A recording of my 175...

**jzucker** · 03-27-2022, 05:58 PM

i'm not seeing a ton of gigs on bass. I've been called for 2 gigs on bass in the last 6 months. I think most jazz bands want an upright bass. Electric bass is a last resort. I flirted with the idea of buying an upright (sadly, i helped my dad sell his upright 6 months prior to his passing). I'm not sure at 64, whether my hands could take learning upright bass...

**wintermoon** · 03-27-2022, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

i'm not seeing a ton of gigs on bass. I've been called for 2 gigs on bass in the last 6 months. I think most jazz bands want an upright bass. Electric bass is a last resort. I flirted with the idea of buying an upright (sadly, i helped my dad sell his upright 6 months prior to his passing). I'm not sure at 64, whether my hands could take learning upright bass...

Maybe because you're more known as a guitar player. I prefer upright but know a lot of guys that gig frequently on electric
My drummer is also an excellent bassist but not many know it.

**jzucker** · 03-27-2022, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Maybe because you're more known as a guitar player. I prefer upright but know a lot of guys that gig frequently on electric
My drummer is also an excellent bassist but not many know it.

The scene in DC and Cleveland is mostly upright bass. (i'd guess 95% in cleveland). Electric bass for more fusiony things or latin jazz but for straight ahead stuff, the electric players aren't seeing a ton of work ...

Friend of mine from NY who plays electric - who has played with randy johnston, wayne krantz and a who's who of NYC jazz musicians - is working 3-4x a month...

There's also an age factor. At 64, i'm older than most of the musicians on the jazz scene in this area. Most guys prefer to play with guys their own age and you don't see a lot of 64 year olds playing the major jazz clubs in the local scene. 20 years ago, I was part of the clique but no more!

**wintermoon** · 03-27-2022, 07:08 PM

Agreed, I was very lucky in that starting 25 yrs ago I was always the youngest in our bands by at least 15-20 yrs
Most of them are gone now and I'm leading bands w players my own age, though I'd have no issue hiring younger cats.

**jzucker** · 03-27-2022, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Agreed, I was very lucky in that starting 25 yrs ago I was always the youngest in our bands by at least 15-20 yrs
Most of them are gone now and I'm leading bands w players my own age, though I'd have no issue hiring younger cats.

There's not enough work here for me to be busy leading bands. There are a couple clubs that I have an in with to lead my own band but it's a chore these days. It's like a deal with the devil to get people to come, calling in favors, making phone calls, posting all over social media and TBH, i'm just tired of all that. I don't currently have the energy or desire to do all the PR for headlining. Ever since pops died, I've been kind of lost in that regard. I still want to play but I can't stomach all the gig politics. I just want to be a sideman and play my bass or play my guitar.

**wintermoon** · 03-27-2022, 07:36 PM

I hear you, was just lucky in that my 2 weeklies are still going strong after 10 yrs so no extra effort. Just had to hire new members after the old ones passed.

**Stringswinger** · 03-27-2022, 08:43 PM

At 64, I feel lucky to still be out 8-9 times a month. I have a once a month band gig that I lead and do 4 solo gigs and the rest is sideman work. I do think the younger cats want to play with cats their own age, but I do get some calls from younger cats because they know I have the chops to make the gig work. I figure that 2-3 more years of this and it will be time to get out of the way an let the younger cats get the work.

But if the calls/emails keep coming and my hands can do it, who knows how long I might stay in the game? Upright bass? My hands are already having issues (my new limit is 3 gigs in a week and no double headers), trying to do upright (even with gut strings) would hasten the end of my career as a pro musician for sure.

And leading and promoting a band? I have had enough of that hassle for a lifetime.

**jzucker** · 03-27-2022, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

At 64, I feel lucky to still be out 8-9 times a month. I have a once a month band gig that I lead and do 4 solo gigs and the rest is sideman work. I do think the younger cats want to play with cats their own age, but I do get some calls from younger cats because they know I have the chops to make the gig work. I figure that 2-3 more years of this and it will be time to get out of the way an let the younger cats get the work.

But if the calls/emails keep coming and my hands can do it, who knows how long I might stay in the game? Upright bass? My hands are already having issues (my new limit is 3 gigs in a week and no double headers), trying to do upright (even with gut strings) would hasten the end of my career as a pro musician for sure.

And leading and promoting a band? I have had enough of that hassle for a lifetime.

yep, i hear you on all counts! My friend who I mentioned above was one of the busiest electric players in NY. A lot of fusion guys like stern and krantz hired him but he's really a straight ahead player at heart. He had to stop playing upright due to hand issues. A while back, we were both musing about getting a semihollow bass called the marcustico which is the most amazing sounding upright tone in a semihollow form factor. Look them up if you get a chance. We were both considering buying one but we eventually concluded that the people hiring bassists don't just want an upright sound. They want the look of the upright bass up on stage so we both moved on from that thought...

**jzucker** · 03-28-2022, 07:25 AM

off topic but here's a link to the marcustico. To me, it is the closest semihollow to an upright sound. Unfortunately, it's made in italy and requires all service to be done in italy. I recently had a really bad experience buying a couple basses from spain and dealing with issues and no return policy so unless I found one used in the USA, I'd never pay $4k and wait a year for something that would need to be sent back to EU to have repaired...

**mr. beaumont** · 03-28-2022, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by jzucker

off topic but here's a link to the marcustico. To me, it is the closest semihollow to an upright sound. Unfortunately, it's made in italy and requires all service to be done in italy. I recently had a really bad experience buying a couple basses from spain and dealing with issues and no return policy so unless I found one used in the USA, I'd never pay $4k and wait a year for something that would need to be sent back to EU to have repaired...

Man that sounds good.

This cat is tearing it up, too. Great playing.

**Fear the Reaper** · 03-28-2022, 09:47 AM

I screwed up when I had the chance to see you pre-covid at the Bop Stop in Cleveland.

Originally Posted by jzucker

There's not enough work here for me to be busy leading bands. There are a couple clubs that I have an in with to lead my own band but it's a chore these days. It's like a deal with the devil to get people to come, calling in favors, making phone calls, posting all over social media and TBH, i'm just tired of all that. I don't currently have the energy or desire to do all the PR for headlining. Ever since pops died, I've been kind of lost in that regard. I still want to play but I can't stomach all the gig politics. I just want to be a sideman and play my bass or play my guitar.

**jzucker** · 03-28-2022, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Fear the Reaper

I screwed up when I had the chance to see you pre-covid at the Bop Stop in Cleveland.

I'd really like to get back there but on bass, lol...

**kevmoga** · 03-28-2022, 12:59 PM

So I just pretend to be a jazz guitarist, my professional music background was as a bassist. Sad but true about the emphasis on the look of the upright, not so much the sound. Also a factor on the bluegrass circuit, maybe moreso. A USA alternative to the Marcustico, and not so delicate, are Rob Allen basses, the short-scale Mouse and the Deep 4 are particularly good at getting the sound and vibe of an upright. Check out this video of the Mouse in a big band setting (sorry I couldn't figure out how to embed the video, but here's a link):

Bass solo at about 2:10. I have a Mouse and LOVE it, very easy on the old hands (mine are as old as yours, Jack).

edit - the video embedded itself!

**jzucker** · 03-28-2022, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by kevmoga

So I just pretend to be a jazz guitarist, my professional music background was as a bassist. Sad but true about the emphasis on the look of the upright, not so much the sound. Also a factor on the bluegrass circuit, maybe moreso. A USA alternative to the Marcustico, and not so delicate, are Rob Allen basses, the short-scale Mouse and the Deep 4 are particularly good at getting the sound and vibe of an upright. Check out this video of the Mouse in a big band setting (sorry I couldn't figure out how to embed the video, but here's a link):

Bass solo at about 2:10. I have a Mouse and LOVE it, very easy on the old hands (mine are as old as yours, Jack).

edit - the video embedded itself!

Yeah, i agree. And also on the bluegrass circuit you will not get hired if you play a 6 string bass. 5 strings were only recently (and partially) accepted. I've played and heard a bunch of the rob allen basses. I don't think they really have the vibe of an upright. The two things that make the marcustico more like an upright are the archtop style bridge (real archtop, not jazz guitar archtop) and the arched top. To me, the rob allen just sounds like a semihollow with a piezo.

**bluejaybill** · 03-28-2022, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

At 64, I feel lucky to still be out 8-9 times a month. I have a once a month band gig that I lead and do 4 solo gigs and the rest is sideman work. I do think the younger cats want to play with cats their own age, but I do get some calls from younger cats because they know I have the chops to make the gig work. I figure that 2-3 more years of this and it will be time to get out of the way an let the younger cats get the work.

But if the calls/emails keep coming and my hands can do it, who knows how long I might stay in the game? Upright bass? My hands are already having issues (my new limit is 3 gigs in a week and no double headers), trying to do upright (even with gut strings) would hasten the end of my career as a pro musician for sure.

And leading and promoting a band? I have had enough of that hassle for a lifetime.

Yes, I used to have hands of steel, but now (late '60's) I find I don't have the grip for some chords that used to be a breeze, and get fatigued quicker. But I guess, as Clint Eastwood said, "a man''s got to know his limitations".

**Fear the Reaper** · 03-28-2022, 04:18 PM

The Bop Spot is a happening place. A treasury for Cleveland.

Originally Posted by jzucker

I'd really like to get back there but on bass, lol...

**jzucker** · 03-28-2022, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by Fear the Reaper

The Bop Spot is a happening place. A treasury for Cleveland.

Yes it is. Blu is great too. The only issue with the bop stop is that the artist has to do all the promotional work. At one time i didn't mind doing that but I'm at the point where I just want to play. I don't mind posting about a gig on facebook or other social media but it's a lot of energy that has little to do with music.