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jimmyj
Intermediate Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 184
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2010 - 12:15 am:   Edit Post

Hey no problem Rich. Funny story about the shirt. Makes me think more about International Laundry than anything else.
Jimmy J
djbass
New
Username: djbass

Post Number: 3
Registered: 2-2010
Posted on Sunday, May 02, 2010 - 8:06 pm:   Edit Post

Jimmy, I understand you were one of the first, if not THE first, professional to play the 5-string bass with the low B string. As I plunk along with my 4-string I am curious as to why you initially sought the extra bottom range, and whether the way you use it has evolved over the years?

BTW will we be seeing you on the road with James' Troubadour tour this summer?

Doc
jimmyj
Intermediate Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 185
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Sunday, May 02, 2010 - 9:48 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Doc,

Well, I was early to the low-b but probably not the first. The inspiration came from my dad's orchestral bass with its low-c extension and mechanical "fingers". We were also aware of 5-string orchestral basses - being used mostly in Europe at that time - and decided it would be simpler to try that then to add an extension to an electric bass. I had already discovered Alembic (owned a 4-string for about a year) so I knew we had the ultimate custom shop to build whatever we could think of.

It took a moment to get the hang of it but my use of the low string hasn't changed much. Back in the day it was odd to hear those extra notes and some engineers were actually afraid of them (!!) so I used them sparingly from the beginning.

There are plenty of amazing bassists "plunking away" on 4-strings so you shouldn't feel any pressure to move to 5 or 6. Only if you're curious.

Carole and James' Troubadour tour includes their original band members; Kunkel, Sklar & Kortchmar, plus a few extra players and singers. It should be a great show!

Jimmy J
zebadiah
New
Username: zebadiah

Post Number: 1
Registered: 5-2010
Posted on Monday, May 03, 2010 - 1:26 am:   Edit Post

Hey Jimmy,

Ok. Weird question ....but, You always seem so relaxed when you play and the feel of your groove is always so in the pocket. I was wondering if this was a conscious thing(staying physically relaxed) or if it just evolved that way. Over the years I have had problems getting things to settle in and not be on top, in particular playing 16th note grooves.....
Pheww. sorry to geeeek wayyyy out!!!
Peace and I have always loved your musicianship.

Zeb
jimmyj
Intermediate Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 186
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Monday, May 03, 2010 - 11:44 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Zeb,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your kind comments.

I owe any "pocket" to the great drummers I get to play with. I consider my own time to be rather bendy - with a tendency to be ahead rather than behind. (Zooming in on the ProTools screen can be quite depressing...) But my flexy-time might be why I get along with so many different drummers, I'm not trying to drive.

I remember somebody once suggesting that it's best to wait for the time to come by and just play along - try not to anticipate its arrival. That's about the only kind of advice I can think of.

I've been playing bass a long time and I don't get as nervous as I used to on the gig. I may be enjoying playing in a different way now that I'm older which might translate to "more relaxed".

But ... sometimes it's good if it all speeds up!

Thanks again,
Jimmy J
moonliner
Junior
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 25
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Thursday, May 06, 2010 - 1:58 am:   Edit Post

Hi Jimmy,

Relating to the previous question, I saw you perform with Alan Holdsworth in Seattle at a club called The Backstage in the early 80's. I had never heard you play before and was blown away by how calm/relaxed you seemed while playing such intense music. After the show I remember being a bit 'over eager' to ask you questions and gain some insight (I was on mushrooms and my quest seemed of the upmost importance). You were very friendly, polite, and patient and answered all my questions like a gentleman. It meant a lot to me that you took the time to talk. I still remember that night with much fondness.
Thanks for the chat way back then, and thank you for taking time to chat with club members now.
You are very much a class act. Bless you.

Keith

(Message edited by moonliner on May 06, 2010)
moonliner
Junior
Username: moonliner

Post Number: 26
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Thursday, May 06, 2010 - 2:04 am:   Edit Post

... double post, sorry

(Message edited by moonliner on May 06, 2010)
jimmyj
Intermediate Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 187
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Friday, May 07, 2010 - 3:12 pm:   Edit Post

Keith,

Thanks for the good story and the explanation of your state of mind at that moment! Ha! I have met many friendly and inspiring musicians over the years so I know how important that direct contact can be. And there's nothing secret about what I'm doing so I don't mind talking shop...

Cheers,
Jimmy J
gbulfon
New
Username: gbulfon

Post Number: 8
Registered: 4-2010
Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 10:14 am:   Edit Post

J, thanks for the insights you could dig out of your mind about the "Forty Reasons" session, and sorry for answering just now...very busy with my job lately...
Yes, the improvised sessions contained in that album are something very noticeable, the way they sound, as short snapshots of instant compositions.
Actually I remember they influenced me a lot, and with the band I had at that times we enjoyed a lot doing that sort of stuff: meeting on Sunday morning, play some stuff until lunch time, go and have a nice Italian lunch + wine, get back to the instrument, choose a random ironic title, press rec on the multitrack, play as if we all knew what we were going to do...
We ended up with a lot of "albums" just for ourselves, with a lot of random situations!
Luckily, we also ended up with a composition of mine, a lot Wackerman-oriented, with this strange title "Another Sunday" :-)
jakebass
Intermediate Member
Username: jakebass

Post Number: 113
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 2:42 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Jimmy, are you with Holdsworth in the uk in June? I have a gig in London on the 4th so I might make it to the late show, would be great to say hi if you're there.
Jake
jimmyj
Intermediate Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 190
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Thursday, May 13, 2010 - 2:44 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Jake,
Yes, Gary Husband and I should be making noise with Allan at Ronnie's on the 4th and 5th. Looks like the 2nd set is late too so come on by if you're around.
Jimmy J
souza_lima
New
Username: souza_lima

Post Number: 6
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Friday, May 14, 2010 - 1:03 pm:   Edit Post

Has anybody ever invited you to come to Brazil?
jimmyj
Intermediate Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 191
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 9:32 am:   Edit Post

Mario,

Thanks for the question. Allan's music has a limited audience - of mostly musicians - so touring with the band is a bit of a financial trick... (We do our best not to LOOSE money!) At one time the band could work its way across the US from town to town but now the clubs can't pay enough to support that kind of touring with this kind of music. He can do an east coast piece, or a west coast piece, or Japan, the EU, or the UK. But without the work of some dedicated music fans, including his manager and local jazz promoters, very little would happen.

I know there are Holdsworth fans everywhere and I really wish everybody could see the guy play live, at least once. I'm sure he has had offers from South America but so far the planets have not aligned correctly for it to come together. Hopefully someday soon.

Jimmy J
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 2609
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 11:41 am:   Edit Post

I'm really looking forward to seeing y'all in Glasgow next month. It's a pretty small venue but the vibe is aways there.

Graeme
djbass
New
Username: djbass

Post Number: 4
Registered: 2-2010
Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 8:31 am:   Edit Post

Hi Jimmy,
When you were learning to play, who were your favorite bassists? What was it about their styles that you dug?

Best,
Doc
jimmyj
Intermediate Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 199
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 9:54 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Doc,
The usual suspects for influences. My formative years were (a-hem) the late 60's - early 70's so it was a combo platter of McCartney, Stanley Clarke (his upright playing with RTF killed me), Chris Squire, then Jaco (killed me again), Anthony Jackson, etc... That was when jazz and rock were first "fusing" together so it was a pretty exciting and creative time. I feel fortunate to have see Weather Report live a few times as well as RTF and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Yummy!

Graeme, hope you're still free that night and can make the scene. That'd be great!
Jimmy J
to_81_0190
Intermediate Member
Username: to_81_0190

Post Number: 139
Registered: 5-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 1:30 am:   Edit Post

Hi Jimmy,
I found you will come to Japan in July. I reserved a ticket at Tokyo on 17th. Now I'm very exciting as UK guys.

Toshiaki
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 2615
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 1:33 am:   Edit Post

I'll definitely be there Jimmy. I've told the band not to book any replacement gigs that night. I'll probably be with Mike again (the tall american one). Give me a wave ;-)

Graeme
groovelines
Senior Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 590
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 8:03 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Jimmy,

Thanks for participating in the forum, it's a rare treat.

Could you tell how it was that you hooked up with Allan? Did he seek you out after Jeff's departure? Was he familiar with Flim and the BBs?

Thanks in advance,
Mike
jimmyj
Advanced Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 201
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Friday, May 28, 2010 - 10:09 pm:   Edit Post

Toshiaki, that's great, see you at STB 139.

Mike M, happy to be here. I had played with Chad in other musical situations so he was kind enough to put my name in when Allan was looking. I did my best to learn a couple tunes from the IOU album and went and played an afternoon at the Charvel guitar factory (if I remember correctly). I don't think Allan knew anything about my musical history, which was fine with me...

Jimmy J
groovelines
Senior Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 592
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 2:09 pm:   Edit Post

As in most things, it's who you know. I guess we should all thank Chad for that.
Thanks for the reply.

Alas, no tour dates for my part of the USA.

Mike
gbulfon
New
Username: gbulfon

Post Number: 9
Registered: 4-2010
Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 - 7:51 am:   Edit Post

Jimmy, just for the curious...what are the Allan/Chad songs you're more fond of? Which ones you like to play the most?
jimmyj
Advanced Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 202
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 1:20 pm:   Edit Post

Mike M, "who you know" sounds so political ... let's say "who you've played with". Ours is a word-of-mouth business and the more people you get to play with the more likely other interesting opportunities will present themselves. You never know what odd playing situation might lead to a great musical experience.

I don't know what town you're in but Allan, Chad and I do a Texas run every once in a while. Denton, Austin and Houston are regular stops.

Gabriele, good question but I have no favorite songs as such. I'm happy to play Cm7 for several hours with these guys - or the opposite, something like "Texas" (how's that for tying my post together?) which is one of Allan's longest chord sequences.

Jimmy J
groovelines
Senior Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 594
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2010 - 8:16 am:   Edit Post

Gotcha, I'm usually the last person in the room to get into political discussions.

I'll keep an eye out for a Denton show, that's relatively close as far as Texas highways go, I'm located "just" north of Dallas.
jakebass
Intermediate Member
Username: jakebass

Post Number: 114
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Saturday, June 05, 2010 - 4:46 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Guys, just a quick heads up to the uk Alembic brethren here, I saw Jimmy at Ronnie Scotts with Allan Holdsworth last night, the band was great and some of Allans compositions really shone. For me the ensemble playing is second to none, really great dynamically and filled with superb examples of Jimmy's masterful control of the entire range of his fab sounding Alembic. The music is not for the faint hearted, it's challenging and exciting at times but also very heartfelt, for me live is definitely the place to encounter Allans music.
I had a lovely chat with Jimmy afterwards he's a true gent, and for such a great player very humble.
I urge anyone to see this tour Allan is a special voice and Jimmy and Gary (Husband) clearly love to be up on stage with him
Jake
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 2620
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2010 - 12:38 pm:   Edit Post

I'm seeing them in Glasgow this coming friday. It looks like the last night of the tour so hopefully they'll be pulling out all the stops.

Graeme
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 2621
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2010 - 12:38 pm:   Edit Post

I'm seeing them in Glasgow this coming friday. It looks like the last night of the tour so hopefully they'll be pulling out all the stops.

Graeme
jos
Junior
Username: jos

Post Number: 30
Registered: 4-2009
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 5:08 am:   Edit Post

HI Graeme! Next time Jimmy comes to Glasgow I try to come over…never been in Glasgow and there can never bee too much of Jimmy’s bass playing!

Jan-Olof
jos
Junior
Username: jos

Post Number: 31
Registered: 4-2009
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 5:08 am:   Edit Post

HI Graeme! Next time Jimmy comes to Glasgow I try to come over…never been in Glasgow and there can never bee too much of Jimmy’s bass playing!

Jan-Olof
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 2622
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2010 - 5:13 am:   Edit Post

Hi Jan-Olof. Anytime you want to come over let me know. I'm sure we can find space for you to stay.

Graeme
jakebass
Intermediate Member
Username: jakebass

Post Number: 115
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 2:50 pm:   Edit Post

In a nice twist of fate I ended up seeing another show last night as Allan was in Cardiff (my hometown) and I was there too visiting my brother, so I had another treat. This time, despite a tough acoustic the guys played just as well but this time the crowd was more with the show which made for some really electrifying moments. I really enjoyed seeing the show for a second time as loads of it made more sense upon second hearing as there was more familiarity.
Thanks again to Jimmy :0)
Jake
jimmyj
Advanced Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 203
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 - 3:51 pm:   Edit Post

Jake, thanks for making the scene, twice! I'm glad we had a chance to meet and hang for a minute. Nice to connect with a few of the Alembic extended family!

Looking forward to seeing Graeme up North too. I hope we have some "stops" left to "pull out" as several nights of this in a row takes its toll on us old guys! Ha! But something musically interesting is bound to happen.

Jan-Olof, it would be nice if Allan could get to Finland someday but there are no plans to do so... Hope you can hear it live sometime, it's pretty interesting music.

Hey, is there an echo echo in here?

Jimmy J
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 2628
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 2:26 am:   Edit Post

Well what can I say? Friday's gig was astounding. Allan seemed very relaxed and his playing echo'd that - lots of ethereal, swirly stuff going on amongst the soloing - 'beautiful' was how mike put it and I have to agree. There were times when i lost myself just listening and judging by the expressions on Allan, Gary and Jimmy's faces I wasn't the only one. I've only ever seen Gary playing with level 42 (although I've heard plenty on record) so watching him on friday was an eye opener. He really is a monster on drums, his soloing in particular going off on tangents that seemed unexpected to his bandmates yet always coming back at the right time. And as for Jimmy Johnson, he made the most complicated playing seem effortless, locked in with the drums seamlessly and played the most amazing solos. In fact, he was so 'into' the music he had his eyes closed most of the night!
We got the chance for quite a lengthy conversation on a whole raft of different subjects and I was amazed at how humble all three musicians were - after the gig they all came out to chat with the fans - none of that 'I'm the big star' behaviour. All in all, a brilliant night and I can't wait for them to come back (big hint ;-)
We also bumped into John 'whitecloud' hughes at the gig. He's stopped posting here as he no longer has his persuader but he's fit and well and still playing (although they're on a break as his guitarist has injured his hand).
Most of my gig pictures are blurry as they'd banned flash photography but here's a nice one of Jimmy enjoying himself....

jimmy J

Graeme
jimmyj
Advanced Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 204
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 - 11:46 am:   Edit Post

Thanks for the kind words Graeme.

It was great to see jacko, mpisanek, white_cloud, colbassman, and jakebass on this trip - nice to put faces to these forum member names. I'm glad you were all able to come and hear the band, it's one of the funnest things I get to do (as you can see by my silly grin) and I think it's important to hear Allan's unique musical voice in person while he's still actively touring. As I always say, the music is not for everybody but this guy is a one-off and plays and writes like nobody else. Worth a listen at least.

Thanks again to all for the support.
Jimmy J
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 9398
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 - 1:30 pm:   Edit Post

Great review Graeme! And congrats Jimmy on what reports suggest has been a great tour!
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1985
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 - 11:37 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Jimmy, I know you don't use cabs or anything for your live sound but do you have any tips for getting the right sound in the studio?

I have my first studio session on Friday with a new band I've recently joined, and just wondered what is the best way of getting a good sound on to a recorded track?

At rehearsals and live I get most of my sound from my fingers and bass as I keep my rig settings close to flat. In the studio should I get the sound "I like" from my bass first and give that to the engineer or should I have the filters and volume fully open?

Any suggestions would be great. It's only a short 2 hour session to record and mix and so I will only be taking one bass. I'm more likely to be using my Elan which has the Europa electronics package as that's what I've been using at rehearsals. But I also have a SC Deluxe if you feel that is a better option.

Thanks Jimmy,

Jazzyvee
jimmyj
Advanced Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 205
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 - 8:10 am:   Edit Post

Hey Jazzy Vee,

The only way to go is to bring YOUR sound. It's the job of the engineer to capture it as YOU hear it. Most likely you will plug the bass straight into a DI box and then pass through to your amp. The engineer may also mic your amp and blend the two sounds together. Standard procedure for recording is to isolate things so your amp (and you) may end up in a closet and you will hear the rest of the band through headphones - although some guys do it like a live band setup... In any case, the sound can sometimes be a bit odd while playing but concentrate on what the whole band sounds like when they play it back through the speakers and then "trust" it.

As they're getting the bass sound you can ask them to record a few notes and go in and listen to it. Then YOU can decide if there is too much amp in the mix, if you want to open up the filters, etc...

Have fun man!!!

Jimmy J
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1986
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 - 11:54 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Jimmy, i appreciate your response & feel more relaxed about it now. :-)

Jazzyvee
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 2630
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Sunday, June 20, 2010 - 9:36 am:   Edit Post

Hey Jimmy - just thought I'd stoke your ego ;-) It's Father's day in the UK so i got to play holdsworth's 'Sand' at a listenable volume today. I just loved your solo on 'Pud Wud'. Having seen the band live now, I can just imagine the fun you must have had in the studio cutting these early albums. Interesting, even though Allan is using a synthaxe, his playing is unmistakeable. If I closed my eyes it sounded just like his steinberger playing from last week. Have to go - the sun is shining so I have to attend to my BBQ duties ;-)

All the best to everyone, everywhere from sunny (for a change) Scotland.

Graeme
white_cloud
New
Username: white_cloud

Post Number: 1
Registered: 6-2010
Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 2:36 am:   Edit Post

Hi guys. I had terminated my previous account here at the club because I had become concerned about the erratic & unreasonable behaviour of a certain individual (who shall remain nameless) who was severely hampering my enjoyment of hanging here!



Anyway I feel compelled to drop by to pay my highest regards to Jimmy J in relation to the Glasgow Ferry gig with Allan. I was lucky enough to spend a small ammount of time with Allan, Gary & Jimmy on the night and believe me this was a real special occaision for me as I have been a big AH fan since the early 1980's & have been inspred by his music more than any other artist! Its no secret around these parts that I consider Allan to be the finest exponant of the electric guitar alive & finally witnessing him playing with Jimmy has kind of made my life complete now lol! Mention must go to Gary too, I have always considered Chad to be my favourite AH drummer - but Gary totally nailed it & was so "on the money" it was unreal!

I agree with Graeme above, at times the music seemed to enter into the realms of another dimension - I found it hard to take in the sheer magnificence of it all. Jimmy, it was an honour to meet you. Your tone was incredible & your playing was inspirational - but above all of that your quality as a human being shone above all else after the show. It is rare to meet the combination of taste, talent & self depreciating humility in a person.

I hope we can meet again sometime. It was a pleasure to be savoured.

John.

(Message edited by white cloud on June 21, 2010)
jimmyj
Advanced Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 206
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 9:29 am:   Edit Post

Graeme,
Thanks for that. The records were always interesting experiences. Sometimes I wish I had been able to spend more time on things or simply possessed a deeper understanding of the harmony, but all in all I'm very proud to have been a part of this unique music over the years. I agree that Allan's voice on the SynthAxe is also identifiable, as is his short violin solo on the original I.O.U. record. It seems the instrument doesn't matter for him ... which is rather astounding.

John,
Thanks for making the effort to come back in and post that kind review. I'm glad you enjoyed the evening as much as I did! Allan is indeed an inspirational musician, one of those rare individuals who changed our understanding of what his instrument(s) can do. Glad you were able to come to that gig. I hope we can get back over your way again soon.

Jimmy J

(Message edited by jimmyj on June 21, 2010)
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1994
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 10:50 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Jimmy, I took your advice and gave the engineer the sound I wanted and he was completely happy with that. I didn't get a chance to hear any of the playbacks because of tight time constraints and other "issues". But without going into too much boring detail, it was a memorable experience however not for good reasons but from a cascade of bad vibes, wasting of time and terrible unbalanced and distorted headphone mixes.
Let's hope next time is more rewarding.

One good thing though, It will be interesting, to hear the playbacks if for no other reason than to get an idea of how my bass sounds when recorded in a studio.

Life goes on.... :-)

Jazzyvee.
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 665
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 11:53 pm:   Edit Post

Boy, am I sorry to hear that! It's always a drag when things go like that. In this day and age, there's no real excuse for unbalanced and distorted headphone mixes. While I've never had the chance to work in the best of studios, I'd done lots of recording in various local studios and have done quite a bit of engineering (in fact, I run a location recording service, so if anyone needs gigs recorded in Colorado, get in touch for an Alembic forum discount!). Getting together gain structure and learning how to make good headphone mixes should be the first thing an engineer should learn.

I hope that doesn't turn you off studio work! One thing that might help mitigate these issues in the future is something like the Raven Labs headphone amp that allows you to mix in your bass with the mix that the engineer gives you and at least control what you hear of yourself. The Raven Labs is discontinued but there are other products like that or even a small mixer with a headphone out will do the trick along.
djbass
New
Username: djbass

Post Number: 5
Registered: 2-2010
Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - 12:40 pm:   Edit Post

Along the line of outboard preamps, does anyone have experience with the Sadowsky bass preamp/DI box? Sounds like its good at boosting passive pickup instruments but it's pricey at $240 and I'm wondering if it's worth it to punch up my old Gibson EB3 and Fender Jazz. It would probably be sacrilege (not to mention unnecessary) to try to run an Alembic through it.
funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member
Username: funkyjazzjunky

Post Number: 583
Registered: 5-2007
Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - 1:51 pm:   Edit Post

I use it to improve the sound of a Carvin 6 string in passive mode and love it. A friend is using it with his Ken Smith & Roscoe basses
jimmyj
Advanced Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 207
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - 12:10 am:   Edit Post

Jazzy Vee,

Sorry to hear the experience wasn't a more enjoyable one. Sometimes sessions can be like that and it takes a lot of effort to make music amidst the chaos... Not much fun at all.

The cue mix (or foldback) is often a compromise, especially if everybody has to share the same mix. For instance, the drummer will not want as much drums in the headphones as the bass player will, especially if they're in different rooms. Some of the great rooms here in LA have small self-mixers so you can dial up what you specifically need to hear.

At least the engineer liked your sound!! Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised when you hear the final product.

And I'm sure your next session will be more fun!

Jimmy J
davidp158
New
Username: davidp158

Post Number: 1
Registered: 6-2010
Posted on Friday, June 25, 2010 - 12:48 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Jimmy. I'm a new forum member, and this is my first post. Some of this may have already been discussed, and I will search & read your posts.

The Flim & the BB's recordings were the first time I heard you, and both your playing and that music made a huge impression on me. The recordings have held up well over time, and I still listen to them often. I regret never seeing the BB's perform, so the Larry Hutcherson's youtube videos of a BB's show at the World Theater are pretty cool. (Billy's vintage computers on stage crack me up.) Has the BB's ever re-united for shows or recordings?

I was fortunate to see you perform with Alan four times, and once with James Taylor. You appear on many CDs I have by other artists. The diversity and caliber of musicians you work with must be very gratifying. Do you find the lower stage volume of a JT gig liberating, compared to the intensity of Alan's gigs? Any thoughts on how to retain bass clarity in a loud mix?

Thanks for your contribution to music, and I look forward to hearing you often.
jimmyj
Advanced Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 208
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2010 - 11:22 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Dave,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the comments.

Glad you enjoy the BB's stuff. That was a long time ago (as Barber's "modern" computer proves) and although some of it makes me cringe a bit there were some nice musical and "sonic" moments scattered throughout those projects. (Sorry if I'm repeating myself here but this IS too long a thread to reread. HA!) The BB's was always just a project band and only played a handful of live shows. After our two-record experience with Warner Brothers in 1990 we all went our separate ways and haven't done any further projects together. Everybody is still playing, just not with each other.

I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to play with so many great musicians and some of my musical heros. Sure has been fun so far!

The in-ear monitors available today have come a long way in sound quality since when they were first introduced. I enjoy using them in the JT situation as they allow me to set up a great "headphone" mix which barely changes from venue to venue. It helps me concentrate on the task at hand and not be distracted by an echoey arena or a dry outdoor gig. But standing next to Chad or Gary in Allan's band is also a real blast so I can't say I prefer one situation over the other. I do wear ear-plugs on Allan's gig.

Not sure what you're asking about the mix but we're usually counting on the house sound guy to get the big tone out there...

Thanks again,
Jimmy J
pace
Senior Member
Username: pace

Post Number: 573
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Monday, June 28, 2010 - 1:52 pm:   Edit Post

Jimmy,

I was hoping to touch base with you regarding Allan's September East Coast tour.... If/when you get a chance, shoot me an e-mail (in my profile).

thanks,
-Mike
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 1415
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 - 11:52 pm:   Edit Post

So Jimmy, did you ever do any sides with Messrs. Becker and Fagen? If you did, did you meet Hoops McCann or the Babylon Sisters?

J o e y

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