Gruuve Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Hey guys: I'm looking for some more music with good bass players to feed my tiny little mind. After listening to the "Snap, Crackle, and Pop" CD (Bill Dickens on bass), Marcus Miller's M2 CD, Weather Report's Heavy Weather (Jaco on bass of course), and a couple others for a while, I'm yearning for some more good instrumental music to absorb. I'm looking for suggestions on some material with good groovin' bass lines, slapped or fingerstyle, either one, leaning toward more complex playing. I want to feed my mind some things that will push me to continue to grow my own playing. I'm not a huge fan of traditional jazz...I'm looking for stuff with more of a funk/fusion/rock edge to it. So, please fire off some suggestions! TIA, Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Anything Booker T. and the MGs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Just in case anyone doesn't have: Herbie Hancock (Headhunters) - Thrust Honestly, it doesn't get any better than this! Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny B Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Squarepusher The bass player's job is to make the drummer sound good - Jack Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny B Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Originally posted by C. Alexander Claber: Just in case anyone doesn't have: Herbie Hancock (Headhunters) - Thrust Honestly, it doesn't get any better than this! Alex ooh yeah - have you heard Flood? Live Album Japanese Import of Herbie & Headhunters playing most of Thrust and HH! Filthy! The bass player's job is to make the drummer sound good - Jack Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvador Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Bill Bruford- Gradually going Tornado with Jeff Berlin on bass.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvador Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Also, check out Eyes Open by Yossou N'Dour, with Habib Faye on bass. That guy is a badass.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 James Brown's Greatest Hits CD is a clinic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted October 24, 2006 Author Share Posted October 24, 2006 Thanks guys...I've found two also that at least the clips on Amazon sound pretty good. The artists are Billy Cobham and Dave Weckyl...both are drummers (as I remember from my previous life as a drummer ), so I'd expect them to have groovy bassists...and they both do from the sound of it, no idea who the bassists are though... Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Valentino Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 +1 on Headhunters...... Also worth a check is "Personae" by Hellborg, Lane and Sipe. On a bassworthy note....Matt Garrison's first eponymous CD as well as "Shapeshifter", and Kai Eckhardt's solo disc as well....while you're at it check out Garaj Mahal (with Kai Eckhardt and Fareed Haque). John McLaughlin "shape of Things" and the live in Paris disc of this same band. Anything by Christian McBride. Max ...it's not the arrow, it's the Indian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Chick Corea Elektrik Band "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Billy Cobham - Spectrum A 'must own'! Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 ditto Spectrum Get hold of Black Market by Weather Report, School Days by Stanley Clarke, Inner Mounting Flame ans Birds of Fire by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, defintiely Tribal Tech - you'll love them, Chris McBride's Live at Tonic, Anything by the French band Sixun and most of Weather Report. Oh, Meshell Mdegeocello's Dance of the Infidel and most of Miles' stuff between1968 and 1976. Agharta is the best. Then Santana's Lotus and Lost Tribe and John Scofield . . . This applies to most of my CD collection so I could go on (and I will) When I get home this evening I'll post a link to a great and relevant thread on the Guitar Forum. Enjoy! http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMPires Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Dave Matthews Band, Score by Dream Theater, (with orchestra) Tony Levin, Vital Tech Tones, by Scott Henderson, Steve Smith, and Victor Wooten www.myspace.com/davidbassportugal "And then the magical unicorn will come prancing down the rainbow and we'll all join hands for a rousing chorus of Kumbaya." - by davio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Christian McBride - Vertical Vision My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Christian has some great videos available for free dowload at his web-site. Just google for him. He has an awesome band. http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lug Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 go Old School - Wired by Jeff Beck. You can stop now -jeremyc STOP QUOTING EVERY THING I SAY!!! -Bass_god_offspring lug, you should add that statement to you signature.-Tenstrum I'm not sure any argument can top lug's. - Sweet Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric VB Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I'll second School Days by Stanley Clarke; that's in my collection as well. Anything with Stanley, really. Although I have some Chick Corea Electrik Band stuff, for some reason I didn't get into John Patitucci (or whoever came after him) as much as Stanley. Not sure why; could just be me. I like the older Return to Forever stuff with Stanley, Chick, and Al DiMeola (and Lenny White, too, of course). I don't have the greatest collection, but I do have Light as a Feather (including the classic "Spain"), Romantic Warrior, Musicmagic. I have some of Corea's releases, too, although again probably not the best collection. (I tend to buy from the bargain bin as much as I can. ) Touchstone comes to mind, as well as The Leprechaun. Jean-Luc Ponty plays a pretty mean violin. I don't remember what I have in my collection but I did get to hear him in concert back in the early '80s. And again, a connection back to Stanley. (I really should pick up a TRIO! recording and check it out.) I kind of got into the GRP compilations for a while, too. I don't remember any stand-out bass work off hand, but they were nice as a vehicle to expose a number of artists on a single album: Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, Diane Schuur, Dave Brubeck, etc. I've got the 3 Christmas CDs (great alternative to traditional arrangements), as well as Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown, and a few others. Even though I'm talking about the GRP when Grusin and Rosen ran things (prior to 1994), I admit some of the stuff tends towards the "smoother" side. (I see that today GRP is aligned more with smooth jazz.) Kind of funny to me now, to see Kenny G alongside Chick and B.B. King on the Charlie Brown CD. (I'm pretty sure this is the only G recording I own; settle down everyone. ) If you're not afraid of slipping into the "smooth" side, maybe look for some of the '80s GRP releases. If you're confident in your "fusion jazzulinity" , maybe give Spyro Gyra a listen. From Wikipedia: Their music, which has been influential in the development of smooth jazz, combines jazz with elements of R&B, funk and pop music. Although generally considered to be more "jazz" than "smooth", Spyro Gyra's music has been criticized for being light-weight and for emphasizing melody over improvisation. They have nevertheless been praised as skilled instrumentalists and for their live performances. Not surprisingly, the bio for Scott Ambush includes a reference to Stanley. Dave said: I'm not a huge fan of traditional jazz...I'm looking for stuff with more of a funk/fusion/rock edge to it. I don't know what jazz you've been exposed to (I know you didn't mean it this way, but "traditional" refers to early "Dixieland" style jazz), but don't give up on it. Chick Corea and other jazz fusion players were influenced by (and in Chick's case, even played with) Miles Davis. I'm not the best person to ask about Miles, so I'll leave specific recommendations up to others. I find Thelonious Monk quite approachable, too. Monk and Miles are both well-known for their contributions to bebop. (They even collaborated at one point, although I guess that didn't work out so well.) I have Underground and "In Walked Bud" is one of my favorite tracks. (It's a vocal track.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Great Guitar Forum thread below regarding '70s fusion Click here I'd second Jeff Beck's Wired and anything by Herbie's Headhunters; Lenny White's Venusian Summer featuring the original? double-thumber Doug Rauch (he's also on also on Billy Cobham's 'Life and Times and Santana's Caravanserai, Welcome and Lotus. Also check out Garaj Mahal with Kai Eckhardt on bass. http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric VB Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I forgot something (darn old age) ... A local band: The Brothers Groove . I have all 3 CDs; I'd recommend the live one, Layin' in the Cut, although the more recent So Glad You Came doesn't have any covers if you'd rather skip the Miles Davis tune. (They're a great live band, hence the recommendation.) I was in a short-lived trio at the time and stopped by this place after rehearsal to grab a bite on my way home. These guys played that night and I was really impressed with James Simonson's solos. Compared to classic rock where the extended bass solo is non-existent, it was refreshing to see a bass player "step up to the plate" and "hit them out of the park". Watching him really inspired me to get serious about music again, to do some major woodshedding for the first time in at least a decade, and to re-evaluate my own soloing style. He does a good job of accompanying, too, which as we'd expect he does most of the time. Just enough chops to be exciting/entertaining while still giving the singer/soloist plenty of room to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Check out my friend and teacher Steve Billman's fusion group Continuum. They have extensive music available on their site here. http://www.liraproductions.com/Continuum_Music.html Steve is a very melodic player! Also you have to hear the rhythm section of Michael Manring and Steve Smith on the Yo Miles project CDs by Wadada Leo Smith and Henry Kaiser. http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted October 25, 2006 Author Share Posted October 25, 2006 Man...this is a great list! Keep 'em coming...I'm slowing listening to clips from all the suggestions... Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Here are some of my favorites (some of these have been mentioned already): Blue Matter by John Scofield; bass: Gary Grainger Public Access by Steve Khan; bass: Anthony Jackson Thrust by Herbie Hancock; bass: Paul Jackson Amandla by Miles Davis; bass: Marcus Miller A Show of Hands by Victor Wooten; bass: Victor Wooten Illicit by Tribal Tech; bass: Gary Willis Come On In by Steve Smith and Vital Information; bass: Baron Browne The Spin by the Yellowjackets; bass: Jimmy Haslip Time In Place by Mike Stern; bass: Jeff Andrews The Dave Weckl Band Live And Very Plugged In by Dave Weckl; bass: Tom Kennedy Summit by George Brooks; Kai Eckhardt, bass The Funk Stops Here by Mike Clark and Paul Jackson; bass: Paul Jackson Evidence by Adam Nitti; bass: Adam Nitti Ha by Oz Noy; bass: Will Lee and James Genus Word Of Mouth Revisited by the Jaco Pastorius Big Band; bass: ten great players Come on over and let's have a listening party: I've got hundreds of records, tapes and cds of this kind of music! Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted October 25, 2006 Author Share Posted October 25, 2006 OK, JC...I'll check with the wife and daughter and see if they're ready for a little vacation to SF. Ya know, this exercise is demonstrating to me my own ignorance of the whole multi-faceted Jazz genre. It just occurred to me that I couldn't (for instance) tell you the difference between "smooth jazz" and "bebop". I've definitely got some listening to do... Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric VB Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by Phil W: Great Guitar Forum thread below regarding '70s fusion Click here Well, Phil, I see we have more than one common interest, although I must say that you've got me beat in this topic by far more than your 3-year head start in life would indicate. +100 for the reference to Ornette Coleman. (I see Mingus slipped in with Joni Mitchell, too.) I have some of The Crusaders and Yellowjackets, too (as mentioned in the other thread). [Now I have to go home and dust off the vinyl collection!] Anyway, thanks to your list I'll have new titles to search for in the bargain bins. Of course, everything is probably out-of-print by now and I'll have to special order it, like I had to special order the Carnegie Hall recording of Ellington's "Black, Brown and Beige". [OT: My wife borrowed this from me recently and was shocked at how Duke's comments in between songs about WWII still rang true today.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted October 25, 2006 Author Share Posted October 25, 2006 Aha! Found an old Billy Cobham CD in my current collection...PowerPlay. The bassist is a fellow named Baron Browne...based on the first song on the CD, I like him! I hadn't listened to this CD since back when I was actively drumming... Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Bass Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 One of my favorites is a double CD by a group called Catalyst. The album's called "The Funkiest Band You Never Heard" I beleive. I lost it a while back and have been meaning to pick it up again to add it to my iPod (thanks for reminding me).... Alphonso Johnson is on bass....Eddie Green on Fender Rhodes (INCREDIBLE).. Odean Pope on sax and another Philly cat on drums who's name escapes me... Pick it up.... It deserves to have the same recognition as all of these other great suggestions......Also, I don't know if someone already mentioned Brand X and Santana's stuff from the early/mid 70s......... "sometimes you're the baseball. Sometimes you're the bat." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Originally posted by C. Alexander Claber: Billy Cobham - Spectrum A 'must own'! Alex AMEN! I can't believe that no one has yet mentioned Bela Fleck and the Flecktones! Get any CD there all great, however if you can only pick up one find "The Greatest Songs of the 20th Century" it's good place to start. Martin, Medeski and Wood - "Last Chance to Dance Trance (perhaps)" Mahavishnu Orchestra - "Inner Mounting Flame", "Birds of Fire" and if you can find it "Live In Central Park" the bassplayer, IIRC his name is Rick Laird, is not flashy but very solid, which is perfect for that band because practically every song was for John Mclaughlin to masturbate his guitar all over it.But these guys were at the forefront of the Fusion era right along with Weather Report, Chick, Herbie and the others. Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 John McLaughlin, Joe Zawinul and the late Miles Davis all have the knack of finding great bassists. Listen to any of their recordings and you will hear great bass playing. Baron Browne was on my list of recommendations. He's playing with Steve Smith. If you like listening to great drummers, Steve Smith should be at the top of your list. He plays any kind of music very, very well and he makes the most difficult stuff sound absolutely effortless. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted October 26, 2006 Author Share Posted October 26, 2006 Yup...do indeed enjoy Steve Smith on drums (even back to his Journey days...yes, I'm a closet Journey fan!), so I've been meaning to check out his Vital Information band...will definitely do so know that I know the same guy on the Billy Cobham CD is the bassist. Cool. Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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