If you’re interested in famous piccolo bass players, you’ve come to the right post!
Piccolo bass is loved by musicians for its different tonal range, which lies in the strings used. It uses thinner strings than the regular bass and has a standard tuning one octave higher than the standard bass. Many think this gives it a jazz-like sound. It has gained recent popularity thanks to some notable musicians who have used it to stretch their creative wings.
Here is a list of some of the most amazing piccolo players of all time.
1. Brian Bromberg
Bromberg is a fantastic jazz bassist, born in 1960.
Brian played both acoustic and electric bass instruments and performed smooth jazz, funk, fusion, and straight-ahead jazz.
He was well known for his technical and innovative style of piccolo bass playing and was one of those players who often played the piccolo instead of standard bass.
Brian has collaborated with well-known artists of the time and even had a very successful solo career.
He was part of the band Unapologetically Funky Big Bombastic Band and Full Circle Acoustic Band.
His works include Metal, A New Day, Basses Loaded, Magic Rain, BASSically Speaking, You Know That Feeling, and many more.
2. Ron Carter
Ronald Levin Carter, famously known as Ron Carter, is an American bassist born in 1937.
He is one of the most influential double bassists, who has recorded over 2200 albums, earning him a Guinness world record.
In addition, he has won multiple awards, including a Grammy. Furthermore, he has been part of several bands like Miles Davis Quintet, The Ron Carter Trio, The Ron Carter Quartet, the Ron Carter Nonet, and Ron Carter’s Great Big Band.
His works include Where?, Uptown Conversation, A Tribute To Miles, Call Sheet Blues, All Blues, A Song for You, Alone Together, and much more.
3. Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke is actually an American film composer and bassist born in 1951. Clarke is known as an innovative bass player whose harmonically rich and melodic approach to this instrument contributed to it becoming a leading stage instrument. He has won multiple awards throughout his career including a Grammy.
Stanley was the founder of the band Return Forever, one of the first jazz fusion bands. Some of his notable work includes Return to Forever, Light as a Feather, Children of Forever, School Days, Find Out!, The Stanley Clarke Band, and a lot more.
4. Les Claypool
Leslie Edward Claypool is an American musician, songwriter, singer, and director, and actor born in 1963. He is well known for Slap and Flamenco style bass playing. He is the founding member and the lead singer, songwriter, and bassist of the funk metal band Primus. His work includes The Sane Asylum, Suck on This (live album), Tales from the Punchbowl, Highball with the Devil, Antipop, Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People and a lot more.
Joey DeMaio
Joey DeMaio is an American songwriter, composer, and virtuoso bassist born in 1954. Joey founded a heavy metal band named Manowar, well-known for loud yet empathic music and the record label Magic Circle Music, whose main task was to manage Manowar. Often described as a Polymath, Joey has multiple awards and sold-out shows under his name.
His works include Battle Hymns, Sign of the Hammer, Warriors of the World, Gods of War, The Lord of Steel, and many more.
6. Dwayne Dolphin
Dwayne is an acoustic and a piccolo bass player born in 1963. He is well known for his round and full tone and an agile technique that makes him fantastic jazz and funk bassist. Dwayne played in many different bands before he founded his own “Dwayne dolphin.”
His works include Portrait of Adrian, Ming, Indigenous, Pretty Girl, 4 Robin, Essence of an Angel, and many more.
7. Mariusz Duda
Duda is a polish musician and a composer born in 1975. He is the founder of the progressive rock band Riverside and Lunatic Soul. His music revolved around progressive rock and metal.
Some of the works include- Loose Heart, Lunatic Soul, Through Shaded Woods, Celebrity Touch, Wasteland, Lockdown Spaces, Claustrophobic Universe, and many more.
8. Michael Manring
Michael is an American bass guitarist born in 1960 who excels in alternate tunings, unusual basses, and experimental style music. He is often hailed as one of the worlds leading solo bassists due to his ability to combine technique and innovation in his music. He has been part of Windham Hill record label for a while now and even founded his band Montreux under it.
Some of his works include Toward the Center of the Night, Breakfast in the Field, Watching My Life Go By, Drastic Measures, Soliloquy, Small Moments, and many more.
9. Joe “Foley” McCreary
Foley is a talented musician and a multi-faceted American lead bassist and drummer born in 1962. Foley used piccolo bass strings and tuned it one octave higher and to sound like a lead guitarist. He was a prominent member of the Miles Davis band.
Some of his works include- 7 Years Ago, Amandla, Live Around the World, Prisoner of Love, From the Mint Factory, Lenny White Live, and a lot more.
10. Charnett Moffett
Moffett is an American jazz bassist, lyrical improviser, and ebullient born in 1967. Moffett is one of the versatile and innovative acoustic and electric bass players whose work orbits around acoustic post-bop, electric fusion, straight-ahead jazz, and contemporary jazz. He has been part of many different music groups and bands, including his Father, Charles Moffett, Sr. band, Blue Note, Evidence, Motéma, Manhattan Jazz Quintet, and Nett Duo.
Some of his works include- Net Man, Beauty Within, For the Love of Peace, Round the World, A Look Inside, Come Together.
11. Jackie Orszaczky
Born in 1948, Jackie was a Hungarian Australian musician. Despite his classical training, Jackie made a mark for himself in rock and jazz music. He started his career playing bass guitar and soon turned to Piccolo bass, which complemented his jazz, funk, and progressive rock music styles. While still in elementary school, Jackie started his first Hungarian rock band Új Rákfogó (English: New Crab-catcher). He then moved to Australia to join Bakery, an experimental progressive rock group.
His works include Devil’s Masquerade, Beramiada, Blue Cover, Jump Back Jack, and Ready To Listen Jackie Orszaczky.
12. John Patitucci
John is an American composer and musician born in 1959. He is well known for his technically adept playing which allowed him to explore different music styles. His music forms include post-bop, Straight-ahead jazz, and fusion. He later founded his band and was also one of the critical members of then-famous Chick Corea’s band, which gave him the fame he holds now. Some works include- John Patitucci, Another World, The Elektric Band, Eye of the Beholder, On the Corner, Sketchbook, and many more.
13. Jeff Schmidt
Schmidt is an American bassist born in 1968. Being left-handed, he uses an inverted right-handed bass, with strings attached in the opposite direction, tuning it one octave high, turning it into a piccolo. He plays in the POP rock genre, has been in many international competitions, and has played alongside many notable musicians. His music style is a blend of world, jazz, rock & classical.
Some of his works are Outré, The Rhythm of the Church, and No Distance for the Heart.
14. Lee Sklar
Lee is one of the most sought-after American bass guitarists and session musicians born in 1947. His usual taste in music revolves around rock, pop, country, and folk rock. He was part of the band The Section, which was one of the forebearers of the soft rock. He is now a member of the Immediate Family, a band created by the veterans after playing for years together on different occasions. His distinguished playing can be heard with various artists, on tv shows, and even in movies. His work includes- Air Supply — The Vanishing Race, America — Alibi, Barefoot Servants, Consider the Cost, Annabelle’sAnnabelle’s Wish, Conspiracy Theory.
15. Henry Threadgill
Henry is a jazz avant-garde, a composer, musician, and one of the three jazz artists to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. He is considered as one of the most original Jazz composers of his time. He constantly improvises his musical styles combining them with different genres to bring out distinguished music. A very versatile musician who can play almost every genre, be it classical, ragtime, circus marches, bop, or free jazz.
He was a part of the Experimental Band, which later became AACM; he even joined the US army rock band and The blues band.
Some of his works include In for a Penny, In for a Pound, Air Raid, Open Air Suit, When Was That?, Rag, Bush and All , When Was That?, Makin’Makin’ a Move.
16. Wayman Tisdale
Wayman Lawrence Tisdale is a former American NBA player and an outstanding smooth jazz bassist. His music styles included contemporary jazz, smooth jazz, cross-over jazz. He was associated with Motown Label and started his career as their leading bass player.
Some of his works include- Power Forward, In the Zone, Decisions, Face to Face, Presents 21 Days, Way Up!, Rebound.
17. Julian Vaughn
Is an American basketball player turned musician born in 1988. His musical styles include smooth jazz, cross-over jazz, R&B instrumental, contemporary jazz. He toured around the world, playing in some of the best music festivals and eventually releasing his solo album Behind the Scenes. Since then, he has improved his skills and released multiple solo albums, some of them even topping the Billboard charts.
His remarkable works include- The Purpose Project, Breakthrough, Limitless, Bona Fide, and Supreme.
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped you get a better understanding of some famous piccolo bass players who use this unique instrument!
Let me know in the comments if you have questions!
