| Author | Message | ||
| jcdlc72
Intermediate Member Username: jcdlc72 Post Number: 140 Registered: 11-2009 |
In fact: http://www.jamestaylorquartet.co.uk/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&idr&Itemida&lang=en There are the Blue Note Milan dates for the James Taylor Quartet | ||
| gbulfon
Junior Username: gbulfon Post Number: 36 Registered: 4-2010 |
LOL oh my god!! double mistake!! LOL | ||
| afrankie
Junior Username: afrankie Post Number: 13 Registered: 6-2011 |
Ahahahahahah Jimmy too many James Taylor 'round Milan, may be this one is interesting like the other... we'll listen tonite. see you soon in Milan Bye Franco | ||
| jakebass
Intermediate Member Username: jakebass Post Number: 127 Registered: 7-2007 |
This is funny, I know the bass player and drummer in the JTQ, I can reliably inform you they are an entirely different outfit from James Taylor singer songwriter, they hail from London and play funky organ music... | ||
| afrankie
Junior Username: afrankie Post Number: 14 Registered: 6-2011 |
Now I know  JTQ are very cool! Great nite of funk yesterday bass and drums burnt... | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 348 Registered: 8-2008 |
Alright Franco! Glad you had a good "accidental" musical experience. I'm not surprised to hear that Jake knows ALL the James Taylor's bass players. HA! Jimmy J | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2778 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi Jimmy, a slight digression if I may. I was wondering if you have only owned the series bass models from Alembic. Have you ever tried or owned any of the other basses in the alembic range?, if so which models and what was your view, if not, why not? Sorry to put you on the spot. I'm just curious. Jazzyvee | ||
| jakebass
Intermediate Member Username: jakebass Post Number: 128 Registered: 7-2007 |
;0) @ Jimmy, and a privilege it is too...! @ Franco, Andy McKinney and Pat Illingworth are both great players, I regularly gig with Pat in London, we go back many years. Glad you enjoyed their show, I'm sure the JT band will knock your socks off too... Jake | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 351 Registered: 8-2008 |
Hey Jazzyvee. No spot putting at all, my pleasure. We're here to talk gear! My first Alembic was a 4-string Series I which I must have bought around 1974? I can't remember what became of that bass but in '76 my first 5-string appeared, also a Series I. I don't think there were any other models in those days. I added a 5-string fretless Series I in 1980 and had a second one built in '82. Then in late '87 my main bass was stolen out of a van while on the road. By that time Alembic were making a couple different models. I found a 5-string Persuader for sale at one of the shops on 48th street in NYC and bought it as a temporary bass until I could have a replacement built. I guess I lucked out, there must have been a similar instrument already in the pipeline at Alembic because my replacement is an '87 series II which has served as my main studio bass since that time. Unless I have my dates wrong that bass only took a couple months to build - which is unheard of! I never wanted to go through THAT experience again so I needed a backup axe. I got inspired and ordered TWO basses which appeared in '89 - one of which is now my main touring bass and the other a backup to the backup and mostly for practicing (I know, that's just nutty). One of those two '89s may have started as a fretless but in the end became a fretted like it's brother. I think I even tried to sell one at one point but I can't remember the details. It seems that once I get a piece of gear that does what I want, I stick with it. I've not seriously tried any of the other models because I'm so stuck on the Series electronics and sound. My amps, rack rigs and studio rig are all set up to work with these basses. I wouldn't know what to do with a 1/4 inch guitar cable. (Are those still curly?) Ha! I admire guys who have a wide palate of tones from different basses, pedal effects, amp tones, etc.. I'm just not one of those guys. Sorry for the long ramble. Can you tell I'm in a hotel? Jimmy J | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 1733 Registered: 2-2005 |
Hey the hotel aught to be better than the bus. At least you'll get a little sleep tonight. ;-) Keith | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2779 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks Jimmy for taking the time out to reply. it's pretty clear from your reply that you are a series man all the way through. Although I have a number of non series Alembic basses which all sound great. I've had that yearning for a Series bass and recently bought a Series II 5 string from a forum member here but have yet to get my hands on it. If all goes to plan I will be collecting it from Alembic sometime in April. Having never played one before i'm not sure what to expect. As for the sound, yours is the only Series II bass I've ever heard so I probably should do some research on your back catalogue for some sound references. I have a number of Allan Holdsworth albums that were given to me by a former guitarist friend of mine so I guess you must be on some of them. Are there any that you could recommend for Series II tone references? Thanks again and all the best with the tour. Jazzyvee | ||
| jseitang
Advanced Member Username: jseitang Post Number: 311 Registered: 6-2002 |
check out arrowhead. it was an album that wayne johnson put his trio, with jimmy and bill berg on bass and drums... Jimy | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 3102 Registered: 10-2002 |
Jazzy... I can recommend 'Sand' and 'Secrets' for some really tasty bass playing. However, I'd also suggest you listen to some of Jimmy's playing on the later James taylor albums; Hourglass, New Moonshine and October road. Jimmy... Any sign of James bringing out an album of new material any time soon? Graeme | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 352 Registered: 8-2008 |
Thanks Jimy & Graeme for jumping in, I never know what to suggest when asked that question. Since we're talking about sound I will tell a detail that could only be appreciated by folks in here... On the Holdsworth records and the ancient Flim & The BB's stuff I recorded the Series basses in stereo - separate tracks for each pickup - and then panned them ever so slightly left and right. Since my pickup balance is more bridge pu than neck pu, the pan pots end up around 11 for the bridge and 2 for the neck on the clock face. The result appears to be mono, even in headphones, but it's not. What happens is a bit more openness and some overtones that get cancelled when summed to mono are allowed to pass. An already large sound becomes even wider. (Cue the diabolical laughter: boohoohahaha!) Also back in the day I often used a chorus (on the bridge pu only) when soloing so you'll hear that in some of the above examples. I still dig the tone after all these years. And as we say over here; "your mileage may vary"... Everybody gets a different sound just based on their hands, so... Thanks all, Jimmy J | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 353 Registered: 8-2008 |
Oh Graeme, your other question. We cut some demo things about 2 years ago, just JT, Gadd and I. Eight little groove ideas that he'd come up with which are the seeds of new tunes. I don't think he has found the time to work further on these yet and I think he's shooting for fall of this year to get back to it. I hope so, it's been quite a while and we'd all love to hear something new from the guy. It will happen when it happens. Jimmy J | ||
| mario_farufyno
Senior Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 758 Registered: 9-2008 |
Great tip Jimmy! | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 3103 Registered: 10-2002 |
Thanks for that Jimmy. Another reason for me to look forward to 'Fall' :-) And, it looks like Jazzy is going to have to build a stereo rig. Hope he can fit it all in his Smart car! hah! graeme | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2781 Registered: 6-2002 |
Yes We Can.... :-) http://alembic.com/club/messages/394/70265.html?1262842514 Jazzyvee | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 1452 Registered: 11-2004 |
Jazzy- I'd also recommend the James Taylor concert recorded at the Beacon Theatre. It's a pretty impressive performance (by everyone up there on stage) and is a great sounding DVD. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 3104 Registered: 10-2002 |
a pretty cool video of James' rehearsals has been posted on youtube. Graeme | ||
| jseitang
Advanced Member Username: jseitang Post Number: 312 Registered: 6-2002 |
that tip from you jimmy, is awesome! super subtle but i now understand how that fundamental is achieved in those recordings! did you do that with the wayne johnson stuff too? i always wondered, some of the fretless sounds on the arrowhead album like on the cut " mole the viber" has almost some fretted and fretless tracked together or you use the for separate parts?? | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2782 Registered: 6-2002 |
Ok I had a look through my iTunes collection and it seems I have a james Taylor album called Hourglass. It must have been in the cd's I got from a guitarist friend of mine a few years back and never realised when copying everything to iTunes so I will give that a listen today. Jazzyvee | ||
| tmimichael
Junior Username: tmimichael Post Number: 39 Registered: 3-2010 |
Jimmy... First post to you, so hello! AND, thank you for your input, ideas and such consistent friendship with everyone who calls themselves family on this site. I have been amazed since I began reading (and posting) on the club site, that you take time from your obviously hectic schedule to stay in touch with everyone who follows you in your career. So I'm posting in reference to your comments about recording in stereo, and with the chorus on one pickup. I've been thinking about a similar rig for our live gigs, because I run direct into the PA from my amp on stage. The PA is set up in stereo, but most everything is panned straight up so it is in effect a mono system. I thought running my Series II in stereo, with a chorus on the bridge PU (and maybe a low octave sometimes on the neck PU) would sound great out front. Have you had an opportunity to try running in stereo out front? THANKS! Michael | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 354 Registered: 8-2008 |
Hey Michael, welcome to the forum and thanks for the kind words. I've never thought about doing it in the PA but you could. I guess the thing about that is that the folks standing over near the left side would hear a different balance of your bass and effects than folks on the right side of the room. For recordings you assume listeners will be able to hear both speakers at once. (It's always funny when you're in a restaurant and can only hear the right channel of the radio when a song like "All My Lovin" comes on and all you get is vocals.) What I describe above is pretty subtle anyway. My ultimate version of the chorus on the bridge pu was when I used an ADA Stereo Tapped Delay, had it set to only pass the "wet" signal only, and summed the L&R outputs with the unaffected bass. When I turned it on the direct bass signal did not change, only the chorused returns were added to the signal. Worked great! You know, there are no rules for this stuff so if you think of something that might be cool just try it! Jimmy J | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1822 Registered: 9-2002 |
So like the 'Today' show, 'Where In the World is Jimmy Johnson?' You said you were in a hotel, who are you out with right now? Or are you sequestered in an 'secure undisclosed location'? Hope it's all going well and you can get home before long ! Jimmy, what about compression? What do you like, what do you think about it, recording and live? All the Best, J o e y | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 3105 Registered: 10-2002 |
Good question Joey. I've just bought a second hand rack mount compressor to slot between my pre and power amps in an attempt to tighten up the bottom end a bit so I'd value anyone's insights. - No hurry though - this thing has 8 knobs, 8 buttons and 30 LEDs per channel so it's going to take me a while to figure out how it works :-) Graeme | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 355 Registered: 8-2008 |
J o e y, In Italy this month with James Taylor and a small band; just Steve Gadd, Jeff Babko (to be "traded" for Larry Goldings in 10 days), and me. I can't complain about being away from home when THIS is what I get to do! Even the wife agrees. (Luckily!) Good question about compression. I generally don't like it in a live context, preferring to have all the dynamics available to my fingers. I like the note to have a shape to it, think piano string or even upright bass. Even with the sustain these basses have the note still has a natural decay. If you compress that out I miss it. I've been in clubs where the FOH guy will squash the daylights out of it and when the ballad comes up your bass is blasting away at the same volume as the previous metal song. OK, so maybe those two musical extremes never go together, but you know what I mean. But a recording engineer can do wonderful things with this audio tool. It's almost hard-wired to the bass channel in many studios. Maybe the best sound I've ever heard was running through a Neve 1073 pre and a UA LA-2A compressor - not doing too much compressing / limiting, but that combination made the bass sound amazing, in my opinion. You've jogged my memory - I once owned two Inovonics compressors as part of my LARGE live rig. They were in the audio signal path but in fact NOT doing any compressing. I just liked what they did to the tone. In the end, it was probably the input transformers that I was digging and not the actual processing. HA! So I don't know enough about compressor / limiters to really know what I'm talking about. I'd be interested to hear how you guys use them. thanks, Jimmy J | ||
| mario_farufyno
Senior Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 760 Registered: 9-2008 |
I prefer using it in parallel with main signal (running through a bus). That way I can mix it to the clean signal to taste, what gives me any pressure increase I may need while preserves the original transientes of the bass. But compressing always changes something in Tone and Shape. I avoid heavy compression, even in that "new york" fashion... | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1823 Registered: 9-2002 |
You know you've got it made when your wife trusts you in Italy with three other musicians, bella fortuna and Ciao, JJ ! J o e y | ||
| tmimichael
Junior Username: tmimichael Post Number: 40 Registered: 3-2010 |
Jimmy…that’s an excellent point, that people on one side will miss the other PU…(funny you mentioned “All My Lovin’”…we actually do that song!). I know the bass already sounds amazing out front (much better than my playing!)….I guess my case of G.A.S. got the best of me! Maybe I should just go practice more!! LOL Thanks again…great to hear from you! Michael P.S. Let me know if/when you tour through Colorado...I'd love to come out and catch you playing! | ||
| artswork99
Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 1681 Registered: 7-2007 |
Here was some discussion on compression that was helpful. | ||
| gbulfon
Junior Username: gbulfon Post Number: 37 Registered: 4-2010 |
....Scaraboro!!....I know it was you!!!.....Harp soloing.....you......Shit! ;) | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 357 Registered: 8-2008 |
Hey thanks for all the stuff on compressor / limiters, that's good info. And oddly, I am uninterested in pursuing it any further. As I said, for the amp rig I really prefer to have the full dynamic range available. And in the studio it seems this is where I draw the line and turn the trust over to the engineer. I go as far as bringing my own DI box and then I leave the rest to them. Great explanations though. The parallel processing is an interesting twist too. So thanks for all that. Gabriele, Sorry, I don't understand your latest post... Or maybe you're responding to somebody else? Jimmy J | ||
| afrankie
Junior Username: afrankie Post Number: 15 Registered: 6-2011 |
Tnx for yesterday Jimmy, great show. I forgot to ask you... the red box in front of you? Is it your DI connector to the PA or any else? F | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 358 Registered: 8-2008 |
Hey Franco, Good to see you last night, thanks for coming. Yes, that's the small rig I put together for this EU trip with a REDDI, a headphone amp for my in-ear monitors, and a tuner, all with voltage selectable power supplies. It's a bit homemade looking but it's working! I'll try to post a pic in the next few days. Jimmy J | ||
| gbulfon
Junior Username: gbulfon Post Number: 38 Registered: 4-2010 |
Hi J, sorry, I could not make it last friday with Franco, it would have been so great to share some time with you all. About my latest post.....I just happened to listen to Billy Childs Chamber Jazz Vol.1 , and I liked expecially that version Scaraborough Fair, with a real harp soloing over your bass, and you're totally amazing as always even in that context. Gabriele. | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 359 Registered: 8-2008 |
Aha! Thanks for explaining Gabriele, now I understand. Yes, Childs is another crazy composer and player I've had the pleasure of working with on and off for years. He has a strong left hand and tends to write some difficult unison bass lines. Challenging music for the whole band! Franco said you two may get to LA again this year so maybe I'll see you at the Potato again. Oh, have I ever shown you guys my Series Umbrella? Sadly, no LEDs. HA! Jimmy J  | ||
| artswork99
Moderator Username: artswork99 Post Number: 1693 Registered: 7-2007 |
So is it more than just an umbrella ;) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 10602 Registered: 5-2002 |
I can see how plugging that into your bass would help if you prefer a dry signal for recording. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 753 Registered: 5-2007 |
I cannot tell you how many great tips I pick up from you guys | ||
| byoung
Senior Member Username: byoung Post Number: 1346 Registered: 12-2004 |
Yes, I could see how it might open up your soundstage. You could play Bumbershoot in Seattle with it, for sure. | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 360 Registered: 8-2008 |
I knew that would elicit some good comments. Very funny! I guess since it's a male connector it works best when plugged into the DS-5. But the unit has to be standing on edge in order to keep it dry, somewhat impractical. I know, silly, but it was the first thing that came to mind when the umbrella's original handle broke off. Ha! Jimmy J | ||
| schmaltzman
New Username: schmaltzman Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2012 |
Hi Jimmyj, I've been trying to get a hold of you in regards to the "Funhouse" Paul Pschmaltz@gmail.com | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 366 Registered: 8-2008 |
Hey Paul, welcome to the forum. You mean the BB's song "Funhouse"? Are you wondering about the effect on the bass? It's a delay with only one return - no regeneration - and if I remember correctly it's set for a value of 2-eighth notes even though the song is a shuffle and so based on 3-eighth notes. Make sense? It's a fun effect to play around with. ... Or maybe you're taking about something completely different? I'm triple-guessing! Jimmy J | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 368 Registered: 8-2008 |
This is pretty funny... The Paul who posted above wanted to know about using that song (which I neither wrote nor hold the publishing for) in some sort of film. So my guesses about his question were WAY off. Ha! Oh well... Jimmy J | ||
| rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 474 Registered: 2-2011 |
Jimmy, I'm going to visit my son in Hollywood this weekend who lives right down the street from The Baked Potato, wish you were playing! | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 369 Registered: 8-2008 |
Rusty, Have a good visit. The band playing Saturday at the Spud could be pretty interesting. Might be worth just seeing the place for the history. And the potatoes are good too. Bring ear plugs, it gets loud. So, even sillier about the above exchange with Paul, I wasn't describing the right track... Hey, it was a long time ago! The song he's interested in was all the keyboard player and his sequencer, I didn't even play on it. Complete subject derailment! Ha! Jimmy J | ||
| rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 475 Registered: 2-2011 |
Thanks Jimmy! I told my wife I want to at least go by & take a picture in front, but hopefully I can talk her & my son into eating there & checking out the band. | ||
| jos
Member Username: jos Post Number: 56 Registered: 4-2009 |
Here is a bass solo by Jimmy Johnson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q47EgY884z0&feature=related the world needs more of Jimmy Johnson! Jimmy can you please put a group together like Flim & BB`s? The James Taylor thing is GREAT really great music, but we need more of Jimmy!! J-O-S | ||
| jimmyj
Advanced Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 370 Registered: 8-2008 |
Jan-Olof, thanks for the kind words. Hearing myself try to solo live (or even worse, seeing myself) always makes me cringe. Probably because I can tell what I was attempting to play and not quite reaching. Oh well, it doesn't stop me from trying again the next time. And the more times I try the more chance that something interesting might happen. HA! You know, I also really enjoy being "support only" guy for music that I believe in, like in the James Taylor situation. That is a different kind of discipline and for me it's equally rewarding work. Now I'd better go practice! Jimmy J |
