Playing In a Jazz Trio Without a Bass Player

[Coker]

My long-time bass player in my sax-keys-drums-bass quartet had to cancel out just before a gig recently.  He’s not as good as we’d like, so we decided to play the gig with (my) left-hand bass instead of dredging up a replacement.  What a blast!  We were able to play, on the fly, intricate and interesting interludes, backgrounds, etc., that sounded orchestrated and rehearsed, mainly because I could coordinate piano and bass lines and rhythms.  While I missed the interaction with the live bass player, I thought we brought a different dimension to the group. Does anyone else typically play without a bass player (organists - no need to respond about your prehensile feet!)

[stoken6]

I've done piano/guitar/vocal gigs occasionally. Definitely have to concentrate on maintaining groove with the LH. 

 

Cheers, Mike.

[Adam Burgess]

I find it hard work doing LH bass. I like to think I'm ok doing it, but the concentration really tires me out! 

As above, having fewer players does simplify things, and can be a lot tighter.

[MathOfInsects]

I always feel like I shouldn't admit this, but: I'm a good LH bass player as long as you don't also want a great keyboardist. If I'm really paying attention to being an effective bass player, I'm way less of a keyboard player. Sometimes that's a good thing! I've gotten better over the years, but when it comes time to really separate the two hemispheres--say, during a solo--I have to concentrate very hard to keep the bass doing what it's supposed to be doing while my right hand is doing what it wants to be doing. 

 

However, I will say that the times I've had to be LH bass for groups that normally have a bass player, my relationship with those songs is way deeper when I'm back to being keys-only on them. 

[ProfD]

IMO, LH Bass gigs should be approached as its own thing similar to an organ trio. 

 

Songs/tunes should be reharmonized as necessary to account for the pinch hit.

 

Technology certainly provides KB players with a variety of instruments and sounds to cover bass duties too.

 

Playing LH bass can be a total blast when done properly.

 

Otherwise, a solid Bass player is worth their weight in B strings, er, bottom.😎

[stoken6]

15 hours ago, MathOfInsects said:

I always feel like I shouldn't admit this, but: I'm a good LH bass player as long as you don't also want a great keyboardist.

This nails it. My bassline groove is actually better with my LH than RH, but I need to focus, and not be distracted.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[ElmerJFudd]

17 hours ago, ProfD said:

IMO, LH Bass gigs should be approached as its own thing similar to an organ trio. 

 

Songs/tunes should be reharmonized as necessary to account for the pinch hit.

 

Technology certainly provides KB players with a variety of instruments and sounds to cover bass duties too.

 

Playing LH bass can be a total blast when done properly.

 

Otherwise, a solid Bass player is worth their weight in B strings, er, bottom.😎

Yamaha Genos, or a similar app on your iPad - pass on the bass player and drummer. keep the fee for yourself rather than split 3 ways.  😉

[ProfD]

39 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Yamaha Genos, or a similar app on your iPad - pass on the bass player and drummer. keep the fee for yourself rather than split 3 ways.  😉

Yeah...no. 🤮🤣

 

I *hate* pressing a key and hearing a semi- or full arrangement of music blaring out.😁

 

Maybe I'll have a different appreciation for arrangers or backing tracks if I'm ever a senior citizen confined to Shady Pines assisted living facility and asked to provide music during the geriatric social hour.🤣😎

[obxa]

All the time.   It's the perfect hit and run format. 

It may of stemmed from budgets, but also getting tired of hearing myself solo on long classic trio format gigs.   I'd rather have Sax/Clarinet  than bassist.  Love the freedom of being able to call anything.   Hate the terror if it's a song I've never played, because now keys and bass both suck.   

 

My usual format for low impact gigs: Sax, Percussion,  and me piano + LH bass.   Ideal for restaurants, cocktail, etc.   Though  not exclusively Latin, we sell  this as the  "Bossa trio".    My drummers often just do snare and perc (no cymbals).    I've also added trumpet to that format for Prohibition-Gatsby gigs (which is a thing down here for corporate....). Unless I have budget,  I'd  rather add the additional lead instrument.    Also do a ton of Sax and Piano duo kicking bass. 

 

My threshold for these gigs is two hours, cocktail etc.  For a longer 3-4 hr hit, I'll go with real bass player if possible.   

 

Definitely changes your perspective for soloing and comping.  If using DP I've found using a  piano sound with  tiny bit of  pad string layer helps fill things out.  If using real piano, I'll bring a small synth to do bass.   

 

 

[ElmerJFudd]

48 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Yeah...no. 🤮🤣

 

I *hate* pressing a key and hearing a semi- or full arrangement of music blaring out.😁

 

Maybe I'll have a different appreciation for arrangers or backing tracks if I'm ever a senior citizen confined to Shady Pines assisted living facility and asked to provide music during the geriatric social hour.🤣😎

Me too.  But that’s technology.   Next we tell AI to play the set.   

[Coker]

2 hours ago, obxa said:

All the time.   It's the perfect hit and run format. 

It may of stemmed from budgets, but also getting tired of hearing myself solo on long classic trio format gigs.   I'd rather have Sax/Clarinet  than bassist.  Love the freedom of being able to call anything.   Hate the terror if it's a song I've never played, because now keys and bass both suck.   

 

My usual format for low impact gigs: Sax, Percussion,  and me piano + LH bass.   Ideal for restaurants, cocktail, etc.   Though  not exclusively Latin, we sell  this as the  "Bossa trio".    My drummers often just do snare and perc (no cymbals).    I've also added trumpet to that format for Prohibition-Gatsby gigs (which is a thing down here for corporate....). Unless I have budget,  I'd  rather add the additional lead instrument.    Also do a ton of Sax and Piano duo kicking bass. 

 

My threshold for these gigs is two hours, cocktail etc.  For a longer 3-4 hr hit, I'll go with real bass player if possible.   

 

Definitely changes your perspective for soloing and comping.  If using DP I've found using a  piano sound with  tiny bit of  pad string layer helps fill things out.  If using real piano, I'll bring a small synth to do bass.   

 

 

For me, if given a choice, I’d rather have the bass player than a drummer.