Tony Levin Paul Simon....

[Big Poppa]

thanks to some great ipod headphones I have been listening to a lot of stuff lately and will start a little musical appreciation thread from time to time...maybe more than not...

THis morning was a solid listening to Paul Simon's One Trick Pony....

Tony Levin and Steve Gadd play just perfectly on this. If there is a masterclass in backing a singer and playing with a drummer that can swing just tapping the heads this is it. At the clinic John Ferraro discussed the most annoying trait of bassists for drummers and that wwas note duration....tonys feel note selection and duration is just fabulous.

This is a little old but is really nice. Headbangers dont buy it this is a melodic/rhytnmic songwriters showcase...

Just another CD that tony plays perfectly on.

 

[armybass]

I concur BP, great album and great performance by TL. He is one of my all time favorite players and helped instill my love for the SR5 in fact. You are also dead right about note values. I learned as an upright player to put just the tiniest bit of vibrato on all of my notes for the sake of duration and I have carried that over to the EB. I especially use it in ballads to help sustain whole notes through the entire bar. Not enough vibrato to actually bend the pitch, just enough to keep it singing.

Great post.

 

[scowboy]

If any of you ever want to hear Tony "slay the dragon" if you can find a copy pick up Bozzio Levin Stevens, Situation Dangerous (magna carta records I believe was the label). Its all instrumental. Tony right there in the pocket holding down the bottom while the others GO OFF. It is a instrumental prog record worth owning. It came out 7 years ago and it still gets heavy play in my household.

 

[muggsy]

thanks to some great ipod headphones I have been listening to a lot of stuff lately and will start a little musical appreciation thread from time to time...maybe more than not...

THis morning was a solid listening to Paul Simon's One Trick Pony....

Tony Levin and Steve Gadd play just perfectly on this. If there is a masterclass in backing a singer and playing with a drummer that can swing just tapping the heads this is it. At the clinic John Ferraro discussed the most annoying trait of bassists for drummers and that wwas note duration....tonys feel note selection and duration is just fabulous.

This is a little old but is really nice. Headbangers dont buy it this is a melodic/rhytnmic songwriters showcase...

Just another CD that tony plays perfectly on.

Hey BP, just out of curiosity, what iPod headphones are you using? I've had the Etymotic ER-4P for a few years, and they're great but I'm considering an upgrade.

 

[roburado]

BP, thanks for the recommendation.

 

[MingusBASS]

BP knows what's up!

Great album!

 

[Big Poppa]

ok they arent that special they just fit my ear well...they are just some ones I picked up at costco called moda

 

[DrKev]

It's amazing difference good headphones make (and amazing how much money people spend on MP3 players and such and listen with crappy headphones). I bought some entry level Sennheisers and the difference is fantastic, the extra detail I can here is wonderful.

 

[Eggman]

ok they arent that special they just fit my ear well...they are just some ones I picked up at costco called moda

I was doing some research on headphones to pair with my iPhone a while back and Moda was rated very highly. I'll have to check them out at Costco.

 

[roburado]

It's amazing difference good headphones make (and amazing how much money people spend on MP3 players and such and listen with crappy headphones). I bought some entry level Sennheisers and the difference is fantastic, the extra detail I can here is wonderful.

I love my Sennheiser HD 497s. Also, I love my Bose Quiet Comfort 2.

 

[PzoLover]

hot tipon the real deal

Thanx for the hot tip BP ... Wouldn't I like to sample this musical treat via my vintageSTAX Electrostatic EarSpeakers rather than my iPod buddies, but no disrespect meant, rehab beggers like me obviouslycan't be choosers these days ...

On the happy side , I'm checkin out a new assisted living apartment these days and I have the Manager's approval to go ahead and practice SR5bass since the building is a concrete structure and somewhat sound deadened which also means I can root my vintage ESS AMT1 TOWER speakers out of mothballs and rumble the HIFI

Tnx Again for the inside track on this Tony Levin session

/PL

 

[82Daion]

That rhythm section would be unbeatable in any situation.

For some good cans, check out the AKG K-601's. Expensive, but worth every penny, IME.

 

[Kirby]

ok they arent that special they just fit my ear well...they are just some ones I picked up at costco called moda

BP, I bought these about a year ago for my wife and ended up just seeing them at Costco too. I purchased a second pair. These are awesome headphones! They are not in ear monitor quality, but damn close for under $100 and they are bass heavy!

 

[Big Poppa]

the funny thing is that with the format Itunes uses and ipod it is kind of silly going audiophile

 

[Beth]

I need some new iPod headphones. I guess my ears are super small, because they get SORE after just an hour or so! Moda at Costco, hum? I guess I can pick up a food sealer while I'm there?

Definitely gonna add some more TL to my iTunes collection this weekend.

 

[Oldtoe]

I cannot recommend the $99 set of Ultimate Ears earphones I bought.

They suck. My $40 Sonys were much better.

 

[PzoLover]

Is that living or remembering?

the funny thing is that with the format Itunes uses and ipod it is kind of silly going audiophile

Thanx fir the hifi qualifier BP .... I guess I'm not the only one around here old enough to remember the real thing.
/PL

 

[Big Poppa]

yeah the world has sent a message..ease of aquisition over sonic qualtity Im deaf now so it doesnt mater!

 

[midopa]

I have some Sennheiser PX 100s that sound really good. They don't look much, more like a cheapo headphone set than anything else, but they pump out really good almost natural bass.

 

[roballanson]

Thanks for the tip - wasnt there a write up about Paul's bass player - inc TL - in the latest Bass Player mag?

Personally headphone wise I bought some Sennheiser PXC 250 (noise cancelling) and they have been brilliant, especially on trains and planes. Really good bottom end.