Jack Garner
Do you live for that big slappin' electric bass solo at every concert? I hope you were at the Eastman Theatre Saturday. The Rochester International Jazz Festival headline show there celebrated the bass — on steroids.
Fortunately, the instruments were being played by the three greatest electric bass players in the world. They are:
Stanley Clarke, 57, known primarily as a partner of Chick Corea in the legendary Return to Forever and as a solo act.
Marcus Miller, a 49-year-old veteran of myriad projects as a performer and producer, and a multi-instrumentalist.
Victor Wooten, 44, who came to fame with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
Together, they form SMV (after their first names) and recorded the album Thunder last year. They ended the U.S. portion of their current world tour here, and drew an enthusiastic three-quarters-full house.
I went into the show a skeptic. Certainly the bass is a key part of music as the foundation, the rock behind any ensemble. But some might think the instrument's possibilities would be too limited for the musician to step to the front of the stage. And make that times three when a trio of bassists come to the edge of the stage. Just don't tell that to Clarke, Miller or Wooten. With talent, versatility and musical acumen they elevated the music bottom to the top.
The show opened with full-fledged bass-trio performances, as they worked, slapped and thundered their way through "Thunder," the album's lead-off track. A distinct advantage of seeing them live is to understand which musician plays what. Generally speaking, Miller and Wooten stayed in the lower registers, with Miller providing subtle stability and Wooten seemingly more playful. As a contrast, Clarke primarily played a tenor bass, offering supple tones in higher registers.
Though the night featured a handful of group numbers, including the funky "Grits," the highlight was when each player stepped into the spotlight as a lone or primary player on solo numbers. Wooten's was funky, with fingers flying at blazing speeds and mixing in a touch of "Norwegian Wood." Miller went for a variety of attributes, switching instruments and playing a beautiful standard on the lovely sounding bass clarinet.
But the night's top marks go to Clarke who created the greatest electricity on the acoustic bass, playing "Milano," which moved from graceful gentleness to full-powered energy. He caressed the instrument early with a bow, but finished by strumming it so hard you'd think his hand would bleed.
So now I'm a believer: The bass can carry the night, and three can carry it further.
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