Bliss by Harry Bliss for September 24, 2024

They are very entertaining.

Paradoxically, this inane question begs a moment of silence for Scott LaFaro and what might have followed Debby’s waltz.

William Parker & Tatsu Aoki & Kent Kessler make it worth waking up in the morning.

They’re awesome.

Appreciate the bass! They anchor the rhythm and add lots of colour when the leader throws them a solo. One of the greatest jazz bass solos I ever saw was at a tribute to Larry Crawford, where a band from California was doing a set, and when the bass player’s solo started (it was a 6-string, fretless electric bass), the band left the stage and sat in the audience while this guy wailed for something like a full 5 minutes. Incredible.

As for myself, I play an upright acoustic…washtub.

As a jazz lover, I often play it streaming. Whenever I’m in the next room and I think the stream has suddenly stopped and I need to go restart it, I discover that it’s just in a bass solo.

I had the honor and privilege of meeting the late, great bassist Milt Hinton when I produced a TV interview with him back in the 90s. He talked about working with Jelly Roll Morton, and then later with Dizzy Gillespie, and how they would go up on the roof of MInton’s after it closed and, together, they’d work out the structures, riffs, and progressions that became bebop.

If you don’t understand, I can’t tell you.

Charles Mingus died for our sins

That’s too bad. I’ve always enjoyed Bliss, but how can I respect that question?

I will answer your question with homework. Here is a bucket list.

It’s jazz, man. It’s jazz.

They’re downright good!

To those who understand, no explanation is necessary. To those who do not, none is possible.

If you know, you know. Otherwise, I feel for you.

If you can’t handle Minton, Hingus or Spaulding then there is much more jazz you could listen to.

At least put a mic on it… and include Charlie Mingus!

Everybody gets a turn. Even the guy with the whoopie whistle!

I couldn’t tell you….haven been in a jazz club for decades, now!

Is there such a thing as jazz banjo?

I love a good upright bass solo, as long as it’s not too long. Same goes for drum solos. A guitar or piano solo can go on quite awhile if they’re creative and don’t just repeat a riff ad nauseam.

I love bass solos. Ever since I sang bass in the high school chorus I’ve thought in bass lines.

They can be pure bliss.

Tempo