Is There a More Bassist Photo Than This? Here’s the Story Behind the “Harlem, 1958” Pic You (Probably) Don’t Know About
Our favorite instrument, as we know it today, first emerged in its four-string form, developed by Leo Fender. However, its history goes back to the upright bass, which was not only its original form but also served the same role in bands and orchestras.
But speaking of history and bass, I stumbled on one photo that blew me away with just how much bass history is on it. And I’m talking a real history course here — one would be able to write a whole series of books about it if we were to get into all the people on it and their contributions to music and bass.
The photo in question takes us back to 1958 when people started switching to electric horizontally held bass, but the upright bass was still very much a thing. The photo was taken by Art Kane, a photographer known for his work in music and fashion. In fact, it’s one of his earliest professional photos, so that adds to its historical weight.
This was taken in New York City on 17 East 126th Street and the photo easily holds about 50 years, or more, of modern music history in it. As far as bassists go, four guys stood out so much that I had to address them.
One of them is the almighty Charles Mingus, whom I’m sure you’re all familiar with already. However, what you may not know is that this picture was captured around when he was dealing with some of the most challenging times of his life. Apart from personal matters, he was also dropped from his label, which was almost career-ending at the time.
I dive deeper in the video, talking about bass legends Oscar Pettiford, Milt Hinton, and Chubby Jackson, who played for some of the biggest names of 20th-century music. These bassists played for Sonny Rollins and Louis Armstrong, and one is considered the father of bebop bass playing.
Episode timestamps:
- 00:00 Intro
- 01:14 Wilbur Ware
- 02:13 Chubby Jackson
- 03:07 Charles Mingus
- 04:39 Oscar Pettiford
- 05:36 Milt Hinton
- 07:31 Sonny Speaks
Paul Thompson has been playing bass professionally for over 30 years, including recording and touring stints with trumpeter Maynard Ferguson and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. Recent playing credits include Bob Reynolds, John Pizzarelli, Jeff 'Tain' Watts, and Bob James, among others. Currently, he can be seen playing in and around the Pittsburgh, PA area with the THOTH Trio, the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, and many other musicians in the city's rich Jazz community. An educator of over 25 years, Paul currently teaches Jazz Bass at Duquesne University, West Virginia University, and his alma mater, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 Performing Arts School. Connect with Paul on Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and his website.
