Welcome to Grateful Ged's Grateful Dead Bass Playing Homepage
It's almost here...April 18th - Phil's book "Searching For The Sound" will be released! Can't wait to read this book!
The Master's Hands
Version 4.0
It goes something like this.....
I'm Grateful Ged....& I play bass - love the big Curvy Girl....I also love my Electric Basses, & my acoustic bass guitar - if its Bass, it's fer me!
I'm having to change the idea behind the site a little bit. I have an injury - something nasty in my right elbow & on-going battles with carpel tunnel, it's made playing my upright hurt & giging with it hard. Out of necessity, if I want to play, I'm going to have to play some electric bass.
It's refreshing! After two + years of nothing but the upright, I'm finding electric bass & bass guitar to a fun again...and working out with my upright has made me a much better bassist.
Yup - that's my scary looking mug & my big ole gal, Bertha.
I've played a wide variety of music, including some time with a Grateful Dead cover band. Lately, I've been playing some blues, rockabilly, & country styles with the GerryJeffWalkers Band - but..whenever I play I always have that Jerry Garcia / Phil Lesh influence happening.
Phil Lesh....I just can not play like that. I've also learned that I'm not supposed to be able to play like Phil. I can only play like me...I've seen Phil more times than any other bassist.
Don't get me wrong...I LOVE Phil & his bass work. I've seen him play more than any other bassist...& his influence on my playing is H-U-G-E...the biggest of any other musician. He changed my life!
One night not too long ago, I was blessed & was asked if I wanted to sit in for a set with Boston's "Dave Foley Band." These guys are Boston's premier counrty/rockabilly/roots band.
It was at a cool little watering hole in Kingston, Ma. called "Tuscon Tacos." Dave was on acoustic guitar, & I was on the Dawghouse. We played all kinds of things, & I was able to jump right in....why? because a whole bunch of songs were covered by the Grateful Dead, or Garcia Bands.
The place went crazy. There were girls dancing on the bar, swing dancers, belly shots! what a party!
I have finally figured out - that this music can be performed with the traditional bass style I was born to play. I've been developing my sound & discovered some cool basses that work well for me. I have my upright, my acoustic bass guitar, my Fender P-Bass (a MUST), & I have my hollow-body electric bass. Here she is:
My Beatle Bass, Paula...hey..if it's good enough for Paul McCartney it's good enough for me!
Here's a recent shot of Phil working a 4-string. Wish this happened more often!
I began to look for Upright basses in the Dead's music. Unfortunately, Phil Lesh has not shown up on stage with an Upright Bass. He has however, played an acoustic bass guitar.
Phil - with his Acoustic Bass Guitar.
However, I did find the Big Gal to be a strong prescence in the musical life of Jerry Garcia.
The late great Garcia bassist - John Kahn
The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, Old & In The Way, the great Garcia/Grisman recordings....Garcia On Broadway...
From the soundtrack to the movie "Smoke" - imagine spending the day shooting a video with Ashley Judd...Jer you old dawg...
Bob Weir & Rob Wasserman. Their live CD is filled with amazing stuff.
That is Bassist Extraordinaire, TONY GARNIER. Mr. Garnier is also Bob Dylan's musicla director & has played more gigs with Bob than anyone. I've been a fan of Tony's since his days playing rockabilly with Robert Gordon. Hmmmmm....rockabilly..leads to Dylan...there's another link. Tony doubles on some amazing electric bass.
That's Jerry Gacia & Robert Hunter in 1962 - the year I was born...scary
I purchased an Acoustic Bass Guitar on E-bay. I figure this will be a good, mobile way for me to get more playing in....great for Camping, late night jams sessions, strumming sessions with friends, etc. The model I have purchased has a built-in pickup & will play through my amps. So...I can go electric with this when the need comes up. I'm still so in love with acoustic music these days! Anyway - here's my new baby, She's a Hondo AB1000. Her name is "Mona" - because she's really L-O-U-D !!
Well, on a gig last summer, my damaged elbow acted up & the pick-up on my upright decided to implode...so I reached for the acoustic bass guitar. WOW! She SCREAMS! Loud, clear & strong sound. My bandmates were very pleased & loved her. It's a super little axe!
For years I've been torn between playing traditional bass parts & Dead-style. Now, I've begun to explore bringing both into my Bass playing. Perhaps this will be my "style."
I'm looking for a guitar player or two, that might want to play a bit, play a few gigs, have some good times, & maybe even make a few bucks. I have little kids, so this would be pretty easy & non stressful. Obviously, it would be this kind of music.
Drop me a line - let's jam. I have a PA, & rehearsal space.
Thanks for visiting. This page last updated: March 7, 2005. Eight days until Phil's Birthday! Thirteen days until the first day of Spring!
Just in case...a new series of CD's are out from JerryGarcia.com. Just like the Dick's Picks series from the Grateful Dead, the 4th release was just released.
PAUL McCARTNEY
Love me them BEATLES!
After tons of different electric basses over the years, & my desire for a hollow-body electric bass, I decided to check out Paul's bass - at least a copy...it's superb!
Links
The Phil Zone
Bass Player magazine
Dead Net
Jerry Garcia.com
RU Kind - words, tab, etc.
Lemur Music-upright bass specialists
Dharma Trading
Rob Wasserman
Tony Levin
Little Feat
The Beatles
Ugly Bass Player!
