James Singleton

The style
When I moved to New Orleans in 1978, I found that each of the musicians had a unique way of playing the music, which is dominated by the second-line feel. Charles Neville says it comes from the Afro-Caribbean influence of three against four or two—that triplet element. I got to work with a lot of drummers; some needed the bass on top, and others wanted it way back. But what surprised me the most was all of them played with all four limbs on two and four, not just with one foot on the hi-hat. Another revelation was working with pianists who played so much left hand that it didn’t make sense to walk my own line. Instead, I’d play four to the bar and either stay on the root or switch between the root and 5th. The bass usually plays either in four or what I call a “rowdy two.” I also noticed that the ride cymbal is like a melody or a song, and that gives the music a flow and incredible continuity. The beauty of early New Orleans jazz is it’s very contrapuntal; everyone is playing a melody. That aesthetic can be found in all the local musicians, whether they’re playing swing or funk. So while bass players may be playing vertical patterns or repeated ostinatos, they’re thinking and feeling them as melodies, and that’s what makes the grooves special.

Playing tips
Play along with records by all the top New Orleans artists and experiment with how you feel the beats. The great drummer James Black once told me to think of my walking line as rock eighth-notes, and that he would make them swing. Try playing a walking line and pretend it’s eighth-notes and then 16th-notes, and listen to the differences; hear the quarter-note in different ways. And try to relax and loosen up your groove. [Drummer] Johnny Vidacovich taught me to look at the beat not as a mountain peak, but as a round ball; yes, you want to hit right in the middle, but if you’re a little bit off either way it’s not that big of a deal.

Katrina’s effects
I was on the road when Katrina hit, but my girlfriend watched the waters rise close to our house in Mid-City, and the power went out. She went to her mom’s in Los Angeles and got a good job, so I’ve relocated there for now, with plans to visit New Orleans monthly to play. When I first got back it was jarring to see the devastation. Many musicians have left, such as Bill Huntington, the elder statesman of upright players, who moved to Arkansas. The more positive news is that locals who weren’t coming out are back in the clubs, understanding the importance of the music, which has never sounded more joyous. Students will be returning in January, and there’s a new influx of Latinos, which will have an impact on the arts. The best way to help is to be a tourist—come to Bourbon Street, see the Mardi Gras, attend the Jazz Festival.