tarsia Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 Whats your guys take on Jeff Berlin ? I'm listening to an Old album I had put on CD "Champion" by Jeff Berlin & Vox Humana circa 1985 the Bass solo on "20,000 prayers" is way cool ! Very horn like phrasing - I'm not sure of his views on Rock bass playing and his controversial attitude, have any of you met him or been at a clinic etc... All I can say is - "Damn, he sure plays pretty!!!" I'm Todbass62 on MySpace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 20,000 Prayers is one of my favorite GB solos. Great groove on that cut also. I am not the biggest GB fan, I think he overplays. He considers himself a rocker, but I can't imagine him just laying down a generic rock bassline without his just going nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 Jeff Berlin, 1. Great player. Everyone should hear him at some time. 2. Great educator. 3.True gentleman and very nice guy in person. 4. Controversial in print. 5. Feisty in email and forum communication. Unfortunately the last two things often cause people to forget about him as a player. He is one of the greats, folks. In answer, to the last post, when Jeff subbed in the band Yes, he played the parts note-for-note. And not only that, he learned the parts by transcribing them without an instrument on the plane to London. Listen to him on the Bruford records. He plays what is needed. Many fusion players get the bad rap of "couldn't play simple if he had to" and it's just not true. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 As a player, I hold Berlin in high regard. I remember seeing him (more than once) play with Allan Holdsworth, and Berlin's sense of chords and scales was mucho impressivo, and that was quite a while ago... I own this really dated and cheezy instructional video of his from the early 90's that has his fingerpicked chordal rendition of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Dixie" played at the same time. El grande wow! I have always been a fan of Bruford, the drummer and the band, and could find almost no fault with any of their albums, even the one where Jeff sings (Gradually Going Tornado). "Joe Frazier" , "Five G", "Land's End", "Fainting in Coils" "Beelzebub"... lots of great stuff. As for his "attitude", so what, he's opinionated. He has been a touring and working pro for a long time, he just may have some experiences that could back up his words. He can come off somewhat obstinate and closed minded, but hell, so do I sometimes. Plus, he's practically a New Yorker, and he's a pro wrestling fan, too. He could be worse. As for playing "too much", unless I'm mistaken he was a session player for quite a while, and there you have to play just what they tell you, or you don't work much. He seemed to work quite a bit... Just my 2 cents, since you asked... Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humabass Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 My favorite Berlin stuff is the Bruford albums. I have his solo albums and he has some great players with him but the albums really bore me. I just saw him at a small jazz club in Germany and he put on a really good show. As far as his attitude,I think he just wants bassists to simply learn their instrument and understand music so that whatever style you choose you'll at least have a full understanding of what your doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graybass Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 It is rare for guys like Jeff to tour NZ but he did a few years ago. I had the honour to see him live in a small pub near here on that tour. I spent the next two days talking myself out of smashing all my equipment while battling a "why do I bother" attitude because the man was just SO DAMN GOOD!!! Hmmmmm........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57pbass Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 I have an album of his - not sure of the title maybe early 80's. He plays the Crossroads - Eric Clapton solo note for note. There is also a song dedicated to Joe Fraizer which also sounds very good. www.danielprine.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Guys- Jeff Berlin is one of the GREATS!! he was the only bassist challenging Jacos unbelievable voice when Jaco arrived- his opinion have lnded him in hot water , but i respect him so much- it seems thee dys a guy just has to keep his mouth shut to be ccepted with all this poilitical correctness- fct is, those times hen Jeff has been outspoken- i ahve agrrd with him and give him kudos for having the marbles to speak up- i recently saw him at a NAMM concert- he was imply amazing- flows so smoothly nd such a vocabulary- he is indeed an unsing bass hero- and those whi critque him wish they could play like that, i know i do-- Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humabass Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 r thr som kys mssing frm yur kybord? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Hey give my homie, Adrian, a break! I've heard him play.....he seems to have more fingers than most of us do when he plays....maybe he made some sort of deal with the higher power so that when he stops playing bass he has fewer fingers so that it all comes out even! Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarsia Posted June 10, 2003 Author Share Posted June 10, 2003 Great responses everybody ! Wraub, I have that same Video (w/Roddy piper right?), Jeremy sounds like you've met the guy on more than one occasion...? I'll be checking into some more current Jeff Berlin stuff, anybody know why he ditched the custom vintage/modified P-Bass he played for years ? There's a small Vid. of him jamming with Jaco on that tape (is it just me or does he cop on some of the 20,000 prayers solo on this, which I'm sure pre-dates the Champion album by a least a few years?), & I agree with Adrian, He's a True Legend in Bassdom ! I'm Todbass62 on MySpace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Bassist Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 I saw Berlin one time with Bruford back in '79. He's definitely a first-rate player, but the thing I noticed at that show was what an amazing tone he got out of such a simple rig. Jazz bass--> 20 foot cord--> Ampeg SVT--> 8x10 Ampeg cab. It way years before I started re-thinking my pedals, crossovers, and rack-mount sh*t, but I've ended up eliminating all the crud in the end, too. Bruford's One of a Kind is a pretty amazing album, Berline-wise. Chris http://homepage.mac.com/cvreeland/BassSig.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humabass Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Originally posted by jeremyc: [QB]Hey give my homie, Adrian, a break! ]Sorry, I was only teasing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Originally posted by tarsia: Great responses everybody ! Wraub, I have that same Video (w/Roddy piper right?) There's a small Vid. of him jamming with Jaco on that tape (is it just me or does he cop on some of the 20,000 prayers solo on this, which I'm sure pre-dates the Champion album by a least a few years?) Yup, Tarsia, that's the one. It's not too dated... That Jaco part is interesting, I thought I heard that cop too. When I saw him with Holdsworth he had that P bass and an all Yamaha setup, as on the video. A lot more at work there than an amp and a cord, for sure. Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sullivan Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 I just want to say that Jeff is a man to respect as a bass player and musician. He's hard on people, but I like that. He's doing the real deal! Jaco would be saying similar things if he was still with us. I've followed Jeff's stuff since the 70's and like his hard stand on being a well practiced educated musician. His advise is for the Big Boys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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