Jeff Berlin – Bass

The Marmite Maestro! Everybody has something to say about Jeff Berlin, especially Jeff Berlin! Whatever your thoughts on the man and his philosophies, you can’t deny his capabilities. There are some absolutely incredible moments in his catalogue but it is apparent that he has suffered from not having the backing of a major label. I sometimes think he would benefit from a tough producer to keep his worst excesses in check. His stuff can be deeply satisfying but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and his arrangements can be cerebral rather than emotional satisfying. Sometimes, it feels like music for the brain and not for the feet but, sometimes, that’s ok. There are some absolutely stunning tunes in there so it is worth scouring his catalogue for the diamonds.

This is the opening tunes from the 2008 Berlin album, ‘Aneurythms’. The track is called ‘Porky And Beans’ (JB likes his puns). It’s impossible to read so don’t try and play it cold – I don’t think anyone can pull this off without spending some time with it. There are chords that slide. This one took me days to get down and I am not entirely convinced but it had reached the point where I couldn’t see the wood for the trees. It’s one to mull over.

For the record, this is the ‘bass’ and I haven’t transcribed the distorted bass solo. I am scared of it!