[hieronymous]

I was really excited to see that this video of Steve Swallow with Gary Burton was reposted:



I had no idea that it was an arrangement of the song "Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly" - I know the song from Flora Purim's album of the same name, which has an awesome version of the tune with Alphonso Johnson on bass. I thought the guy who posted the video was wrong, but I think it may just be a radical rearrangement of the tune.

But that's not why I'm starting this thread. I just picked up John Scofield's this meets that album, and in Googling Steve Swallow, found this TalkBass thread about Steve Swallow's various basses, and in addition to some great pics and info, found this post (#11):

"I am sad to report that the Gibson EB2 pictured in the top picture was purchased by me in the mid 90s when I was doing a lot of riding around in a van, jumping around and crashing into guitar players who were doing the same. Said instrument met an untimely demise one night when I tossed it high in the air, got a light in my eye and completely missed it as it went past my outstretched arm and hit the ground- shearing the headstock clean off, smashing the top of the body and spilling some of the custom electronics across the front row. I solemnly polished the remains and put them in my bass case. Bits of teh bass hang in several Boston area repair shops as a reminder of my stupidity.

It was a great sounding bass and it took me a long time to find another instrument that I had such a personal connection with. I would have liked another 60s Gibson, but couldn't afford one. All of Steve's modifications devalued the bass and I actually bought it for $500 originally."

(There's a follow-up post too, but without much useful info)

I'm kind of bummed out now, but I thought some people might be interested in the demise of this legendary instrument...

[Redbird]

Great clip. It's always nice to see other genres of music using Gibsons rather than the tried & true rock

[chromium]

Interesting post about that bass - that's too bad. An EB-2 probably would not have been my first choice of basses to send airborne! They don't do landings well.

In addition to the modded EB-2 with the two model-1s, I've noticed him playing a stock EB-2DC as well. Here it is in this clip of Country Roads w/Gary Burton:



I love his use of double stops! The audio probably would have been better, had it not been for the guitar amp malfunction.

[jules]

what an amazing clip. I want some vibes!!!!!!!!

Whatsmore I want to be in that band. Well posted!


And as for thrwing your EB2 in the air....

[barend]

Originally Posted by chromium

Here it is in this clip of Country Roads w/Gary Burton:

.

that doesn't sound like John Denver at all...

great clip!

[hieronymous]

I noticed in the clip chromium posted, Steve Swallow is playing with his fingers instead of a pick. Must be the early days of his electric playing? This would be supported by another video (from the same concert?), this time with him playing upright:



There's an interview where he talks about making the switch from upright to electric and also when he started playing with a pick:

"Initially, I played with my fingers, but fairly shortly, after I began playing the electric bass, I discovered the pick and discovered that I preferred that, that I liked the way I could articulate with the pick and I preferred the sound that I got."

[dexter]

...i was half expecting to see a picture of a guy named Steve with the neck of an EB2 halfway down his throat .... :!: ....how dissappointing ..

.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

dexter

[downwithbass]

man.. that video is prime example of the 70's being a weird time for music-- people carrying on the "expansiveness" of the 60's..

If that jam was done today, the bassist would probably be playing a Warwick or something..

[chromium]

Originally Posted by hieronymous

I noticed in the clip chromium posted, Steve Swallow is playing with his fingers instead of a pick. Must be the early days of his electric playing?
...

There's an interview where he talks about making the switch from upright to electric and also when he started playing with a pick:

"Initially, I played with my fingers, but fairly shortly, after I began playing the electric bass, I discovered the pick and discovered that I preferred that, that I liked the way I could articulate with the pick and I preferred the sound that I got."

Your post reminded me of a cool anecdote he had relayed in another interview about his adoption of pick technique. Found it here:

"When I was with Gary Burton’s band, I was merely trying to get competent on the electric. At the time, Jerry Hahn was the guitar player, and he has a wicked sense of humor. I’d often go practice after gigs, and he’d roam the hotel corridors until he found my room and heard me practicing. Night after night, there’d be a knock at my door. He’d say, “That sounds pretty good,” and then he’d whip out his pick and play some blisteringly fast and clearly articulated stuff. He’d say, “Hey, this little thing is pretty fun!” and hand it back to me. Meanwhile I’m playing like “Do Re Mi,” plodding through this basic stuff. His demonstration of the possibilities of the pick had the decisive effect of pushing me into pick playing. I’ve had the extreme good fortune of having played with a series of great guitar players, beginning first and foremost with Jim Hall. And they all played with a pick. It occurred to me that if Jim Hall could get this beautiful legato phrasing with a pick, so could I, an octave down. Just because it was a hard, blunt object didn’t necessarily mean that the notes had to have a violent attack and a staccato quality."

Originally Posted by downwithbass

If that jam was done today, the bassist would probably be playing a Warwick or something..

Yeah - I think he's using Ken Parker and Harvey Citron basses in more recent years...

[bilbo230763]

Does anyone know what amps/cabs Swallow is using at the moment. I think he has a GK112 on the Scofield YouTube videos but don't recognise the amp.

Can anyone help? I love this man's work. He is, for me, the quiet genius of contemporary bass playing. Forget the gunslingers, this guy IS music. :D