Ray Brown – Bass Until I researched the matter for this post, I hadn’t realised how prolific Ray Brown was. Did you know he has recorded 69 albums as a leader/co=leader? I know him primarily as THE bass player for a significant part of the history of the Oscar Peterson Trio (Brown recorded no less…

Martin Turner – Bass I actually bought that edition of Beat Instrumental when it was published. That’s brought back some memories. It was a great magazine back in the day. I always wanted to like Wishbone Ash and there are definitely some tracks of theirs that I liked but they weren’t really heavy enough for…

Jeff Berlin – Bass As much as I would love to be able to say that I have transcribed everything JB has recorded, his chordal stuff is very hard to ‘find’, especially when it is accompaniment and not just performed solo (and is is damn hard then). So a ‘complete’ Jeff Berlin thing is unlikely…

Dave Holland – Bass The 1993 Joe Henderson album, ‘So Near, So Far’ was a tribute to the then recently deceased Miles Davis and it remains one of my most listened to albums (my original copy was on cassette!!). I think know almost every note of every solo by all of them. All of the…

Jean-Jacques Burnel – Bass There cannot be anything less ‘Punk’ that a bass transcription! I have to say, I was 13 in 1976 when Punk appeared in the UK and I HATED it. I was not far into my musical life having only got my first guitar at age 12 but I was already enjoying…

Anthony Jackson – Contrabass Guitar I SO what that bass…. They say that Anthony Jackson invented the Contrabass Guitar via a conversation with luthier Carl Thompson. I don’t think that is strictly true but there is plenty of evidence that AJ has been at the forefront of the development of the instrument over the last…

Francisco Centeno, Hansford Rowe and Neil Jason My older brother is a massive Mike Oldfield fan and, consequently, I made it my business NOT to like him (not heavy enough for me when was a kid). Nevertheless, I have grown to love a few of his albums as much for the production as the material.…

Ruben Rodriguez – Bass Ruben Rodriguez was born in New York City and grew up in East Harlem and Puerto Rico. He has been recognized as one of the best and hardest working Latin music bass players in the United States. Mr. Rodriguez, who’s father played classical guitar, taught himself the bass in Junior High…

Geddy Lee – Bass I bought this album the day it came out. On vinyl. I have to say, I was starting to lose interest in Rush at the time. Since the previous album, Signals, I was increasingly suspicious of their move towards a more commercial ‘Police/White Reggae (it was a thing)’ sound and shorter…

Will Lee – Bass The most astonishing CV in bass history. Ask yourself this question: can he read music? I rest my case. Amongst the gazillion albums he has recorded was a delightful session led by vibraphonist Gary Burton called ‘Reunion’. The reunion he was referring to was in light of the fact that guitarist…