Midweek must-watch: Miles Mosley - 'Abraham'
If Jimi Hendrix could play upright bass, this is what he would have sounded like
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Bass virtuoso Miles Mosley shatters any preconceptions that the upright bass is ‘just’ a part of the rhythm section, occasionally called upon for a brief low-end solo.
Kamasi Washington’s string bassist of choice is also an artist, composer and vocalist is his own right, having released impressive solo album Uprising on Verve in 2017.
I came across this video from a Paste magazine session in New York a few years back, but distinctly remember it blowing my own preconceptions out the water at the time. Miles, with fellow West Coast Get Down collaborator Tony Austin on drums, pulls off a spellbinding live version of ‘Abraham’ that far outstrips the same studio-recorded track for raw intensity.
Austin’s drumming is totally on-point throughout, with crisp rim-shots and cymbal rides creating a tight backbone for the track, before going all out as Miles steps things up. And all the while looking like he couldn’t break a sweat behind the kit if he tried.
But Miles’ incredible bass performance is what makes this unforgettable. The perfectly plucked deep-funk grooves below the verses are only eclipsed by the solo break halfway through the track. He cuts loose, first by strumming the bass, then doubling down with the bow, under a fierce wall of wah-wah fuzz. It creates a Hendrix-like haze that hangs in the mind long after the track finishes up with the fitting lines:
Sho’nuff I’m scared
Mediocrity is everywhere
Nah baby, not here!
Have you been lucky enough to see either of these two play live? Are you catching them on the current Kamasi Washington North American tour? Let us know in the comments.
Peace, love and music,
Rich
Last night I had the absolute privilege of witnessing one of the most uplifting and incredible live music performances of my life. Kamasi Washington! My god, it was absolutely incredible. There were moments when it felt like a transcendent experience where music, creativity, people, energy, positive vibes, love, and a spiritual realm all magically came together. By far the best gig of the year and easily one of the greatest concerts I have ever seen. It was so moving I had tears in my eyes, shivers up my spine, goosebumps, and felt euphoric all at once.
And, Miles Mosley did a bass solo that was both thunderous and out of this world! Un-fucking-believable concert!
Saved for watching properly later sounds like my kind of thing. Have always fancied playing the bass but if guitar strings hurt, I bet those bass strings do too!!