Michael Bass -

Michael Bass is an American avant-jazz/rock musician and composer who released the 1978/79 albums Parchesi Pie and Painting by Numbers on Random Radar.

Background

Michael Bass emerged in 1975 on the Maryland/Washington D.C., avant-jazz/rock circuit. He played drums, xylophone, and acoustic piano with The Muffins during an early lineup with keyboard–reedist Dave Newhouse, reedist Tom Scott, bassist Billy Swann, and guitarist–violinist Michael Zentner.

The Muffins recorded with Bass in Gaithersburg, at The Music Carry-Out, and at Sounds Reasonable Studios. Bass left before the lineup documented on Chronometers, the archival Muffins set drawn from November 1975 and spring 1976 recordings. He remained close to the group’s network after his brief tenure. In December 1975, Bass commenced work on a solo project.

Parchesi Pie

Michael Bass released his debut album, Parchesi Pie, in 1978 on Random Radar Records.

Parchesi Pie presents two side-length pieces in a tape-edited small-ensemble format. P.D. Pop holds composition, mixing, and editing credits. Bass covers percussion, piano, organ, voice, and trombone. Glenn Wiser adds electric bass, electric guitar, and voice; Newhouse adds woodwind, percussion, and voice. The music uses abrupt section pivots, low-register thuds, dry-toned percussion, trombone rasp, woodwind chatter, and clipped vocal entries.

“Sound of a Chair Knocking Down” splices voices into abrupt organ, piano, trombone, and woodwind passages. “One You Can All Clap Along To” folds verbal asides into an edited small-ensemble layout.

A. “Sound of a Chair Knocking Down” (18:52)
B. “One You Can All Clap Along to” (19:31)

The participants recorded Parchesi Pie from December 1975 through June 1977 at multiple credited locations. P.D. Pop mixed and edited the album from April through December 1977.

Painting by Numbers

Michael Bass released his second album, Painting by Numbers, in 1979 on Random Radar Records, under the Michael Bass and His Moderately Sized Orchestra name.

Painting by Numbers contains five Bass compositions for a chamber-scaled orchestra. The lineup reunites Bass with Newhouse and adds Muffins players Billy Swann, Paul Sears, and Steven Feigenbaum. Bass covers piano, vibraphone, mallet percussion, percussion, and drums. The woodwind/brass roster includes trombonist Doug Elliott, trumpeters David Kappler and Larry Elliott, reed player Tom Scott, clarinetist Bob Toltan, and flutist Nancy Collier. The arrangements pair mallet and piano figures with reed/brass passages and selective rhythm-section entries.

“In Case of Rain (A Few Suggestions)” darts through reed-and-brass accents against compact chamber figures. “Painting by Numbers” knots its arranged cells around Tom Scott’s alto solo. “Give That Dog a Bone” splinters electric guitar color against reed entries. “The Cardiac Arrest Polka” jabs through clarinet figures and bright brass punctuation. “Blutgeld” tightens bass, reed, and trumpet lines into a clipped closing sequence.

A1. “In Case of Rain (A Few Suggestions)” (8:48)
A2. “Painting by Numbers” (9:14)

B1. “Give That Dog a Bone” (7:29)
B2. “The Cardiac Arrest Polka” (6:40)
B3. “Blutgeld” [Blood Money] (7:25)

Discography: