I'm so happy to have found this video. Dennis was a friend in the 70's and 80's. He married Denise, a good friend of mine, and spent a lot of time with them in Washington Heights with baby Michael. I made a bow case for him. In an incredibly generous gesture, Dennis gathered a group of his studio friends and played at my own wedding in 1984. I am so sorry I lost touch afterward and learned about his passing only recently. RIP, Dennis. You made me laugh.
Saw Dennis play on a tv program with Mel Torme many years ago and wished I could play something like that . Then in 1999 saw Dennis play with a group called the three baritones ! With Joe Farnsworth on drums and Gary Sumulyn ? Great playing and gig , remember chatting with Dennis at the end of the night . Brilliant man . Think he had this bass as in those days people could fly with their bass
I enjoyed watching this, as someone who saw Dennis play, and experienced his personal warmth when I was a young player in the city. I also enjoyed it because I have a 1940 King Moretone, a plywood made by the same company as the Am. Standard. Mine is just as hard to play! The action is insane, you can slip your whole hand under the strings. But another reason it sounds the way it does is the 43.5” string length! When you’re used to the standard 41” length… it really kicks your ass! I used it as a studio only bass in Nashville for many years, it has a huge sound, very defined, and punchy… and playing it for even the time it took to cut a track was work, but worth what you got from it. But hats off to you for playing a whole night on it! Truly a feat of strength!
It was emotional to watch this video. I haven't seen it before. In 2005, when we were about to record Hindustan in Malmoe Sweden with David Bergers band, Dennis asked me if I could play instead of him. His lower back was killing him. Of course I couldn't. I was not in his legue, and if I were, his bass was almost impossible for me to handle. Such high action. But on this bass, he played things that demanded true virtuosity . I duet with flute and big band recorded at Nefertiti Jazz Club in Gothenburg. David decided to use new and unrehearsed material the whole concert, and everybody was sightreading the music. Dennis' could obviously play anything you put in front of him. Mark Hynes just released a CD where Dennis plays the bass, and that would be the last work Dennis did. You should get the CD.
This bass and story reminds of one time when I was at the Grand Ole Opry during a matinee show and the Osborne Bros. bass man was late. Sonny Osborne said, "Go ask Junior (Roy Huskey, Jr., they just called him Junior, like his dad) if you can use his bass to play with us." Of course, he obliged. His bass was very similar to this one. A Standard with guts and HIGH action. It was a nightmare performance for me. A bass you could not just pick up and play with ease. Thanks for this!
Nice homage to Dennis & his bass . I'm a 51 yr old Australian bassist & was in a band that opened for the Mel Lewis Big Band in Sydney in 1982 . We got to talking bass & he came over to my apartment for dinner . I remember him saying that he'd played clarinet before taking up bass. He also talked about playing with Art Blakey & about his then young son Michael . He was really sweet natured & very encouraging about my bass playing . It was a real pleasure to meet & hang with him.
Thanks Neal. I met Dennis in Florida in '88. I saw celery & carrots in his air case (humidification!) and liked him instantly. I was at FSU w/ his brother David. That was my introduction, but I didn't see Dennis again for some time. As I approached him, at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, 4 yrs. later, he immediately blurted out my name & all details he knew about me. He had amazing memory! We were friends from then on. I took him shopping & to eat, whenever he was in Chicago. I miss him greatly.
Stumbled here on a morning after night shift, practice, and wondering if I want to go gut (Wisconsin w/ synthetics)... I got really lost in this. So simple and so much heart. Music aside... man, just thank you for doing a good thing.
Neal Miner, thanks as usual for keeping this video up on RU-vid. Though I never met Dennis, may his spirit rest on forever as his legend lives on forever.
Hey Neal !I just can't have enough watching thisThanks a lot brotherI remember Dennis at Smalls 90'sDid Ari played that Bass?Man you got that Hugh sound on that bassThanks againMiss you.
Gut string question regarding Dennis's use of them: about how long would he have played on a set before changing any of them? Because I've always had the impression that you'd have to keep extras on tap in prep to change one (if not all of them) at least once a year. Just curious because I've found it hard to dedicate myself to committing to them on an every-gig basis. I just slapped on a gut-core, plain gut setup. And....it's kind of a fight to put up with but, I just can't resist that awesome totally authentic sound. Thanks much to you guys and Dennis, for your influence and carrying on the torch for gut-string jazz babyyyyyy!!!
Immensely moving, Neal. I'm just making the switch to gut strings (due in no small part to listening to Dennis Irwin) and my search brought me here. The notion of the instrument being an extension of the man is palpable. The note, sound waves and air that escape as the string is first plucked almost bring him back to life. In that respect musicians are lucky - as long as our instruments remain a little bit of us remain...
This bass, according to a website I helped to start, was made by the H N White co., the same co. that made King basses and band instruments. The database that we started states that the bass was made in 1937 according to the serial no. inside the bass. I had one made in 1950 that was destroyed in 2010 by the flood here in Nashville. They are undoubtedly the best plywood bass out there old or new, and this one is pretty incredible!
My King super 20 tenor sax was made by H.N White and co 1949..Cleveland Ohio was a Mecca for musical instrument making for many decades..they made munitions too at one point..possibly a few toilet seats!! Love the vid..fly on the wall..missing New York..and Dennis..
What a great video! It's wonderful to hear all these Dennis Erwin stories. Hopefully this bass will begin to make it out more often. Thanks for posting!
Hi Matteo, I'm glad you liked the video! When you say wrapped, I'm assuming you mean around the tuning peg. I'd say at least 2 to 3 times. Be patient, they do take a while before the string and the bass have adjusted to the new tension. Some basses just aren't as good with gut and can be too loose. Try raising the action if that's the case. Good luck! Neal
Also thank you for this initiative. Would be great to see this done with other great's basses. I wonder what is it of Charles Mingus, Paul Chambers, Ray Brown and Charlie Haden's basses. Those were really good ones. Cheers.
Enjoyed watching this fascinating story about a very special musical instrument. Has Dennis' bass been played again in public after the Metropolitan Room gig?
Thanks so much for the reply. I had an American Standard too but traded it for a King Mortone. I might get the AS back one day though. Did jazz players ever played all plain guts before the 40s at all?
This is a superinteresting video!! a question for you Neal...how many time wrapped gut E and A needs to have a clear sound ....they are new and they makes a lot of noises....thank you!!
Hi Neal! Great seeing this again for the second time. I hadn't seen it in years. Just one question if you be so kind: what microphone where you using on that gig with Annie Ross I see under the bridge? I'm going crazy here looking for a good mic and I just hate pickups. Tried a Shure PG57 there but it gets facing up instead of facing the bass and couldn't get much of a sound there. Also tried the Meyer one you advertised but it just wasn't enough for me. I hope you have some spare time to help me up here. Cheers.
