Some details about the history of this GdS bass..... My dad - Jack Fallon - was the jazz player who played it during WW2. He was with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) band - The Streamliners. They were based in London from 1943 and toured western Europe entertaining troops from 1944 to Jan 1946. What is amazing is that this GdS was issued to him by the RCAF! It was likely bought in London (rather than in Canada) by a Procurement Officer. Dad realised how good it was to play. When he left the RCAF in 1946, he had to return "1 double bass". So, he bought a secondhand bass to give them. Dad played with Duke Ellington and other famous jazz bands from 1946 to when he retired in 1995 at the age of 80. But he likely played a different bass, as he knew the GdS was valuable. He sold it at a Sotheby's auction for fine instruments in Holland....from memory: a) That was in the mid-late 19980s b) The sale price was only UKP 10,000 - 15,000. How much would it be worth today?! A fortune I expect. Sadly, I have no proof of the above - only what Dad briefly told me about it. He died in 2006. I'll leave you with this thought....imagine my Dad simply viewed it as "Just an old bass" - and returned it to the RCAF in early 1946 - and they threw it out when they left the UK soon after. OMG!

@thestrad1315

3 жыл бұрын

Dear Mark, Thanks for your reminiscences. The foundation that owns the bass would like to include them in a story on its website. Please could you email thestrad@thestrad.com if you have any more info? Thanks so much, The Strad team

@carterpochynok4874

2 жыл бұрын

Holy hell would I LOVE to hear this bass in a Jazz combo with Duke Ellington! It's obviously amazing as a classical instrument, but that deep and sweet tone could work really well in other contexts too... This bass is one of the originals and still one of the greatest, I suppose. Thanks so much for letting us read your story! Really glad your Dad had the good sense to pull a fast one on the RCAF!

A wonderful video of a stunning instrument, played beautifully by Dan Styffe. 👏👏👏

Genial

Thank you for posting this Mr. Styffe

Wish I could own an instrument by Gasparo!

Beautiful sound 👍

Is this improvisation? Or if not, does anyone know the name of the piece at 1:26? It has an intriguing sound.

@ClassicalBassist

2 ай бұрын

It’s Etude #4 by Piazzolla for flute

So what organ did you sell to buy that?

@joebigen6ma

9 ай бұрын

i tried to calculate both of my kidneys and they aren't enough 😂