Recommended listening list for slap/pop?

[Gruuve]

Hi Folks:

 

I was just thinking and realized that my music collection of bassists who slap and pop is woefully lacking. Stu Hamm, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mother's Finest, a few local bands...out of probably 200-300 CD's, maybe only 10 have funky bassists.

 

What do you guys suggest for CD's that are must-haves for funky bassists. I'm not necessarily looking for highly-technical guys (the slap equivalents of Micheal Myung, Geddy Lee, etc.) I'm looking for guys who lay down great grooves that are perhaps complex enough to be interesting and make me stretch, but not folks who play stuff that I can't possibly master... Rock, metal funk, etc., are my favorite kinds of music, but I'm open to anything that has interesting slap bass lines.

 

Post your recommendations and any sites where I could hear samples to see if I like it!

 

Thx,

Dave

[Gord -B]

You probably hate them but Incubus - Fungus Amongus has some funky slap and pop. (Dirk Lance)

 

Anything with Larry Graham in it (Sly and the Family Stone, Graham Central Station)

 

Anything with Louis Johnson playing in it. (Have a search for him on www.allmusic.com and click on credits)

 

Vail Johnson can do some funky slap and pop from what i've seen but not heard much of his work. Any reccomendations?

 

I don't know if i'd call Mark King funky but he's certainly fond of the whole slap and pop thing.

 

And Flea...

 

But I'd rather have a bit of fingerstyle funk anyday! Gonna put on some Tower of Power now

[Gord -B]

http://www.basslobster.com/ Go on what's a groove or videos.

[davebrownbass]

Not the greatest expert on funk, here.

 

Not the greatest expert on slapping either.

 

However, I believe it's important to keep these concepts seperated. Slapping is not necessarily funk, and funk is not only played by slapping.

 

Bring on da fonk has us exploring what kinds of characteristics are common to funk.

 

There are others, I'll be looking for them.

 

Meanwhile, if you are interested in listening to slap stylists, I'd recommend:

 

Marcus Miller. His stuff with Miles Davis is incredible.

 

Mark King with Level 42. Some of this stuff is otherworldly and proves Mark King is an alien.

 

Victor Wooten with the Flecktones. He doesn't slap all the time, but when it does, it's flashy. He is also an alien.

 

Find Chuck Rainey stuff. His slap is very tasteful and not too hard to master. Try the chorus of "Peg" from "Aja" by Steely Dan.

[BenLoy]

Larry Graham.

 

Marcus Miller.

 

Those two should get you started.

[erikmag]

Im gunna go out on a limg here just cause they are one of my favorite bands and say primus. You've probably heard a crap load about les, the music over all is weird to say the least. But you might like it, so i suggest listening to some and then maybe buying a cd or two.

[Gruuve]

Originally posted by snyprmg:

Im gunna go out on a limg here just cause they are one of my favorite bands and say primus.

Oh yeah, I forgot that one, I already have a few Primus CD's. I think my slapping is kind of in a rut these days, and I'm looking for some new inspiration, which was the reason for the question. Primus though is definitely NOT what I'm looking for... ...I need to plug some good but not too busy slap grooves into the input jack in my head for a while...

[bassric]

Alain Caron and Ray Riendeau (check out ARRYTHMIA) produce IMHO the most interesting music using that technique.

For a quick sample, go on the BOSS web site and check the demo Caron made for the V BASS.

[bottle12am]

Yellow Moon -- Neville Bros (check out Tony Hall -- greasy fried chicken tone for days on the album)

 

The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move -- Infectious Grooves (Like to see Metallica allow Robert Trujillo to play like that on their album... he'll never get a chance)

 

Just Advance -- Kenny Dennard (Marcus Miller on Bass... nuff said)

 

WARNING -- although all three have some great slap n pop, the Infectious Grooves album is played with the fingers... the other two are played with the soul

[Geno]

If you're into metal, you're no doubt accustomed with Mudvayne. IMHO Ryan Martinie is one of the most original Bassists out there these days, definately has an original slap style.

[jeremy c]

All you really need to listen to is Marcus Miller.

 

He's on hundreds of recordings.

[Jimbroni]

Marcus Miller. His stuff with Miles Davis is incredible.

Yep.

 

Did Marcus play bass on the Man with a Horn album? It might of been too early for Marcus I'm not sure. (the song Black Betty is killer)

 

Tutu was a cool album.

 

We have to mention the two Victors as well.

[jeremy c]

Miles Davis changed bands during the recording of Man With a Horn. There are two different groups of musicians.

 

Marcus is on four tracks.

[Jimbroni]

Thx JC. Thats why itunes sux. One or two tunes off an album and ya don't know much about it. I love liner notes, but I like the convenience, I'm a net junky, and I have a an iPod.

[g.]

I really have to start listening to some of the Slap some of the Extended Range guys are doing. They're said to be some truly Bad Muthas, and I can imagine what further possibilities having some extra strings nearby could give for that.

 

Lot's of the slap I've already heard is beyond what I can do, but many of the players are not so interesting in their note choices. Or even their rhythmic placements for that matter. But they seem to be able to technically execute a lot of stuff at machine gun paces.

[Nicklab]

I think Gord - B laid it out for you for a great starting point. Larry Graham and Louis Johnson are the progenitors of the style.

 

Start with Larry's playing with Sly & The Family Stone. Then move onto his stuff with Graham Central Station. It's good to note the progression of the style over time so that you can gain some perspective. Just try to move through those catalogs chronologically.

 

Louis Johnson developed somewhat independently of Larry Graham. Check out his work with the Brothers Johnson.

 

Starting with these guys will set you on the path of appreciating the slap & pop style. There are plenty of monster slap players. I definitely think Marcus Miller is among the best, Alain Caron is monster in the technique, and Victor Wooten's work is nearly revolutionary. But knowing where those guys drew their influences from in the form of the pioneers makes you a more informed listener.

[g.]

Plus Larry's got that voice that says BASS is the best - gotta love that, since the earliest Sly cuts. Another thing I like about Larry really came out strong at the time of THERE'S A RIOT GOIN' ON: the cat was incredibly relaxed.

 

Fast forward a few decades and listen to V Wooten and you can feel beneath that sometime fusillade: incredibly relaxed. Ah, we are so fortunate to have people like this around. It doesn't hurt so bad if we can't get it the same way they do if we can at least hear it : }

[jeremy c]

Larry Graham did not play on There's A Riot Goin' On.

 

Sly Stone played the bass.

 

But it is still a great album and has some incredible visionary bass playing on it.

[g.]

Hmmm. Well you know there's no liner notes on at least many of the jackets for that one. But I am seeing him in the photos and hearing the voice. I think. And perhaps wrongly recalling an interview about that...

 

Hmmm.

[Phoney McRing Ring]

Im gonna put another call in for Marcus Miller and i would advise you to go out and by the Ozell tapes(especially listen to Nikki's Groove) Other than Mr Miller Vic Wooten would be my next suggestion (me and my bass guitar)

 

Much Love

Dave

[alexclaber]

Originally posted by Dave Sisk:

I was just thinking and realized that my music collection of bassists who slap and pop is woefully lacking... ...maybe only 10 have funky bassists.

I'm more and more coming to believe that slap rarely equals funk, Larry Graham being the BIG exception.

 

For funk I'd listen to Bootsy, Paul Jackson, Larry Graham, George Porter Jr and Rocco Prestia.

 

For slap I'd listen to Larry (again), Louis Johnson, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten. I've yet to hear Alain Caron but I have a sneaking feeling that he might be rather good too.

 

I'd also recommend picking up some disco compilations - 'Disco Fever' is particularly fine - tons of outstandingly funky yet song oriented basslines throughout the genre.

 

Alex

[73 P Bass]

Originally posted by C.Alexander Claber:

Originally posted by Dave Sisk:

I was just thinking and realized that my music collection of bassists who slap and pop is woefully lacking... ...maybe only 10 have funky bassists.

I'm more and more coming to believe that slap rarely equals funk, Larry Graham being the BIG exception.

 

For funk I'd listen to Bootsy, Paul Jackson, Larry Graham, George Porter Jr and Rocco Prestia.

 

For slap I'd listen to Larry (again), Louis Johnson, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten. I've yet to hear Alain Caron but I have a sneaking feeling that he might be rather good too.

 

I'd also recommend picking up some disco compilations - 'Disco Fever' is particularly fine - tons of outstandingly funky yet song oriented basslines throughout the genre.

 

Alex

Agreed. Slap does not = Funk (although slap can be funky). A few other funky bands are Earth Wind and Fire, The Commadores, and The Ohio Players.

[g.]

C.Alexander Claber: I'm more and more coming to believe that slap rarely equals funk, Larry Graham being the BIG exception.

I'm somewhat in agreement. Slap is pervasive in quite a few styles these days, most of it not especially funky, and the tunes definitely aren't there either... Even a lot of them that claim to be funk don't really seem to be.

 

For funk I'd listen to Bootsy, Paul Jackson -

Yeah, there are others too, but PJ is big in my book - partly because he's played so many things that manage to be supremely funky yet also have a high level of complexity. Not sMoov Jass - FUNK - with brains AND brawn. And even recently, he will rarely if ever slap. Mr Fingerfunk. Though Melvin Gibbs in THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION seems to follow in the shoes, as does Andrew Levy in the Brand New Heavies, early Lenny Kravitz, a couple cats in Jamiroquai, Me'shell much of the time, etc etc.

 

Larry Graham, George Porter Jr and Rocco Prestia.

And don't forget all the cats playing on Junior Walker records, etc. Some of them were/are bad-ass slappers and fingerstylers with major taste. Back when regional music still kind of existed, that is.

 

For slap I'd listen to Larry (again), Louis Johnson, Stanley Clarke -

Why do people forget him so often these days? He has done some pretty decent stuff ; }

 

I've yet to hear Alain Caron but I have a sneaking feeling that he might be rather good too.

I've heard that of Bunny Brunel as well. Though I have yet to order something from Carvin.com by him, I do plan to.

 

...Anyway, if anybody is talkin' 'bout da fonk, they should be aware that fingerstyle is a HUGE part of it. Just ask The Mothership.

[g.]

Time to put it in for the ladies too. Kim Annette Clarke of DEFUNKT can likely stomp yo sorry azzes in either fingerstyle or slap, and writes some mean lines. Oh, and I guess she's some happenin' on the upright too.

 

I already mentioned Me'shell. And you just shouldn't miss Laura Love, who like Me'shell, is at least a triple threat as a writer/bandleader/voice/player. I hope someday do slap 1/10th as well while singing to 1/10th the level the hits without ever sounding like she is doing two things at once. She is simply a phenom as a frontperson and a writer and a unique voice.

[g.]

J,

 

So I think I've found a couple of decent accounts ot RIOT now, and actually pulled the vinyl album out of its hiding place; wasn't sure I even still had it.

 

Looks like this was the period that was l;aregly responsible for the formation of Graham Central Station... crazy stuff man. I remember Sly not showing up for a concert at the Tacoma Bowl back in the day, rumored that it was for the exact same reason... A real shame, because Sly seems to have been a real genius, more than likely the originator of the schtick a lot of worthy others (like Prince) have rode on the shoulders of since then.

 

And the message in all those positive tunes was probably another thing Larry took with him.

[g.]

While we're on that number, Larry was real great at puttin' the fuzz to funk in both bands.

 

EDIT: Which has since been emulated by others - sometimes with synth bass, or basses driving synthy FX.

[tnb]

Am I one of the few who doesn't think of Stanley Clark as funky? I am one of his biggest fans. The first albums I learned were Stanley Clarke's and while they were full of good stuff, I would hardly call it funky. He rocked his @ss off, but funky, no. In fact, if you look at the liner notes, the bassist for "We Supply" is Louis Johnson, not SC.

 

Mark King, Alain Caron, Flea (not for the last 10 years, anyway), Victor Wooten (m*****f*****!) - Bad mofo's, but not especially funky. While I am out here on this limb, I will go as far as to say Mark King needs his pocket checked.

 

Larry Graham - funky, Louis Johnson - funky. If you put them both together you get Marcus Miller. That, ladies and gentlemen is insane funky.

 

Paul Jackson, Jaco, Rocco, Jerry Jermont, Chuck Rainey, Anthony Jackson, MeShell, Bootsy - all very funky, but who was funkier than James Jamerson? Jerry Jermont deserves special props because it's not what he plays, but how he plays it.

 

GreenBoy, you said that you are in Atlanta a lot and you mentioned Junior Walker? Atlanta bassist Ron Harville used to play with Junior Walker and he is funkier than 8 day old chitlins. I hope that he is alive and well.

 

Flame away. Maybe Mecca Jay will make a guest appearence on this thread.

[g.]

tnb,

 

Pretty much agree with all you say there, gradations and all. I never get down to Atlanta, but I love Junior Walker stuff earlier and later. He's worked with a lot of funky bass guys. It's a pity their names aren't a little more out there. I like Jerry Jemmott with King Curtis among others.

[g.]

tnb,

 

Another one of my old horn-days guys was Grover Washington Jr. Some of those CTI dates managed to have some pretty funky stuff goin' on for bein' sometimes over-arranged "sophisticate" music. Gary King and Phil Upchurch spring to mind.

 

Man, I'm looking for the old vinyl again, diggin' through the period: Curtis Mayfield, Issac Hayes, lots of riches.

[tnb]

Gary King!

 

You must have read my mind. I didn't think anyone here (but the usual suspects) would have heard of him.

 

BTW, welcome back.