Re: [Harp-L] What? No bass player?

["David R. Fertig" <dfertig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In the early 1970's, there was a great blues band out of Western 
Massachussets called Cricket Hill, it had no guitars at all!

Cricket Hill was led by George Nasser, the lead singer was Helen Schneider 
(she's now singing cabaret in Berlin!)  George played a mean-ass B3, a 
woman (forgot her name) played mostly rhythm fills and some leads on an 
upright piano, a great kid drummer (wish I could remember his name) and - 
that's it!  B3, Piano, drums and vocals to die for.

Oh, occasionally people like James Cotton would sit in on harp as the band 
toured mostly New England, backing all the greats, while turning down 
record contracts for various reasons.    I spent a summer (1971?) as their 
roadie.    Al Kooper still owes me for that case of Ballantine Ale I had 
stashed in the green room, which he and his band drank between sets.

BUT as to lacking a bass guitar, there was a catch: the piano-player also 
had one of those old Fender Keyboard Bass devices, I think maybe two 
octaves, it sat on top of her upright.  'Cuz ya gotta have, as the Family 
Stone sang, "a little bit o'bottom, to make it easy to move your feet..."

-Dave Fertig

So do I win a drink or what?


At 11:11 AM 12/29/2004, Eric Neumann wrote:
> Excuse the very weird question - but I am going to ask it anyhow.
>
> Have any of you veterans heard of a blues band - that tries to emulate
> Chess Records sounding blues groove - ever heard of a band doing that
> kind of sound without using a bass player?
>
> Or, I would like a few opinions on a blues band that only contains a
> front man (harp/vocals) 2 guitarists, and a drummer.
>
> Or... Does anyone know of any band that only has 2 guitars, a drummer,
> and a front man - and NO BASS PLAYER?
>
> Let's just pretend this is a bar bet...
>
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