Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Branford Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Miles Davis, John Scofield, Allan Holdsworth, Pat Metheny, Jim Mullen, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Kenny Kirkland, Bill Evans, Thelonius Monk, Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Oscar Pettiford, John Patitucci, Scott Colley, Christian McBride, Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Tony Willliams, Jeff Watts, Bill Stewart, Brian Blade, Vinnie Colaiuta, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Jacques Brel, Serge Gainsbourg, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal, Gil Evans, Count Basie, Frederic Chopin.....
I tried learning the violin from the ages 8-15, but couldnae get it to work. Must've been a faulty instrument or something :-)
At High School they gave me a tuba, with more success. I liked playing low notes, you see. At this point, I had also begun messing about on the guitar (learning chords), and also transcribing the harmony of pop and rock songs. Then they let me play the tuba in the school jazz band, and so I started working out those chords too. I liked chords. And not the trousers, either.
Then my dad bought me a Louis Armstrong tape, and I also got a hold of some Glenn Miller (that's not a whisky, by the way) and gradually got into jazz that way. At school, I used to try and get my sax playing mates to play my arrangements, but it always sounded mince. I blame my mates.
In sixth year, I bought a bass guitar, so I had finally found my voice. I ditched the tuba in the jazz band, and took my bass guitar to rehearsals instead. It was at that point that local guru, Bobby Wishart, invited me to audition for the Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra. Of course I passed the ear tests with flying colours and (even though I couldn't play the bass to save myself) was allowed to join the training band.
So my uni years were spent playing around the Glasgow jazz scene, especially with S.Y.J.O., Bobby Wishart Quartet, The John Murray Big Band, Iain Copeland, Chick Lyall and various small combo offshoots form S.Y.J.O.. It was through playing on this scene that I learned my trade as an improvising and reading bass guitarist. A little later, I was to play with funk/soul-jazz band, The Hi Heel Sneekers, as well as do various amateur theatre shows around West Central Scotland.
After getting my maths degree, I decided to prolong my jazzy student years by doing a PhD, but the less said about that, the better. At one point, I even took a break from the Scottish music scene to pursue (in vain) a mathematical career. I went to Germany to do this, but the jazz was rubbish, and the sense of humour was even worse. So after 2 years, I bought a double bass and came home to good old Glesga.
By this point I was 29. Where did the time go? I've been learning the double bass ever since, taking some lessons from Aidan O'Donnell, Mario Caribe, Rick Standley and Tom Berry. Recently, I've played with:
Niki King, Marcus Ford, Nigel Clark, Euan Stevenson, Joni Keen, Tom MacNiven, Brian Molley, Todd Gordon, Paul Harrison, Malcolm McFarlane, Ged Brockie, Tom Gordon, The James Honey Band, The Andy Mears Big Band, Rachel Hair, Tony Jacobs, "The Rat Pack" and "Sunshine on Leith"
I have also been teaching jazz double bass on The University of Strathclyde B.A. Applied Music course for the last four years.
If you're free this weekend it would be great if you could bring along your acoustic bass and join in the JamFest! (my new music festival at Craigmill brewery in Strathaven! www.jamfestival.co.uk). There will be lots of different types of musicians there including folk, gypsy jazz and bluegrass!
Hi andy, hope alls well. i mind you telling me that you bought your upright from a warehouse in germany, and it was a decent one for a reasonable price. im working in cyprus just now and am trying to locate basses in germany(long story). if you could pass on a website or contact number, or even something i could just google, for the place where you got it id much appreciate it. cheers,John
Thank you for yesterday's bass services! Promise next time me and Dougie will get some music together for you. (Dougie was a wee bit scared of you "proper musos", bless 'im).
And do I really not look that much like the crazy photo?
Aaaaaaw Andy you have my sympathies - it's grim at this time of year. But here's to a happy and busy 2008! Hope to see you soon - will be at Tolbooth nights (not sure if you're playing) and trying to get out and about to more live music (N. Year Resolution no. 1).
Hey Andy
Welcome to the crazy world of myspace. Catch you soon... if not on the jazz scene, then when I have another one of my "why aren't you Scots more nationalistic" rants!
x Claire
Online!
