Hey there Jon! Don Miller here. I enjoy hearing all your stories from back in the day and watching your videos. I remember those days back in S. FL being able to work 7 days and nights a week and 2 and 3 gigs per day. Seems like you were doing some of everything while I was mainly doing the Jazz thing playing steady in the bands of Ira Sullivan, Othello, Spider Martin with Lonnie Smith and Jerry Byrd, filing in with lots of S FL favorites like Alice Day, Mel Dancy, Billy Marcus, etc. and picking up lots of Jazz Festival, Concert, and Night Club dates with traveling artists. I am sure among all of your show work, Latin work, club dates, etc. that you played with most of those cats and most of the rest of them in S FL at one time or another too. Point is that no matter how much work any of us had that we could cram into a day, week, month, and year there was still plenty of really good work for all of us down there back then. Also some great teachers to learn from. I’m guessing you studied with our old friend Don Coffman R.I.P. and when you eluded to your Classical bass teacher I’m thinking Lucas Drew? I studied electric with Vince Bredice and upright with Lou Berryman. Seems like we were both doing the same thing at the same time then, studying and practicing our asses off while playing an enormous amount of gigs. I think at that time there was no better place to have had that combination of great musicians, tons of good gigs, some fabulous teachers and we were very lucky to be part of it Jon. Glad our paths crossed way back then and glad to have re-discovered you on RUclips and to see some of what you e been up to in all these years.
Hey, Don! So great to hear from you after all these years. You bring back some great memories. Yes, I played with Ira Sullivan, Alice Day, Mel Dancy, Billy Marcus… (Othello called me too, but I was already booked). Studied with Don Coffman and Lucas Drew. Lee Berryman used to work in my bass (remember Lee Scott?!). I remember seeing you around town, including one time you played with Dizzy. Awesome! Hit me up offline and let’s catch up. Contact me through forbassplayersonly.com. Thanks, man!
Love your stories and appreciate your wisdom! I’ll probably never be a professional bassist but even doing free stuff I believe it is better to be humble and understand promise and over deliver. Or in my case, barely deliver!😂
You say you’ll “probably” never be a professional bassist. Does that mean there’s a chance you will? 😁 Thanks so much for your kind words. Love your attitude too!
When to say no. Although not a bass story, here is my take. Once I was set to play with a flutist. A tune was picked, and I made a nice guitar arrangement. Kept trying to get the flutist to come and practice together. They never came. We played, but they couldn't keep time, played rubato and impossible to comp with. Audience liked my guitar, but said GET RID OF THE FLUTIST. Lately, I turned down a request to accompany someone, without enough time to rehearse. Glad I did!
The more gigs you play, the more good ones you get - and the more not-so-good ones are possible. You never know, which, in an interesting way, is part of the fun. 😁👍
Hi Jon' that's a great story. I found that it's a pretty good idea to be too prepared, it's much easier to play down in a musical situation than it is to have to play up and you're not prepared for what to do. I can't slap on the bass worth a bag of circus peanuts. I find it to be very unnatural for me. But I can read music pretty good which I learned how to do going through Rolls,Rolls,Rolls, by Joel Rothman's book when I was a drummer, I just learned what the notes were worth on The ledger line and applied what I already knew in drum rhythms. it's not normal way to learn how to read music but unfortunately it worked out for me.
@@ForBassPlayersOnly Agree. They are beautiful halls of entertainment! Ours was built in 1920 or so, closed down for many years then completely renovated. It's our favorite place to see concerts
Hey there Jon! Don Miller here. I enjoy hearing all your stories from back in the day and watching your videos. I remember those days back in S. FL being able to work 7 days and nights a week and 2 and 3 gigs per day. Seems like you were doing some of everything while I was mainly doing the Jazz thing playing steady in the bands of Ira Sullivan, Othello, Spider Martin with Lonnie Smith and Jerry Byrd, filing in with lots of S FL favorites like Alice Day, Mel Dancy, Billy Marcus, etc. and picking up lots of Jazz Festival, Concert, and Night Club dates with traveling artists. I am sure among all of your show work, Latin work, club dates, etc. that you played with most of those cats and most of the rest of them in S FL at one time or another too. Point is that no matter how much work any of us had that we could cram into a day, week, month, and year there was still plenty of really good work for all of us down there back then. Also some great teachers to learn from. I’m guessing you studied with our old friend Don Coffman R.I.P. and when you eluded to your Classical bass teacher I’m thinking Lucas Drew? I studied electric with Vince Bredice and upright with Lou Berryman. Seems like we were both doing the same thing at the same time then, studying and practicing our asses off while playing an enormous amount of gigs. I think at that time there was no better place to have had that combination of great musicians, tons of good gigs, some fabulous teachers and we were very lucky to be part of it Jon. Glad our paths crossed way back then and glad to have re-discovered you on RUclips and to see some of what you e been up to in all these years.
Hey, Don! So great to hear from you after all these years. You bring back some great memories. Yes, I played with Ira Sullivan, Alice Day, Mel Dancy, Billy Marcus… (Othello called me too, but I was already booked). Studied with Don Coffman and Lucas Drew. Lee Berryman used to work in my bass (remember Lee Scott?!). I remember seeing you around town, including one time you played with Dizzy. Awesome! Hit me up offline and let’s catch up. Contact me through forbassplayersonly.com. Thanks, man!
Love your stories and appreciate your wisdom! I’ll probably never be a professional bassist but even doing free stuff I believe it is better to be humble and understand promise and over deliver. Or in my case, barely deliver!😂
You say you’ll “probably” never be a professional bassist. Does that mean there’s a chance you will? 😁 Thanks so much for your kind words. Love your attitude too!
When to say no. Although not a bass story, here is my take. Once I was set to play with a flutist. A tune was picked, and I made a nice guitar arrangement. Kept trying to get the flutist to come and practice together. They never came. We played, but they couldn't keep time, played rubato and impossible to comp with. Audience liked my guitar, but said GET RID OF THE FLUTIST. Lately, I turned down a request to accompany someone, without enough time to rehearse. Glad I did!
The more gigs you play, the more good ones you get - and the more not-so-good ones are possible. You never know, which, in an interesting way, is part of the fun. 😁👍
Hi Jon' that's a great story. I found that it's a pretty good idea to be too prepared, it's much easier to play down in a musical situation than it is to have to play up and you're not prepared for what to do. I can't slap on the bass worth a bag of circus peanuts. I find it to be very unnatural for me. But I can read music pretty good which I learned how to do going through Rolls,Rolls,Rolls, by Joel Rothman's book when I was a drummer, I just learned what the notes were worth on The ledger line and applied what I already knew in drum rhythms. it's not normal way to learn how to read music but unfortunately it worked out for me.
Whatever it takes! 😀 Thanks, Evers.
Great story, and solid advice! Did you ever make it out to the FOX theater in Tucson, AZ?
Haven’t made it to that one (yet?). If it’s anything like the others, I’m sure it’s beautiful. They just don’t build ‘em like that any more! 😁
@@ForBassPlayersOnly Agree. They are beautiful halls of entertainment! Ours was built in 1920 or so, closed down for many years then completely renovated. It's our favorite place to see concerts