Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
>I think bassists tend to be supportive people - after all, it's our
primary musical role.

Yes, I agree with you Kurt. Bassists seem to be fairly uncompetitive
with each other, and supportive.

>He asked us how long we had been playing together, and I looked at my
watch and said "45 minutes.

Yeah, it's always fun when a listener says, "You guys sound great! How
long have you been playing together?" and the answer is measured in
minutes.
  

    
<243>
That sounds like Tony Marcus, I think. Very kind and generous of him
to have done that. Yes, musicians are supportive people. It's a
wonderful fraternity to belong to.
  

    
<249>
We encountered a Gypsy group at one of the festivals we played in
Europe with the Keith Unit. They were staying in a room down the hall
from us. We thought we were the pickin'est. These guys were ALWAYS
pickin'. Leave for dinner, they were pickin'. Come back, they were
pickin'. Go to bed at 2AM, they were pickin. Wake up at 8, they were
pickin'. After a while it became hard to believe. Maybe they had stunt
doubles or something. These guys were constantly pickin'. Apparently
non-stop, without exaggeration.
  

    
<250>
I think you're right about that.
  

    
<246> <247>
Country folks are certainly down home. Being standoffish, distant, is
not a country trait, not a country music trait certainly.
  

    
I can testify to the generosity of at least one bassist. When my
friend Bobby Todd got his ripped off, our own Mr. Ribak immediately
offered him the loan of one of his.
  

    
re 253

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I've only recently become aware
of the scene in Europe nowadays. Some of these guys are just flat-out
amazing. Nth degree virtuousity. Here's a little listening list for
anyone interested:

Fapy Lafertin Quintet - Fine and Dandy
Tchavolo Schmitt - Alors?...Voilà!
Biréli Lagrène - Gypsy Project
Romane/Stochelo Rosenberg - Elégance
The Rosenberg Trio - Caravan
Angelo Debarre - Caprice
  

    
<256>
Well, Kurt, our hats are off to you. Add to this the fact that
bassists don't often loan their upright basses. They are usually one of
a kind. There are (relatively) many 1935 Martin D-28s. But string
basses are unique. I've never seen or felt a bass that feels like my
bass. Sometimes when someone asks me to loan my bass, I wish I had an
ol' Kay bass sitting around so I could loan it out with impunity. Good
for you, Kurt.
  

    

I spent two weeks playing with Romane and Jim Nichols - Man what a treat and
what a learning experience.
  

    
<259>
This was in France or ... ?
  

    
Romane rocks. It was Elegance, the album he did with Stochelo
Rosenberg that I played for Kurt when he so kindly fell my abode to
drop off Bill's book.
  

    

<260> :  It was here in the Bay Area.  Jim and Romane played the Chet Atkins
festival and then Roamne came out here with his wife on vacation. We played
Enrico's twice, Rose Pistola twice and a wedding at the Novato Airport. Jim
and Romane also got together with Mike Marshall on that trip.
  

    
I think one of my favorite anecdotes in the book is with the psychologists analyzing the 
Bill Monroe song, ascribing all sorts of sexual implications to the song about a a little 
girl crying out to her father while dying from a snakebite.  All sorts of sexual theories 
were raised, and when the shrinks finally turn to Mr. Monroe to see what he had to say 
about thesong he explains a neighbor's girl was bit and died of snakebite, and it seemed 
worthy of a song.

I guess the guys forgot Dr. Freud's comment that "sometimes a cigar is a cigar."
  

    
Yes, a famous Freud comment.

As this is the last official day of this inkwell, I'd like to thank
Kurt very much for moderating this event, and David Gans for inviting
me here in the first place. It has been a fun experience for me.

My appreciation as well to all the folks who read the book, jumped in
with comments and questions, and just stopped by to say hello. I plan
to be hanging out at the WELL for a spell, and hope I bump into you all
here, on other forums, or maybe even in person some day. 

If you're in the Bay Area, please come by the Freight and Salvage on
Sunday, November 11. I'll be telling my Acoustic Stories, and the
amazing Charlie Chin will be telling traditional Chinese stories in the
teahouse style. It will be a provocative and entertaining evening of
adult storytelling, I believe.

Best wishes to all,
Bill Amatneek
  

    
Thanks for coming and chatting, Bill!  This was a fun interview.

Glad you'll be hanging out for a while.  Hope you have fun!
  

    
Best wishes for all your projects, Bill.
  

    
Bill, there is no Sunday November 11 this year.  The Freight's Calendar lists you as 
playing Sunday, November 9.

http://www.thefreight.org/2003/november/novcalendar.html

Break a leg!
  

    

There is NO REASON for this conversation to stop!  We start a new interview
every other Friday, generally, but the existing ones are open as long as the
participants choose to remain.

I've enjoyed this topic a lot, and will continue to do so.  I'm glad you're
here, Biopl, and thanks for a fascinating book!
  

    
<267>
Thanks Tim & Tinymonster
And thanks for catching my typo, Kurt.
Make that Sunday, November 9.
I'm looking forward to a large broken leg.
  

    
<268>
Yes, I understand this conversation will stay open, and I'll certainly
check back in on it every day to answer any more questions that may
come up.
Thanks again, David, for your kind words, for having me here, and for
introducing me to the WELL.
  

    
Bill, you fit here very well.  Have you checked out any of the other
conferences?    A lot of interesting talk goes on here.
  

    
Rik, let him into band, if you haven't already.
  

    
Done.   Bill, for a good time, g band.
  

    

(For those who aren't familiar. <band.> is a private-but-not-secret
conference for workingk, semi-pro and amatteur musicians.  Email <rik> or
<magdalen> for admission.)
  

    
<271> <272> <273> <274>
Thanks guys. I have been cruising a few conferences and having a great
time. Thanks for admission into band. I will check it out.