Percy Heath

[BradleyMellen]

Concerning the instrument conversation: it's definitely a cello. In fact, it's a particular type of cello that Kay instruments manufactured in the 60's for Ray Brown. They marketed it as a "jazz cello", aimed mainly at bassists, with machine heads and the strings spaced slightly further apart, and intended to be tuned in fourths. In the 70's, long after most bassists had dropped the instrument, Percy got one from Ray (who apparently had a bunch in his garage) to play with the Heath Brothers.

[Gorgalisin]

haha, it's great to see Mr. Heath on cello! I see that if you handle the double bass, you handle the cello too!

[diahni]

Anybody out there play a cello tuned EADG? If so, please contact me.

[CasualHansen]

I met him like 5 times he was a good friend of my grandma

[phgp527]

Percy Heath - the heartbeat of the MJQ - is the most underrated of the great bass players of the last generation. THANK YOU for posting this beautiful example of Big P's artistry.

[BuckshotLaFunke]

phgp527 - you're so right. There's Ray Brown, NHOP, Pettiford, Vinnegar, Ron Carter, Chambers etc., but Percy Heath is my main man. He's the swinginest with the fat tone, always lagging behind and still in time.

[avivagabriel]

@BuckshotLaFunke ::: Exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself. ...although...I do love some of Ron Carter's "piccolo bass" work...

[hallsf]

Am I right in thinking that's a cello tuned to bass guitar EADG?

[TebbieBear]

yes, If i am correct he used TI jazz flat bass guitar strings.

[jazzzbassist]

No, it's not a cello. A cello has other string mechanics. I think it's more likely an 8th Bass for little up-and-comings. Percy is holding it very cello-like though.

[dec10]

That's definitely a cello. Look at the proportions. I don't know exactly what you mean by "other string mechanics" but Percy Heath definitely played a cello in the later part of his career, as did Oscar Pettiford.

[JogiBass]

No, it's not a cello. The mechanics (the part which serves to tune the instrument) here are the ones of a viola da gamba wheras a cello is a viola da braccio. Look for the explanations at Wikipedia e.g. So this simply is a very small double-bass. Geetings from Switzerland, Jogi

[dec10]

Yeah, I see what you mean.

[4ndreasH]

Jogi, so you could simply change the mechanics for tuning and then it's antoher instrument? Sorry, I just don't buy that. Please explain it further. Also Percy himself did call it a cello.

[JogiBass]

No, there are other differences. But you can easily see what it is by looking at the mechanics. Just look at some pictures of celli and you'll see that the mechanics always stand sideways, wheras on a contrabass they look backwards. It's a question of the family to which the instrument belongs. So, I would insist, even against the word of Mr. Heath himself.

But hey, who cares? The interesting thing is what we hear. And what we hear is fantastic!!

[NathanJayDog]

It's definitely a 'cello. It just has machine heads instead of pegs... I've seen a couple like that around, and my cello teachers husband (who is a bassist, and a luthier) replaces the pegs with machine heads on his 'cellos.

Basses (Being Viols) are also a completely different shape.

[JogiBass]

Ok, that's convincing. Thx!

[oceanchant]

hahaha a cello!

[wohodude100]

Its probably a custom made cello with bass tuners, which are a lot easier to use than cellos tuners which keep unwinding

[iammorek]

lovely, excelent bass player, I loved his work in "move to the groove"