Telephone Call From Istanbul (live)

Caution: Double bass solo around 3:00. I like the album version as well, but that bass solo deserves to be heard.

Song: Telephone Call From Istanbul
Artist / Band: Tom Waits
Album: Big Time
Bass: Larry Taylor
Year: 1988

Bass tab (external link, no solo)

Tommy the Cat

Ok, since we have already posted a Tom Waits featuring Les Claypool, here's a Les Claypool (well, Primus) featuring Tom Waits.

Funny thing: I love Les Claypool bass playing - this particular bassline is extraordinary, out of this world really -, but I was never a big Primus fan. However, there's no way of denying the power of Les Claypool as a bass player. Really groovy, really percussive. And quite complex, too. These are not simple basslines, and require a lot - a LOT - of practice. Yes, Les Claypool is an unbelievable player.

Oh, Tom Waits is the voice of Tommy the Cat, by the way.

Song:Tommy The Cat
Artist / Band: Primus
Album:Sailing the Seas of Cheese
Bass: Les Claypool
Year: 1989

Bass tab (external link)

Big in Japan

Here's the Tom Waits + Les Claypool entry that I've promised earlier. The opening track for the album Mule Variations has a bass line that, if not as acrobatic as most Les Claypool stuff (especially with his band Primus), it's just as good. Overall, it sounds like Les Claypool and it sounds like Tom Waits. Must be good, then!

Song:Big In Japan
Artist / Band: Tom Waits
Album:Mule Variations
Bass: Les Claypool
Year: 1999

Diamonds on my windshield

This is from The Heart of Saturday Night, the second Tom Waits album I ever bought (the first one was Raindogs and the third, Bone Machine. That's quite a range!). I really, really love his work - and he is my favourite artist, so it's just logical that some of his songs should feature here.

I could post one of his songs featuring Les Claypool - and I probably will one of these days - but I think this one, from his second album, ha a great example of a jazzy walking bass that really drives the song throughout its 3:12 minutes. Played by Jim Jughart.

This was played on a double-bass, and it should be hard to play it on a bass guitar and achieve the same sonority (well, a fretless bass could have a better chance). I wish I had taken double-bass classes (I actually had a couple of lessons, but left the music school for an internship - what a shame).

Song: Diamonds On My Windshield
Artist / Band: Tom Waits
Album:The Heart of Saturday Night
Bass: Jim Jughart
Year: 1974

Bass Tab (external link). Warning: looks like this is the transcription from another version.