By Thomas Semioli

Among the first established upright cats to embrace the electric amid a storm of criticism from the jazz police, Bob Cranshaw was renowned for his long association with Sonny Rollins. In fact, Cranshaw gravitated to the instrument as a result of a serious back injury in an automobile accident.

A prolific recording artist and sideman, he is among the instrument’s most recorded players on upright and electric.  Bob’s career spanned Tony Bennett, Buddy Rich, Paul Simon, George Shearing, Frank Sinatra, Grant Green, Judy Collins, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, and Joe Henderson to cite an extremely select few.

Cranshaw served as the first house bass player for Saturday Night Live from 1975-80 and was the musical director for The Dick Cavett Show in the 1980s.

An activist for the Musician’s Union, Bob was a strong campaigner for artists’ rights regarding pensions and royalties until his passing in 2016.

Bob Cranshaw Sound & Vision

With Paul Simon “It Was a Sunny Day” https://youtu.be/Kz9o3tf9lmk

Bob on stage with Sonny Jazz Jambouree 1980 https://youtu.be/QWE83meaNME

With Lee Morgan “You Go to My Head” https://youtu.be/dMsBCDVXHGc

With Buddy Rich “How Long” https://youtu.be/jtFmLwdUqnw

By Thomas Semioli

There are the players that accept the instrument for what it is, and there are those who have no other choice but to break new ground…

A session giant and among the most spirited and recognizable proponents of the extended range “bass guitar” (as he insists the instrument be referred to)– in particular his “contrabass” six string –  Anthony Jackson’s influence and impact on modern music is incalculable.

From his iconic picked motif on the O’Jay’s “For the Love of Money,” to his stellar pocket work on thousands of recordings and concert performances including Luther Vandross, Steely Dan, Chaka Kahn, Paul Simon, Michel Petrucciani, Hiromi, Chick Corea, Al Di Meola, Mike Stern, Lee Ritenour, and Roberta Flack to cite an extremely select few – Jackson is a harmonic and groove master. An educator, collaborator, and composer – sans Anthony Jackson, the extended range electric bass as we know would still be considered an anomaly.

Anthony Jackson Sound & Vision:

Dig Anthony with Harvey Mason and Lee Ritenour “P.A.L.S.” https://youtu.be/Qmi733Qnpnw

Dig Anthony with the O’Jays “For the Love of Money” https://youtu.be/GXE_n2q08Yw

Dig Anthony working the pocket with Simon & Garfunkel in Central Park https://youtu.be/RGK19Pg6sB0

Dig Anthony with Garland Jeffreys on “Ghost Writer” https://youtu.be/A-xf8ePtTt8

Dig Anthony’s “12 Bars No Blues” https://youtu.be/nXUHO3bE-F4

Dig Anthony with  Robben Ford (guitar), Jimmy McGriff (organ), Bernard Purdie (drums), and the horn section of Phil Woods (alto), Bob Berg (tenor) and Art Farmer (trumpet) “Palisades in Blue.” https://youtu.be/MIb4I6lu6JQ

Photos courtesy of Anthony Jackson Facebook

By Thomas Semioli

If you were a working bass player in 1986 – which I was, then you were especially blown away by Paul Simon’s Graceland – which was a showcase for the fretless mastery of Bakithi Kumalo. Great songs make for great bass lines, and the compositions and melodies for which Mr. Simon is mostly credited for are an astonishing meld of American pop and South African music.

The bass solo many of us attempted to transcribe from the hit single/video https://youtu.be/uq-gYOrU8bA “You Can Call Me Al” [Note the Leo Quan bridge on Paul’s Fender P bass in the clip with Chevy) is actually a studio splice: the opening motif was recorded as is, and the closing phrase is actually the opening motif in reverse.

Born into a musical family in Soweto, Johannesburg, Bakithi nailed his first gig at the age of 7, subbing for his bass playing uncle. A top session player since the 1970s, Kumalo incorporates elements of African and old-school rhythm and blues in his passages. Bakithi’s bass heroes include Jaco, James Jamerson, and Alphonso Johnson.

Aide from my chimin’ about Bakithi and rhymin’ Simon, Kumalo has an impressive catalog of solo releases and collaborations with Joan Baez, Cyndi Lauper, Herbie Hancock, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Randy Brecker, Grover Washington Jr., and Mickey Hart.

Bakithi Sound & Vision:

With Paul Simon:

“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” live https://youtu.be/Fmf9ZJ_Yn0A

“Boy in the Bubble” https://youtu.be/Hk7MCvCHNQA

Solo Bakithi

“Step On the Bassline” https://youtu.be/l91Q_J57Y00

“Masala: https://youtu.be/jWyoTz9H-NI