jones – Bass Sam Jones was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States,[to a musical family. His father played piano and drums and his aunt played organ in church. In 1955, he moved to New York City and began his recording career with Tiny Bradshaw, before working with Bill Evans, Bobby Timmons, Les Jazz Modes, Kenny Dorham, Illinois Jacquet, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie (1958–59), and Thelonious Monk. He…