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!)

[Baldwin Funster]

Not really a jazz trio for me, maybe more like Atomic Rooster but yeah LH bass is fun in a trio. But it does limit me to more simplified parts and the decision is if I'm going to solo do I solo over a bass line with no chords or solo over chords and the bass drops out. I think I'd like a bass/guitar player with a doubleneck. With the right guy and a great drummer I could see a great project. I don't hold much hope though. Any of the good bass players around here jump from band to band on a gig by gig basis for the $$$. Experimental music is mostly dead.

[b3plyr]

I play in a duo. Play bass all the time. And I haven't yet changed any solos to fit me playing the bass. Really fun to do. Sounds to me like OP should stick with playing LH bass.

[mate stubb]

2 hours ago, Baldwin Funster said:

Not really a jazz trio for me, maybe more like Atomic Rooster 

 

That's a great name drop! I'd like to hear what you are doing with the band. Originals?

[Baldwin Funster]

5 minutes ago, mate stubb said:

 

That's a great name drop! I'd like to hear what you are doing with the band. Originals?

I'm still trying to put it together so I have no samples yet. Like I said I don't have the optimal 3rd guy yet. But I will definitely post in the shameless plugs when I got something.

Yeah Vincent Crane.

If I had the chops I'd do some quatermass but alas I'm no Peter Robinson.

[ElmerJFudd]

3 hours ago, Coker said:

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!)

If you have a strong bass player, it’s a blessing of course for him/her to free you up for other tasks.  But yeah, if you take that job it certainly gives you a lot of control over how things are going to go!  

[adamcz]

For me left hand bass just reinforces that the bass isn't as strong as it ought to be. I prefer no bass at all and embracing the unique sonic space that a bassless instrumentation brings. Ambrose Akinmusire's latest record Owl Song is a recent example of how great this can sound.