My kid is a bassist, so I was intrigued by this book. The autobiography of a working bassist, it tells of the highs and lows of the career. My kid enjoyed it for giving him some insight into what the potential next phase of his life could look like should he choose to continue with the instrument full time. ( )

Making the Low Notes: A Life in Music is an autobiography by Bill Harrison. What grabbed me was a combination of the double bass on the cover and the first part of the title. Even though, as a bassist myself, I've probably got an above average-length list of bass players in my head, Harrison's wasn't a name that rang any bells. I figured that I'd have a better idea by the end and might even pick up a playing tip or two along the way.

I suppose I did have a little more idea of who the author is at the end, or at least how he has chosen to present himself. However, while it tells a lot about his life and experiences around music, it didn't teach me a whole lot about the instrument. He's met and sometimes played with people I've heard of but, despite the bass connection, I didn't click with his account and it didn't become a compelling read to me.

Autobiographies are often worth a punt but, if the first few chapters fail to grab you, don't expect any 'plot twist' or development in the writing to change your mind. ( )

Summary: A memoir of an accomplished former bass player, from his beginnings of learning to play an upright bass, learning from and studying with other players, playing with jazz greats, and the physical and financial challenges of making it.

It began in sixth grade music, when there were too many drummers and his teacher pointed him toward the upright double bass. First concerts playing “Yankee Doodle.” Listening to virtuosi and what they could do with the instrument. Lessons with Mr. Bruno. A first gig playing at a bowling alley. Music camps. College decisions. From New York to Northwestern. Deciding to focus on the instrument. More jazz gigs and the Chicago music scene. Better instruments. Traveling. Teaching younger players and playing with jazz greats. Performing at Montreux and playing in pit orchestras for stage shows.

All of this is part of Bill Harrison’s memoir of life as a musician, a bass player (especially the upright, but also various electric basses–ya gotta be versatile). He chronicles the peculiar life of a bass player–on stage in the background, laying down the musical foundation along with the percussion for the other players, on the edge of most people’s awareness, except for the other players. It’s a role that fits this somewhat introverted man who later realizes that he has struggled with depression for much of his life.

He describes the magical moments of playing in a jazz quartet where each anticipates the other and the highlights of meeting truly great players like Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, and Max Roach, who praised his playing. He shares the joy of finding a beautiful old instrument with a wonderful sound that just fits him. Harrison also helps us understand that along with playing music one loves at a high level comes the wedding and corporate gigs, theatre jobs that offer a steady income, and giving a lot of lessons.

We also hear of the other side of this life. The challenge of scraping together a living. Fallings out with other musicians. The physical challenges that eventually ended his career. The knife edge between brilliance and disaster in playing in a pit orchestra. The challenge of making a career change in one’s fifties.

I learned a lot about an instrument for which I had little appreciation. His narrative of listening to Miles Davis’ Kinda Blue helped me listen to it with fresh awareness of the extraordinary bass playing that is one part of this great album. His account rang true with the stories of musician friends I’ve known–both the moments that make it all worth it and the challenges of making a living for all but the most elite players. His memoir reminds us that it is not the instrument alone that makes the music but the human being who plays it. More than most, Harrison underscores the physicality of this work as well as the matters of the psyche.

Harrison gives us the romance without romanticizing the life of a musician. It’s a good book for an aspiring musician, offering an honest look at what they are signing up for. And it is a good book for anyone who loves jazz, or music more generally and wants to know more of what goes into playing that huge thing that looks like a giant violin.

________________________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer Program. ( )

Highly engaging memoir from a “jobbing” professional musician at the conclusion of a forty year career. Bill Harrison played the double bass and loved jazz. Alas he was born 20 years too late to make a living solely from only playing jazz.

Being a professional musician is a hard life requiring one to diversify one’s streams of income. Bill rightly equates this to the current Gig Economy today. Doing this over decades can be tiring, frustrating, and runs the risk of losing one’s first love. Bill’s highly personal account illustrates this played out over 45 short chapters.

Book is largely chronological but does quite a bit of recursion to cover other themes. Some may find this frustrating, but to them I say just read this like a series of blog posts.

Recommended for anyone who knows a professional musician. Book will give you the context for how hard this life can be. Highly recommended for anyone who has ever wished they had become a professional musician. Book will confirm you chose an easier path. ( )

As the author carefully points out, this is a memoir focusing on his life in the music business, playing the bass in jazz groups, gigs, and musicals. It provides interesting insights into the life of a musician both on and off stage. ( )