It’s not often, but bass players can also lead the path as well as lay down a foundation. Here are a couple examples…
Matt Ulery has his bass leading a team of Greg Ward/vi, Rob Clearfield/p and Qin Kirchner/dr through just over a dozen post bop themes. The use of Brock’s violin adds a classical yet folksy fell, with the yearning “Coping” and the chamber sounds of the lovely yet swinging “Mellisonant.” Ward’s sax digs in well with Clearfield as the rhythm team gives a rich cadence to “Nerve” and the team hits hard on “Taciturn” and the post bopping “The Air We Breathe” with Clearfield doing some open field running. Rich velvet moods are sublime on “October” and Ulery prancing along as he coaxes the teamon the cheerful “The Effortless Enchantment.” Fretless fun.
Bassist Andrew Schiller leads a pianoless quintet that is thick in the reeds of Ethan Helm/as, Tony Malaby?ts, Hery Paz/bcl and Matt Honor/dr. The mix of reeds make for murky waters, with the horns gurgling like warm Tar Pits on “Sonoran” and the nocturne of “Wet Hair, Dry Air.” A trio of “Western Themes” have the team at its fluffiest, nimbus like in palpability. Schiller shows his rich wares on “Harquahala” and leads the march of soldiers on “Thorny Flora.” No one gets extravagant, as the emphasis here is on teamwork, and the stallions ride the yolk well.