Fred Marshall
Acoustic Bass Solo on
O Tannenbaum

About

Fred Marshall's acoustic bass solo is the second of 3 solos on this recording, following Vince Guaraldi's piano and before Vince Guaraldi's closing piano statement. Spanning two choruses of the 16-bar AABA form at a moderate 124 BPM with a swing feel in F, the solo runs approximately 1:01. Bassist Fred Marshall takes two choruses of his own, his walking lines and arco passages adding textural variety before Guaraldi returns for a final chorus. Fred Marshall was 26 to 27 years old at the time of this 1965 recording. The modern lyrics were written in 1824 by Ernst Anschutz, a Leipzig teacher and organist, who adapted them from August Zarnack's 1820 poem praising the fir tree's faithfulness through winter.

Fred Marshall was 26 to 27 years old at the time.