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karl
Intermediate Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 177
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Monday, November 15, 2010 - 4:00 pm:   Edit Post

Here's a clip of my fusion band, Earthship, playing a version of Billy Cobham's Stratus, out in a tiny little pub on the west coast of Ireland. The clientele was in two minds - 50% locals, 50% blow-in hippies. The locals didn't know what they were hearing, and the hippies couldn't believe their luck. Great night all round! :-) Don't know where I thought my bass solo was going though - I'd had a few too many whiskeys by that point of the show ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GreKZmAIxyo
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 9841
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, November 15, 2010 - 4:34 pm:   Edit Post

That was great! Stratus is a cool tune!
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 1388
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Monday, November 15, 2010 - 4:42 pm:   Edit Post

YES ! I like the way that you guys groove on this ! Cool !
tbrannon
Senior Member
Username: tbrannon

Post Number: 1255
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Monday, November 15, 2010 - 8:51 pm:   Edit Post

Killer groove.... I loved it!
alemboid
Intermediate Member
Username: alemboid

Post Number: 128
Registered: 5-2003
Posted on Monday, November 15, 2010 - 9:51 pm:   Edit Post

Love it! Nice pocket! Sorry I wasn't there!
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 2232
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, November 15, 2010 - 11:35 pm:   Edit Post

Good track Karl, it's one I also do in my band. I've only heard the version on the Stanley Clarke & Friends "Live at the greek" album so that's the version we base ours on. Which Billy Cobham album is that track from originally?

let me know when you guys are gigging up near the midlands.
jazzyvee
karl
Intermediate Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 178
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 - 3:48 am:   Edit Post

Thanks for the nice comments, guys! Much appreciated!

And to jazzyvee - heh, the 'Live At The Greek' version is the only one I've heard, too! Our keyboard player is the real Cobham freak, so I'll have to find out from him which album the track is originally from. Not that it matters much to the way we play it - once we've played the head a couple of times, anything can happen, and it's different every time, depending on how the room is reacting. We like to keep it spontaneous!

And I don't suppose we'll be over in the midlands anytime soon, I'm afraid. I live out here in Ireland now - but if you know of any jazz festivals over near you that might be willing to take a punt on a bunch of Irish jazz-funkers, let me know! :-)
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 9845
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 - 6:52 am:   Edit Post

Jazzyvee; it's on Spectrum, Cobham's first solo album.
groovelines
Senior Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 635
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 8:55 am:   Edit Post

The whole album is worth a listen; great music performed by noteworthy musicians. Stratus has an infectious groove. Loved the performance.
pierreyves
Senior Member
Username: pierreyves

Post Number: 710
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 1:12 pm:   Edit Post

great grove, thank for sharing, nice, nice !!!
slawie
Advanced Member
Username: slawie

Post Number: 280
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 1:35 pm:   Edit Post

Congrats Karl.
Great groove I like your playing
Really nice sound
It is pretty amazing sound/mix for a videorecorder mic!!!!
The band is tight.

I enjoyed the whole 10 minutes.

slawie
karl
Advanced Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 202
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2012 - 11:09 am:   Edit Post

I've already posted this as an audio file over in the 'Miscellaneous' section, but thought I'd also post the video here, for those who like to look at basses (which is pretty much all of us here, I'd imagine!). Here's my solo funk bass arrangement of the Beatles' 'Come Together', played on my '93 Stanley Clarke Deluxe:

http://youtu.be/i9NNfDbxjP4

Hope you enjoy - as ever, feel free to share it if you like it.
tncaveman
Member
Username: tncaveman

Post Number: 66
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 - 7:06 pm:   Edit Post

WOW Karl - I was listening to Earthship in my truck today - I'm so glad you posted up the EP and the video. Love it - it would be so cool to meet up if you guys ever came to the states. Keep recording and playing.

Stephen (a fan from the states)
pierreyves
Senior Member
Username: pierreyves

Post Number: 1034
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2012 - 7:36 am:   Edit Post

WAAAWWW put on my favorites !! great playing and sensitivity and creativity and... and... Congratulations !
What is your drum machine ?
karl
Advanced Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 204
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 - 10:47 am:   Edit Post

Here's another little vid, for those that are interested ... not an Alembic this time, though, I'm afraid. I did this with my Status Kingbass, and it's a solo bass arrangement of The Average White Band's 'Put It Where You Want It': http://youtu.be/zrp88fOgqF8

Enjoy!

K.
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 2804
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 - 1:05 pm:   Edit Post

Nice Playing as usual Karl. I thought that song was written by Joe Sample. I'm sure I have a version with the Crusaders Playing it from way back.

Jazzyvee
karl
Advanced Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 205
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 - 1:12 pm:   Edit Post

You're right, Jazzy - it was co-written by Alan Gorrie and Joe Sample. I first heard it on AWB's Show Your Hand album, so for me it's always been an AWB tune! But while I was working out how I would play this last week I saw a youtube vid of the Crusaders playing it - trouble is, the song got hijacked halfway through by Stanley and Larry Graham, who turned it into a bass slapathon (albeit a very enjoyable one!) :-).
pierreyves
Senior Member
Username: pierreyves

Post Number: 1038
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 - 1:51 pm:   Edit Post

BRAVO j'aime !!!
karl
Advanced Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 206
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 4:08 pm:   Edit Post

A bit more Beatles now - Hey Jude - and it's the Alembic again - I wanted to use this song to showcase a few different playing techniques, and the Alembic is just so responsive to different styles, it makes it a real joy to mess around with techniques like this.

Hope you like it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHt1wlzjYnY
pierreyves
Senior Member
Username: pierreyves

Post Number: 1053
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 5:46 pm:   Edit Post

wawwww, you are a great interpret of the Beatles.
Congrats, sincerly....
Do you know André Ceccarelli, french drummer ? He did with his trio, the nicest interpretation of some Beatles tracks:
http://www.andrececcarelli.com/discographie.htm
1994, 3 around the 4, I think you can find it on Itunes.
karl
Advanced Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 207
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Friday, April 20, 2012 - 7:28 am:   Edit Post

Thanks, pierreyves! The irony is that I've never been a big fan of The Beatles - I've always found their music a bit lacking in groove and soul for me - though I realise these are very subjective terms. So these solo arrangements are my attempts to see what others see in their music. And it's working already - in deconstructing the songs like that, I'm gradually coming round to seeing how well-written these songs are, essentially. In effect, I'm realising that it's not the Beatles' songs that I have a problem with, but the band's execution of the songs!

Incidentally, that's the same problem I have with Bob Dylan: great songs, but I sometimes wish it wasn't him singing them!
tbrannon
Senior Member
Username: tbrannon

Post Number: 1464
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Friday, April 20, 2012 - 8:56 am:   Edit Post

Karl- how you feel about Bob Dylan is how I am with Meatloaf. I can't say I've ever even finished listening to a meatloaf song. It hurts me, deeply and profoundly ;)
funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member
Username: funkyjazzjunky

Post Number: 766
Registered: 5-2007
Posted on Friday, April 20, 2012 - 9:21 am:   Edit Post

Karl, very impressive.

VMG
pauldo
Senior Member
Username: pauldo

Post Number: 808
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Friday, April 20, 2012 - 11:34 am:   Edit Post

Karl - You make it look so easy . . :-D

Not to hi-jack, but I recently heard Seal and Jeff Beck do "Like a Rolling Stone" absolutely loved it! Very fresh! Shared it with some friends and one of them said - "I still like Bob's version better" . . . different strokes for different folks. :-/
hydrargyrum
Senior Member
Username: hydrargyrum

Post Number: 1124
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Friday, April 20, 2012 - 12:13 pm:   Edit Post

I guess I'm from the other end of the spectrum. I love Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Waits and any number of people who supposedly don't have good singing voices (I still dislike Meatloaf though). On the other hand, I don't much care for Jeff Beck, Bela Fleck, Joe Satriani, etc. I think I tend to prefer music that is more gutsy than cerebral, even though I can appreciate the incredible technique that the other side of the fence displays. I'd still rather listen to the Ramones than Return to Forever, but I can respect why other people appreciate those artists.

I wouldn't have categorized the Beatles with either of these groups though. They were competent if not stellar musicians, and they could consistently write a catchy hook. They seem to have the best of both worlds, as reflected by the diverse array of musicians who claim them as an influence.
karl
Advanced Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 208
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Friday, April 27, 2012 - 5:14 am:   Edit Post

Another one - didn't use the Alembic this time, felt I needed that crunchy Jazz bass tone. But never fear, the Alembic will be back for another one soon! Michael Jackson's 'Beat It' - mind your speakers - it's big and dirty!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rYdSka4afw

K.

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