Donna Lee by Joe Pass and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen

[@Intenzity]

I can't think of any other bass player I have seen play the head to this tune on upright. Lots of guys on electric, but haven't ever seen an upright player do it. And at this tempo, in unison and in tune with a guitar player. That is just plain nuts.

[@nre25826]

Intenzity u

[@MrBaskevin]

He was an absolute monster player. Danish guy.

[@Gregorypeckory]

I couldn't agree more; and I love Jaco and Jaco's version, but he couldn't touch NHOP; his version was way slower, and obviously, his instrument took a whole lot less muscle to achieve the same kind of lines, yet NHOP tears it up with a solo that would be burning for a guitar player; absolutely a superhuman player!

[@ethanlocke3604]

I can play it on upright, but not nearly at this insane tempo

[@DavidRavenMoon]

He’s where Jaco got all his tricks, including the hitting the low E and playing harmonics. I love Jaco, but NHØP is the originator.

[@AleXDtmp]

- What tempo? - Joe Pass: Yes

[@HueDaniel]

138 quarter note or 276 half note ( approximately )

[@OlePistolCooperation]

@@HueDaniel double the numbers and you are close

[@גיליוורש]

Still not very close​@@OlePistolCooperation

[@Archie583]

@@HueDaniel You have it backwards, if those are the right numbers; it would be 276 quarters or 138 half.

[@gopeace4797]

Lesson learned. Guitar with one hum bucket plugged straight into an amp. No special effects. Pure skill.

[@guitarman6742]

It ain't the arrow...it's the Indian.

[@YungVaporwave]

He was later famous for no amp, just would plug straight into the mixer

[@MAXILOGUITARRO]

@@YungVaporwave Yeah man! is true!

[@roneman20]

Just discovered this gem 💎, and I’m blown away. My guy on the bass, I got carpal tunnel just watching him, holy smokes!

[@brynjarhoff-lr6hw]

This to virtous artist will never be forgotten……God Bless them..

[@Metalguitarpete]

Like everyone- I’m blown away by this. Just two god level virtuosos having the time of their lives. In spite of the speed this part I absolutely love is Joe’s ultra minimalist comping during NHOPs solo and the way they rebuild to return to unison. Incredible

[@evansiegel9261]

The first line of Joe’s second chorus is just ridiculous. An atomic clock couldn’t be more in time.

[@imsorrydaveimafraidicantdothat]

This was recorded in 1979, three years after the "Jaco Pastorious" album (1976) with the opening track of Donna Lee. NHOP had no doubt heard Jaco play this. And no doubt Jaco had heard NHOP play on many recordings or live because he was everywhere in the 60's and 70's Playing with Rollins, Gordon, Peterson, Evans and many more.

[@jamesrawlins735]

I think NHOP would have been much bigger if he had toured in the states - unfortunately he absolutely hated flying so even when OP performed here he had to find an alternate bass player.

[@christophercharles9645]

This version makes Jaco's version seem stately in pace.

[@dailyjamrunner]

Joe is totally rocking that shirt. Would love to have seen that in full color.

[@tigertiger55]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bovcXqivmtCYhpo

[@theace110013]

ZENSIBLE good try but check the other reply, that’s how you do it.

[@theace110013]

MrE absolute legend!

[@alexanderosburn6850]

You can see the video in color on a channel called Bruno Sbordone. It’s a transcription video but it’s in color.

[@BillonBass]

Every time I hear this I just want to burn my bass and hang myself in my bathroom! What a freaking monster Nils is. He not only played this song on upright years before Jaco or anyone else but he plays it at tempo, in tune and solos on the actual changes like freaking Charlie Parker. And what's worse he looks bored doing it! I've yet to see a bass player alive or dead that can match this guy and not likely to see one again!

[@albionseed4866]

Straight ahead brother. I hate the word best, but NHOP.... yeah....

[@williamsmith9026]

Yeah. Its pretty disheartening

[@Gregorypeckory]

Absolutely it blows my mind; the level of skill and musicality, and sheer chops on the upright is insane!

[@TropicIslandMusic]

Coming from a classical guitar background, very intersting to see a bass player utilise all a m & i fingers in the right hand. Its the only way to conceivably keep that tempo. Wow!

[@jonathanjoubertguitare]

If you go to NYC, look for James Robbins

[@richardfredrick8838]

I find it amazing that Joe Passed rarely looked down at the fret board. In fact he has his eyes closed most of the time. A complete master musician.

[@davidr2704]

At speeds like this, looking at what your hands are doing isn't really helpful anyway. It would be like a race driver watching his own hands on the steering control. The driver watches where he's going, of course - but "where the musician is going" is not somewhere on the fingerboard, just like "where the driver is going" is not somewhere on the steering control. Looking at where your hands are going can be useful in the early stage of learning an instrument, or in learning a move that's new to you, but not usually that useful in performance. There are exceptions sometimes. Joe Pass, Mario Andretti, Bruce Lee... none of them watch their own hands. They're all focused on the actions and sounds going on around them instead.

[@scotty6124]

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen is on another planet. Thank you for positing this since my mind has been blown!

[@fasteagle9959]

Niels-henning orsted pedersen ...none higher

[@adhanda2017]

RIP NHOP

[@tonytaurus3676]

Whenever I come back to this I keep checking if I haven't left the settings at 2x speed. This is unreal.

[@ronodrich88]

Incredible on both guitar and bass. Virtuosi both. Great chops and swinging lines. Wow! Thanks to Jerome for giving us all this. Other wordly! Gotta practice!

[@diment0857]

What a performance by two jazz giants. Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen was the Jaco Pastorius of the acoustic bass, the things he could do on the instrument are beyond belief. RIP Joe and Niels, you will never be forgotten

[@johnbeake5055]

J'étais à ce concert, j'avais 19 ans!!!

[@camilobedex]

What year?

[@johnbeake5055]

@@camilobedex 1979 Jazz à Juan.

[@dennistognan3791]

Two incredible improvisational jazz masters

[@エマニエル爺や]

I can't believe this speed in a contrabass.😱😱😱 The pitch is perfect‼︎

[@j-ffilion1290]

The best version of Donna Lee

[@crustycobs2669]

What? Shredding on both guitar and bass. C'mon that is unreal!

[@karilamervo5343]

Mind boggling...I even had the privilege to witness these guys at work along with Oscar Peterson in Helsinki during my youth.

[@josku5]

Mitä ne täällä teki?

[@jgq2881]

I am blown away! I watch and listen in awe. What a match made in heaven. Thank you!

[@dannybrown3870]

That bass player is insane!!

[@carlosschvartzman8374]

"That...?????"

[@Faz99Master]

Damn….what a gem of a video! Thanks for this! Bebop duet….awesome!

[@phyllispetras2181]

I can't think of any other bass player I have seen play the head to this tune on upright. Lots of guys on electric, but haven't ever seen an upright player do it. And at this tempo, in unison and in tune with a guitar player. That is just plain nuts. From Intenzity's comment!!!

[@JzZcAt]

I call this firebop ! Damn fast en extremely well played, incredible solos!

[@lefujyou]

Mark amazed at your guy what a bassist 😢I miss you thanks man for giving me a place to be and play ❤️💖💥never forget you my brotha

[@petercallaway3376]

I was blessed to have seen and talk to Joe Pass at the now closed Ricks Café American in Chicago about 1991? Solo guitar performance. He was selling his CD's at a table set up for him. He told me he practice often solo jazz guitar and he was phenomenal and a very approachable guy. Speed thrills and Niels Hennings Orsted Pedersen is the epitome of that. Charnett Moffet is similar in the Hypersonic speed titans on Upright Bass. Jaco Pastorius made this Charlie Parker tune a mainstay for electric bassists.

[@guitarlots]

One of my all time favorite videos. Thank you for posting this classic jam 🎸

[@dieterammann4]

I too wanted to sell the bass as a teenager after the first real encounter with NHØP. Funny to read in the comments that it is also similar to many today. But: Don't be discouraged, be spurred on - it makes more sense.

[@crescent703]

The tempo is about 315 bpm. It's out of this world!

[@rafyriquelme1137]

Closer to 280bpm half-note.

[@johanbjork1650]

Already at 17 Niels Henning was playing with visiting jazz greats in his hometown Copenhagen.

[@badbassjd]

"Donna Lee" is based on the changes of an older popular tune called "Indiana". If you know the words and melody of that song, you can sing it over every chorus of "Donna Lee". That's why bebop players felt no need to state the melody-because most of the intended audience had heard it so many times they were sick of it. To make the song fresh, Charlie Parker wrote a whole new melody with the same form and almost the same changes and called it "Donna Lee". Any real bebop player knows that melody

[@christiancoppola9306]

Jonathan Drechsler "Donna Lee" was written by Miles Davis actually. Bird was the first to record it, with Miles on trumpet.

[@marshallcrocker8239]

where did you hear this? I've only heard that the tune was by parker

[@greenhotdog12345]

+Christian Coppola And you know this how? Not only was it unlike anything Miles ever wrote, it's got Bird's songwriting all over it. Miles has claimed/been given authorship of various tunes he didn't write (Miles said in his bio that he wrote Blue in Green, but everyone who was there says Bill Evans wrote it, and oh so many tunes from the Second Quintet which Wayne Shorter wrote). Trust your ears more that wikipedia or the real book, it's obvious just by listening.

[@claye_l463]

Miles said in his biography that a number of tracks on the record were written by him but miscredited by the label, including Donna lee

[@J3unG]

You fuckin' moron. Where did you get this bullshit? Donna Lee is the Indiana chord changes with Bird's solo on it. That's all it is. The reason why people play it is not because of Indiana it's because of Bird's lead line. That and because people think playing this shit as fast as you can is somehow makes you a good jazz musician. Miles didn't write this shit. Even Miles in his autobiography said he couldn't play shit by the time he got into Charlie Parker's band so you posting this shit on youTube is weak shit and pisses me off.

[@josemolina959]

Beyond words or praise! Virtuosity at it's highest!

[@hadorean]

his use of harmonics was really ahead of its time. Interesting stuff.

[@virgilrobertsjr7870]

Words cannot sum up that performance! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@harrypalmer3481]

I think these gentlemen left their mark!

[@ignaciogomis272]

Amazing how Joe keeps up with Niels. No, wait, amazing how Niels keeps up with Joe. No, s***, wait, amazing how Joe keeps up with Joe. No, wait, amazing how Niels keep up with Niels, No, wait...

[@paullauria8359]

The great Dane with the very long name and Joe nails it ,of course.

[@robertbuffone5207]

Yep it is one thing to play it on a guitar bass, but on an upright. the 2 greatest bassists ever.

[@georgehandy127]

Both of them are so relaxed.

[@Erkbrothers80]

wow... Thank you to Rick Beato for introducing me to both these superhuman musicians

[@oneworld9071]

Joe came to our home to jam with my phenomenal jazz bassist father. On break, I asked Joe if I could play a few notes on his guitar. I shouldn't have; my hands were downright trembling. Interesting story about Joe's childhood.........his father, speaking figuratively, would whip the daylights out of Joe if he stopped practicing. NO social life, just Joe and his charts essentially 24/7. Herewith we see the product of all that sheddin'. And it was peculiar how Joe was so shy and quiet as it gets but his guitar scorches with authority :)

[@DavidRavenMoon]

This is just frightening! lol and they look so relaxed. Amazing.

[@Yuki-ui8ul]

Simply insane. I've never seen any double bass player plays in unison with guitar at this tempo.

[@TouFik]

Rick Beato brought me here !

[@lowrencemayfield4271]

Same here, Rick Beato rules.....:):):):):)

[@patcom1013]

Yep

[@jeremyking9185]

Me too

[@GabrielFelix-zl4sq]

Same!! Rigby Otto never disappoints.

[@Gregorypeckory]

Rick didn't introduce me to the video, but it was his excellent tribute to NHOP that reminded me to revisit it! He was truly the greatest bass player I've ever heard!

[@joselares9031]

Virtuosismo impactante...😎😎😎

[@natabrito4355]

this is what evolved humans are supposed to do

[@GodsUnrulyFriends]

(Sits and stares at my monitor in utter disbelief. Occasionally letting loose verbal expressions of astonishment)

[@yoguimasterof69]

after listening to about 15 different versions....this is still my favorite! :O

[@fantonledzepp]

I can’t give enough likes to this... 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@timmcalpine9518]

Joe playing his d'aquisto - not too many videos of this guitar WOW

[@josemolina959]

Virtuosos!!! R.I.P. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🎼🎵🎶

[@alanscott6836]

If Punk Rockers could play Jazz..... this is one rasping piece of playing. Relentless

[@danielvaldezaguirre]

Otherworldly, NHØP was an ALIEN, from the same planet as Jaco, SRV, Hendrix and many more. They visit us only to show how its done and then go back. Amazing upright bass techniques.

[@BernieHollandMusic]

The 'same planet' being EARTH

[@Steveleter]

I was fortunate enough to see Niels play live with Oscar Peterson at the Hollywood Bowl. The only unfortunate thing was that Niels was up in age and not in his prime. He was still amazing though and I enjoyed hearing him play. He's definitely my favorite upright bass player. Also, in the audience that night was Ron Carter, another great bass player. I saw him stand up after the show and was tempted to go up to him to introduce myself, but I figured that he's probably a very private sort of person off stage and wouldn't want to be bothered. And the way that he was dressed in a tux means that he was probably going to an after party for the trio.

[@KJTL]

Playing bass and not knowing NHOP, it’s like you don’t know airplanes exist

[@aidanmcguire1369]

There is musicianship and then there is this ...what can you say....wow....

[@andregroleau3602]

The one and only one NHOP !!

[@checker_od4236]

Is... that the best Upright Bass player hat has ever lived?! I looked around quite a bit online and I really cant find anyone better than this NHOP.

[@Archie583]

I believe so, for sure.

[@Alex-ox7fm]

jesus christ neils is playing upright an damn near sounds cleaner than joe pass on guitar lmao

[@samuraimaxx_]

they really didn’t have to rip this hard but im so glad they did

[@adrianomondini8795]

ABSOLUTLY INCREDIBLE !!!!!!

[@g0679]

Reminds me of my practice sessions.

[@RonaldWilkinson-lm4yw]

I went to Joe's place for a lesson.As I was leaving I said " OK Joe, remember to practise everything I showed you"

[@hrbeta]

The level of genius these two guys possessed was huge like the Universe. 😲

[@cesarebianco6834]

What a bass Player !!!

[@kylebrookshire7]

So absolutely phenomenal!!!

[@flemmingdalsgaard3231]

Niels turned the upright bass into something else!

[@michaelkeegan262]

Awesome. Rick Beato brought me here too

[@jamessidney2851]

Joe is known as a solo guitar player. He is considered the king of solo jazz guitar. Because he was so incredibly awesome at solo guitar. But we often forget that joe grew up wanting to play like Charlie Parker, and his real drive for the first part of his career was to play single line bebop like a horn player, on the guitar. That had never been done in a satisfying way prior to what Joe accomplished and showed to be possible. This video is a great example of that essential side of Joe Pass. You will not find an example of joe doing it at a faster tempo with greater commitment to the song than this video. This video should be celebrated as the apex of joe doing bebop, and probably the apex of bebop being played on the instrument. Nobody has surpassed it yet.

[@skittlesstarburst4532]

Not really... so later did all that solo stuff. He’s played in plenty of groups as a sideman... get his album “Resonance” that’s what’s he’s known for...

[@skittlesstarburst4532]

You never hear Wes Montgomery??? Lol

[@gregcable3250]

@@skittlesstarburst4532 Yes. It's still Joe.

[@cookingbeetsmusic7393]

This is greatest video we seen in our live hell we need to step up our playing ISync

[@ZedP]

At first I thought this was a deep fake video. But, nope. God exists, his name is NHOP.

[@rumblefishes]

310bpm roughly. Holey smokes.

[@JeanChristopheLEROY]

Just AMAZING!

[@BassistPaul]

Truly awesome.

[@hope3d502]

Monstrão demais

[@cooljazzsound9809]

Fabuleux !!!

[@aakkoin]

Wtf, Niels-Henning-Orsted-Pedersen, you can't play so fast and perfectly in tune, it's a fretless bass bruh.... BRUH!!

[@verajonathan91]

Uffff bruto show!

[@kurd55]

This performance is also known as, "Spanking Jaco."

[@TropicIslandMusic]

Very interesting to see a bass player utilise what I instantly recognise as classical guitar technique. Idk..maybe he studied it ..Its the only way to have a chance at keeping up with Joe!

[@jonathanjoubertguitare]

He actually had a unique way to play with a 3 finger technique, which is supposed to be not considered as a correct way to play upright

[@LordStompyHarpLoonyTunes]

@@jonathanjoubertguitare It's correct now

[@gabri3l367]

Impressionante

[@williamwade6972]

Upright bass. WoW

[@hejduke9060]

Insane! What a jam!

[@clineyork8339]

absolute mastery

[@RyanGunns]

SHREDDER OF THE CENTURY

[@JBluegum]

Awesome camera work

[@neldonah2833]

Incognocenti hearing eric clapton. Man he's the greatest guitar player in the world. A world that measures 10' x 10' perhaps.

[@phyllispetras3369]

DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ignaciogomis272]

This is only surpassed when you add Oscar Peterson

[@peterfollins4501]

Two aliens.

[@BernieHollandMusic]

I find nothing "alien" in any of this - it is more a pinnacle of human achievement

[@danjv]

Wow! Joe and NHOP are at the height of their powers here. Where's the rest of this set?

[@dubaythecoward3650]

Not sure about this set but there is an album called “Chops” with the two them.

[@danjv]

Thanks very much, yes Chops is here on YT. Still haven't found more from this session

[@guitarttimman]

Okay wait! MY GOD WAS HE GREAT!

[@KeyserSoze685]

I was always taught that the instrument should be an extension of your body....you can definitely hear it in this performance.

[@gregarnold1696]

I've always avoided the who's greatest guitar player question, really what does that mean but the more I hear Joe Pass I think we might have a candidate

[@guerrinoquaglia7028]

Muchas Gracias

[@ElSmusso]

I prefer to play the intro in the first position on the guitar. Makes it sound a bit different from the improvisations that can range all over the neck :)

[@jorgesaojorge3841]

Totaly speedy Gonzalez!! Putz!!! I like so much!!!

[@alessandropegoraro8919]

bellissima!!!

[@christophercotter166]

that was sick cats!