June 22, 2008 - Milt Hinton

My Influences:

Milt Hinton (June 23, 1910 - Dec. 19, 2000)
"The Judge" - "The Dean of Jazz Bassists"
string bass, photography

The quick bio for those of you who aren't familiar:
Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1910. Moved to Chicago in 1920.
He began studying music with his mother at home. He studied violin then moved to the bass end with cello, bass saxophone and tuba, finally discovering string bass and, obviously, sticking with it.
In the early 1930's, Hinton began working with Eddie South primarily. He also worked with numerous other jazz greats: Jabbo Smith, Erskine Tate, Freddie Keppard, Tiny Parham, Zutty Singleton, etc.
In 1936, Al Morgan left the Cab Calloway Orchestra and opened a spot of our man. He stayed in that spot until 1951 when the Orchestra disbanded.
Following his Calloway years, Hinton stayed in New York where he established himself as THE first call bassist, sometimes working three three-hour recording sessions a day. He is the most recorded bassist in history. There is little doubt that you haven't heard his playing, consciously or otherwise, at some point in your life.
He continued this work, as well as touring and playing with some heavy hitting bands (like the Louis Armstrong All-Stars) until his death in December 2000.
Throughout his career, Milt Hinton made it a habit to carry with him a camera. He documented his life's surroundings and (coincidentally) some great piece of jazz history.
There is, of course, plenty of information regarding The Judge available on the world-information-web-inter-highway-wide-net. Some links to start your research are included below, as always.

Milt Hinton was the first jazz bassist that ever caught my ear. I heard his name mentioned on a how-to video (we'll discuss that in a future piece) and immediately found my way to the local Tower Records to purchase the first recording I could find bearing his name.
That happened to be a Chronological Classics volume of Cab Calloway material. The first tune that grabbed me was "The Man With Jive." Altogether, the entire tune grabbed at pieces of my childhood and very directly, unquestionably, pointed out to me the path I was going to travel. The tune itself is a very clear representation of what moves me in jazz and the presentation of it by the band was and is something for which I constantly strive as a band member and musicianer.
The next tune that grabbed me (more like, grabbed me, punched me, kneed me in my special purpose then laughed at me, slapped me and poked out my eyeballs) was "Pluckin' The Bass." This tune - obviously - featured Milt Hinton and his mastery of slap bass. To this day, you will NOT find a better slap bass feature. Not only does this song display Hinton's incredible virtuosity with the technique, it displays the most tasteful use of this virtuosity.
I was hooked - completely!
- Incidentally, pulling that off (the tasteful virtuosity) is not very easy considering the unavoidable harshness of said technique.

As if his music wasn't quite enough ...
From all reports, Milt Hinton was the nicest man as well as a very professional musicianer, and he valued both of those traits in himself and others. A local Austin bassist and friend of mine took a lesson with The Judge. He said that it was a great hang on top of being a good lesson. He said that Mr. Hinton treated him with kindness and compliments. I've spoken to a handful of bassists and musicianers around town who have had the fortune to spend some time with the man and they have all reported the same thing: professionalism and warm-hearted kindness - a genuine love for life and the life music gave him.
I feel that in his music; I see that in videos of him playing; I sense that in his interviews and stories I read.
The man's great spirit comes through in everything he does and I consider myself very lucky to count him as one my biggest influences and inspirations, musically and otherwise.

Thanks for the music and thanks for the great contributions to this world and the people in it! You are amazing, Milt Hinton!

Some links:

http://www.milthinton.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Bass-Line-Stories-Photographs-Hinton/dp/0877226814
http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Changes-Hintons-Stories-Photographs/dp/0826515746
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/mishkin/hinton/hinton.html
http://www.riverwalkjazz.org/site/PageServer?pagename=profiles_hinton

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"In a man's mind, his face is on his arm because he wears his heart on his sleeve."

~ E. Hayes, June 2008