“A fantastic book. It is similar to my Jazz Bass Book – extremely well done. If you liked my book, I think you’ll like this one! I will be recommending it on my website.”—John Goldsby, author of The Jazz Bass Book: Technique and Tradition and columnist for Bass Player magazine
“Jazz Bass Artists of the 1950s is a great new source about 15 of the most prominent jazz bassists from that decade. Author Dave Hunt knowledgeably and respectfully presents extensive historical and musical information about the well-known bass giants of that era.... The book's organization is first rate…. This 280-page book is a treasure and will be enjoyed by those who are unfamiliar with the music of these artists and those who have extensive familiarity with them.... I am excited about his addition to the literature and look forward to delving into suggested recordings and using the book as a means to further explore these inspirational bassists.”—Bob Sinicrope, reviewer for Bass World, the magazine of the International Society of Bassists
“Author Dave Hunt has thoroughly collected lots of stories and biographical notes on the most important bassists of the post-war era. With its timelines, tables and recommended listening lists, this book is a great resource for every jazz bass freak.”—Jonas Lohse, www.doublebassguide.com
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Just published is this work on 15 leading bassists of the straight-ahead period that explores their musical, creative and artistic contributions. The big-name bassists: Oscar Pettiford, Ray Brown, Milt Hinton, Paul Chambers, Leroy Vinnegar, Red Mitchell, Charles Mingus, Doug Watkins and Sam Jones. The book also profiles bassists who deserve wider recognition: Eddie Safranski, George Duvivier, Wendell Marshall, Jimmy Woode, Joe Benjamin and Arvell Shaw.
A chapter on each player offers a timeline as well as biographical information detailing the unfolding of his artistic development and professional career. More than mere history, the book reveals the hows and whys behind each bassist’s lasting stylistic achievements via in-depth analysis of a handful of his top recorded tracks. Taken in total, the analyses of 71 such tracks spotlight the very best jazz bass music of the period. No chapter is complete without the author’s comprehensive listing of each bassist’s greatest performances.
As to why he wrote this book, Dave says: “It’s high time to return those 1950s bassists to center stage under a full spotlight and relive their stellar performances. Hopefully, Jazz Bass Artists of the 1950s can become a belated beginning to more informed recognition for some of the most unsung artists in jazz. Beyond granting them long overdue recognition, listeners with a new perspective will find something very special they’ve been missing by taking bass lines and solos for granted.”
Appendices cover listings of jazz bassist influences; alternate recorded versions of the same tune for comparison purposes; a table of varied paths to career success taken by the book’s four most successful bassists; and categorization of 177 jazz bassists by style from the 1920s to the present.
Though focusing on bass artists and their music, this book is an invaluable resource of jazz background for all devoted jazz listeners seeking to expand their appreciation and enjoyment of the art. For the bassist, it identifies and dissects little-known recorded gems as key to understanding the elements of superior performance.
282 pages; 8.25 x 11; 15 b&w full-page photos by Chuck Stewart and Ray Avery; published by Cranston Publications
FREE PUBLISHER DOWNLOADS: Table of contents Milt Hinton chapter
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