Steve Swallow Suggestions

[clarke68]

I've been listening to Jimmy Giuffre's Fly Away Little Bird, a trio date with Paul Bley and Steve Swallow, and I'm reminded how much I enjoy Swallow's playing, especially in Fits and Starts, two solo bass numbers.

Can anyone recommend any albums that feature him prominently? Perhaps any of the duet albums he did with Carla Bley?

Thanks in advance!

[Jesse]

Home
Settings for the poetry of the very recently departed poet Creeley, with vocalist Sheila Jordan. Enjoyment of this (I obviously dig it) would hinge greatly on your fondness for Jordan.

He plays beautifully on Pierre Favre's Window Steps, a 1996 outing with Roberto Ottaviano, ss, Kenny Wheeler, tpy/flh, David Darling (!), cello/elec. cello.

I was enamored with Hotel Hello, duets with Gary Burton, no longer own it, so I don't know what my present take would be.

[Mike Schwartz]

While your at it check out his website [google it...] very creative and quite funny, which gives some idea about his many 'unusual' song titles.
May help with your choices too.

[Gentle Giant]

I have two of his sessions as leader; they're quite different but both excellent.

Swallow (1992)
Steve Swallow, bass
Steve Kuhn, gtr
Carla Bley, organ
Karen Mantler, synth, harmonica
Hiram Bullock, gtr
Robby Ameen, drums
Don Alias, perc
Gary Burton, vibes
John Scofield, gtr

Real Book (1994)
Steve Swallow, bass
Tom Harrell, trumpet, flugelhorn
Joe Lovano, tenor
Mulgrew Miller, piano
Jack DeJohnette, drums

[Ron Thorne]

Here are few I'd recommend, beginning with the album Jesse no longer owns, Hotel Hello w/ Gary Burton:



Steve worked a lot with Gary Burton in the early years, and I seriously enjoy most of the albums they did together, including:

Tennessee Firebird (1966)
Duster (1967) A classic!

Here's the rest of the list on Burton's website ... all terrific in my estimation.

Steve also recorded a number of albums with Carla Bley on ECM Records which you can check out here.

His collaborations with Ralph Towner on Matchbook and others are outstanding, too.

You could spend a lot o' digit on great recordings involving Steve Swallow!

[Brian Olewnick]

Very beautiful Swallow work on Kip Hanrahan's "Desire Develops an Edge", especially the track, 'Two (Still in Half-Life)' where he's paired with Jamaaladeen Tacuma.

Also his gorgeous intro to the Roswell Rudd feature on Michael Mantler's 'Communications' witht he JCOA.

[BlueMiles]

Some fine work by Swallow on John Scofield's recent live album, "En Route."

[Dr Dave]

A live gig from the early '80s with a trio of John Scofield, Steve Swallow, and Adam Nussbaum. Swallow's Bach-like solo on "Holidays" is one of the prettiest, most soulful expressions I've ever heard on the electric bass guitar.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Originally Posted by BlueMiles

Some fine work by Swallow on John Scofield's recent live album, "En Route."

I'll second that!

Among my favorite Swallow recordings are his work with jazz oudist Rabih Abou-Khalil, Blue Camel and The Sultan's Picnic.

[gonzo]

anything!!! he is always sublime. his bass, i believe its a Citron, is really gorgeous too.

[clarke68]

Thanks and no thanks for all the suggestions, gang! On one hand, you've recommended practically every album he's ever played on; on the other hand, it sounds like he's no "hit-or-miss" artist, and pretty much anything he touches is worthwhile.

That said, I've been able to track down a few of your specific recommendations on the Rhapsody music service:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

Duster (1967) A classic!

I know I didn't say this, but I'm primarily interested in Swallow's electric playing. That said, this is a good album (possibly great, I can see why you find it a classic!), and its striking how similar his tone on stand-up is to his electric. I'm not a huge fan of a lot of electric bassists, so it must be something about his formative years on acoustic that makes his tone so appealing.

Who's playing guitar on that?

Originally Posted by Brian Olewnick

Very beautiful Swallow work on Kip Hanrahan's "Desire Develops an Edge", especially the track, 'Two (Still in Half-Life)' where he's paired with Jamaaladeen Tacuma.

That is some nice playing on 'Two (Still in Half-Life)', but that guy's lyrics kind of weird me out...sorry!

Originally Posted by BlueMiles

Some fine work by Swallow on John Scofield's recent live album, "En Route."

Whew...that's a hot one! I like his solos, especially his beautiful workout on "Alfie". This album reveals what an incredibly sensitive player he is...even on "Over Big Top" where he pretty much just holds down a 6 note vamp the whole time, he gets into some interesting rhythmic things with Bill Stewart.

I read somewhere (I think allmusic.com) that Swallow's playing is very "guitar-like", which I initially took to be a cheesy assessment, like someone wrote that just because he plays a 5-string and spends more time in the high register than more traditional bass players. But hearing this, he really does play guitar-like! There are times that Swallow & Scofield weave around each other in "guitar duet" fashion. Nice!

That said, maybe its just the mix (Swallow is farther back than either Scofield or Stewart), but I still prefer Fly Away Little Bird to this. The three players are well balanced (Swallow, Jimmy Guiffre, and Paul Bley) and there's a lot more open space than on En Route so you can really hear his tone (very beautifully recorded, too). The two solo numbers are sublimely gorgeous (and scream for the solo bass album I was hoping to find, but it evidently doesn't exist), but the group playing is nice, too. Of note is the closing track, "Bats in the Belfry", where Bley starts beating on the bottom end of his Bosendorfer in a kind of rhythmic "bass duet" with Swallow.

Thanks again! Anybody have any more specific albums to recommend?